THE RETRIEVER WEEKLY UMBC’s Student Newspaper INSIDE Volume 41, Issue 14 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD 21250 December 5, 2006 News 02 Hip-hop artist performs in the UC Ballroom ADRIENNE HAWKINS his album, “Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Retriever Weekly Contributing Writer Liquor”, which was released on Sept. 17 and is currently in stores. On Friday, Dec. 1 the Student Lupe was very interactive with Field hockey program Events Board (SEB), along with the students, who were more than cut, Gaumer trial Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. happy to play their part. After the update, and Windows hosted a party for students entitled show Lupe said, “It was a good Vista “The Hottest Winter Ever.” At crowd.” this event, held in the University “It was a good experience, very Center Ballroom, they featured a exciting. I wasn’t into Lupe before, Opinion 05 special performance by hip-hop but now he’s piqued my interest,” artist Lupe Fiasco. said Holly Googe, who attended This event was a huge success the party. for SEB, as well as the final piece Lupe Fiasco, 24, is a native in the centennial celebration for of . He was born Wasalu Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Muhammad Jaco and is a devout The party sold out, which Muslim. He was raised as the meant that those hoping to buy youngest of nine children. His Demolishing Hillcrest, tickets at the door were turned father was an African drummer, Iraq Civil War, and away. Two long lines of people and his mother is a gourmet chef. Redefi ning Islam waited outside in the cold for the His parents played a major role in Willie Archer [Retriever Staff ] doors to open. After being let into influencing Lupe to have diverse SEB Presents: Lupe Fiasco brought the University Center to life last week. the UC Ballroom, the audience cultural perspectives. Lupe has crowded around the stage. Music been since he was in the This year, Lupe Fiasco has charts. For Lupe’s career, things can Arts 14 played while students eagerly eighth grade, and he began taking it met with tremendous success. He only get better. awaited Lupe Fiasco’s appearance. more seriously when he was 17. He was recently named one of GQ When asked about where he Despite the fact that he didn’t take also credits artists like Twista, , magazine’s “Men of the Year 2006,” saw his career going, Lupe said, the stage until about an hour and a Crucial Conflict, , Eightball taking the honor for“Breakout Man “To Wendy’s! I want to ride it all half later, the show was a real crowd and Psycho Drama as influencing of the Year.” He was nominated for the way back to McDonald’s.” pleaser. factors. four of BET’s Hip Hop Awards: Hip Lupe was brought to UMBC Lupe Fiasco treated audiences So what does Lupe Fiasco Hop Video of the Year for “Kick as part of a promotional tour set to the “World Famous Lupe Fiasco bring to the hip hop game that’s Push”, Hip Hop CD of the year for up by his agents. Hopefully, he will Show.” He performed tracks from different?“Nothing. No idea is new. “Lupe Fiasco’s Food and Liquor”, come back to UMBC. “I’d like to The Faulkner Project, the three mixtapes that got him It’s the same message delivered in a Hip Hop Rookie of the Year, and come back, hopefully in a bigger the Brass Elephant, attention in the hip-hop world. different package,” he said after the Lyricist of the Year. His album venue,” he said. Perhaps the RAC and Bobby He followed that with tracks from show. debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 for Quadmania, SEB? Sports 23 Field hockey program cut, athletics nearly $1 million in debt ALEXANDER PYLES declined to comment at this time. Retriever Weekly Editorial Staff Despite the discontinuation of the Recreational sports program, all athletes under scholarship fees, Basketball re- UMBC has cut its varsity fi eld will have those commitments honored caps, and Swimming hockeyprogram in the face of a widening should they choose to remain at and diving win again budget defi cit, Director of Athletics Dr. UMBC, Brown said. No further cuts to Charles Brown announced Thursday. theathletics department are expected to “Our current budget defi cit be made. Newsroom ...... 410.455.1260 Advertising ...... 410.455.1261 has caused us to make fi nancial For his part, though he hopes Editor in Chief ...... 410.455.1262 decisions that include adjustments many of the athletes will remain at Business Fax ...... 410.455.1265 On the Web ...... trw.umbc.edu in staffi ng, scholarships, operations UMBC, Brown promised to help and, unfortunately, the elimination facilitate any student who wanted to of the fi eld hockey program,” Brown transfer to a school where they could said, adding that defi cit is somewhere continue to compete in fi eld hockey. between “$500,000 and $1,000,000.” The fi eld hockey program cut The defi cit, according to Brown, was described by Brown and Associate trw.umbc.edu is due in large part to an unexpected Athletic Director of Communications, 410.455.1260 failure to reach enrollment projection Steve Levy, as a last-ditch eff ort to create at UMBC. enough funds to payback the defi cit, ETRIEVER Willie Archer [Retriever Staff ] First-year fi eld hockey head coach which has been growing for years. Paper Only: UMBC has its fi rst paper recycling program thanks to the THE WEEKLY R eff orts of Students for Environmental Awareness and other campus groups. Lauren Fuchs, who signed a one-year see HOCKEY, page 3. contract to coach the team last spring,