Rap artist T-Pain will headline the annual Cockstock concert in October, Carolina Productions announced Tuesday.
T-Pain is an American artist and record producer best known for his early 2000s influence with songs like "Buy U A Drank," "Bartender" and "Up Down (Do This All Day)."
A Greene Street Paint U event celebrated the announcement on Aug. 23 after Carolina Productions revealed the headliner on Twitter and USC sent an email to students with a link to request their tickets.
In the past, funding has been an issue for the Cockstock Committee — the part of Carolina Productions that partners with several other clubs to make this event happen. Students had to pay $10 per ticket in order for enough funds to be raised to afford the event.
But, now in part thanks to the now lessened repercussions of the pandemic, Carolina Productions has made it a priority to make the event free for all students with a valid CarolinaCard, according to Carolina Productions President D'asia White.
Faculty and staff can purchase tickets on the Colonial Life Arena website.
"It'll be different (this year) because it'll be guaranteed free to students," White, a third-year environmental studies student, said. "Last year, we had to do outside for COVID safety."
White said the preparation for a bigger artist started when Carolina Productions wasn't able to book a performance for its spring concert.
The money it would've used then went into looking for someone with more of an influence on students and alumni for homecoming weekend. A survey conducted amongst select students showed R&B was the most popular genre.
"I actually was surprised at who the artist is," Monique Rice, a second-year criminology and criminal justice student who attended Paint U, said.
Rice has been a fan of T-Pain since middle school and is excited for a free concert.
The Cockstock Homecoming Concert will be held in the Colonial Life Arena on Oct. 21 at 8 p.m.
Ticket requests "will be honored in the order in which they are received," and must be submitted by Oct. 10, according to an email from the university.
Ava Stricklane, a first-year public health student, says she already requested tickets because she always liked T-Pain growing up. As a first-year, she's excited to, "meet new people and just feel the hype."
Concert-goers are asked to adhere to the clear bag policy and to not bring blankets or any outside food or drink.
Correction (Aug. 24, 2022 at 10:00 a.m.): A previous version of this article stated the concert is free to anyone with a valid CarolinaCard. The concert is only free to students. Faculty and staff members can purchase tickets.