ITHACA, N.Y. — More than 2,000 people are expected to attend hip-hop legend Talib Kweli’s Thursday night free performance on the Ithaca Commons.
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The Downtown Ithaca Alliance is predicting one of the biggest crowds on the Ithaca Commons tonight for the show, which starts tonight at 7 p.m.
“We’re prepared, and we’re working hard at it and everyone is informed in terms of IPD and IFD,” says Tatiana Sy, of the DIA.
Sy admits that attendance is “hard to gauge, because it is a free show. We’ve worked diligently to prepare for as many people as possible.”
“When this was just an idea we ball-parked it at 2,000, but given the amount of coverage it’s received … it’s probably going to be more,” Sy said.
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More than 1,000 people have already said on Facebook that they will be attending the show.
Kweli is a world-renowned hip-hop artist who first achieved fame as a member of Blackstar with fellow rapper Mos Def. His solo career has produced classic records like “Train of Thought” and he has also appeared on the tracks of some of the music world’s biggest stars, like Kanye West.
Sy also asked the Ithaca Voice to say that people with disabilities or who will have to seat during the show should go the stage corner by M&T Bank.
“We won’t have seats inside the crowd; it won’t be possible, given the size of the crowd we’re anticipating,” Sy said.
Sy added that Ithacans should be excited for the show.
“I think it’s safe to say that the Commons celebration weekend was a great, positive, high-energy weekend. And this, following it up, is a great extension and example of the commitment we are trying to make downtown Ithaca and the Commons a positive and upbeat place again,” Sy said.
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