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• ARTzilla: Tame The Beast!

On Nov. 1, Krannert Art Museum will unleash ARTzilla, a giant monster that specializes in turning itself into a free arts festival for you and your friends. There will be food, drinks, a Guitar Hero tournament, the opportunity to create your own art, and, of course, live music for free! Righteous.

The music spotlight at ARTzilla will fall on a couple of CU’s biggest hip-hop acts of the present and past:

Krukid, who took home honors as best Hip-Hop act in 107.1 CU’s Local Music Awards, will take the stage following a set by DJ Mertz. Born and raised in Uganda, Krukid now resides in Champaign but his history is not lost. His passionate and political lyrics reflect his experiences in his home country, which comes as a breath of fresh air for a country where the hip-hop industry focuses more on the ability to sell the beat and not the message. His message does not undermine his beats in any way, as they are as heavy as the lyrics accompanying them.

After another set by DJ Mertz, Psalm One is set to perform back at her alma mater. In 2002, while studying Chemistry at UIUC (take note, chemists!), she released her own LP and is currently promoting her new album, The Death of Frequent Flyer, released by Rhymesayers Entertainment. Still a rookie to the independent label, she is already turning a lot of critics’ heads and with a unique, ever-evolving flow, it’s no surprise. Her performance promises to be exciting and her MySpace guarantees to “rip it down.”