Lil Tecca to headline spring Lawnparties, Weatherboy will open

Amid much anticipation, rapper Lil Tecca is set to headline Princeton’s Spring 2024 Lawnparties concert, announced to students via the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) Instagram on Friday, April 19.

This year’s Lawnparties, which falls on Sunday, April 28, embraces a tropical theme: “Tropic Like It’s Hot.” The main stage festivities will kick off at 2 p.m. at Frist North Lawn, with the student opener, Weatherboy, performing at 2:30 p.m., followed by the headliner at 3:15 p.m.

Lil Tecca’s management has officially confirmed his appearance with the Social Committee, though specifics on his setlist are yet to be finalized. The rapper, whose given name is Tyler-Justin Anthony Sharpe, is 21 years old and hails from Queens, New York. He is known for his melodic flow and catchy hooks, and has garnered millions of views on TikTok with chart-topping tracks like “Ransom,” “Did It Again,” and “Love Me.” His unique style has firmly established him as a notable figure in contemporary hip-hop; he has over 20 million monthly listeners on Spotify at the time of publication.

Recently, Sharpe performed at the University of New Hampshire on Saturday, April 13. He was also set to headline spring 2024 concerts at Stony Brook University in New York and at nearby Seton Hall University, but canceled both appearances.

Student band Weatherboy was unable to open last semester due to unforeseen scheduling changes prompted by inclement weather. Band members include Michael Salama ’24, Samara Samad ’25, Nina Green ’24, and Paolo Montoya ’25.

“We’re super duper excited to perform, and we hope the students who are watching will enjoy it as much as we have been enjoying the preparation,” Salama said in an interview with The Daily Princetonian.

Extensive free food options will once again be available throughout the day leading up to the headliner event. Per usual, all dining halls will open at 9 a.m., and Tico’s Bagels will be available starting at 10 a.m. at the wristbanding station in McCosh Courtyard.

Grab-and-go food options, including campus dining fruit cups and Taco Bell, will be available starting at 11 a.m.; five food trucks, including Rita’s, Nomad Pizza, Tico’s, cheesecake on a stick, and a kosher food option, will open at 12 p.m. More water stations have been added this year to ensure attendees stay hydrated throughout the day.

Organizers, with the help of the Alcohol Initiative, are working to expand food options to make it more accessible for students with dietary restrictions. Efforts include providing gluten-free options and catering to various religious backgrounds, with plans underway to offer a kosher for Passover option — matzah pizza — in collaboration with the Center for Jewish Life (CJL).

This year’s Lawnparties event falls during the eight-day Jewish holiday of Passover, during which many Jewish students on campus will be observing the holiday’s dietary rules.

In previous years, the Alcohol Initiative funded a number of Lawnparties activities and food options, but has scaled back this year following a USG budget increase in September that allowed USG to take on a larger share of the funding burden for Lawnparties.

This year’s Lawnparties organizers have also made changes to the event’s infrastructure. Additional enhancements planned include sound systems in certain areas like McCosh Courtyard and the SPIA fountain, where students typically take photos earlier in the day. Campus Club will also feature an array of attractions, from temporary tattoos to lawn games to a vintage photo booth.