The Campus Activities Board’s (CAB) decision to pick Mickey Avalon as the main performance at Serendipity caused controversy among the community. Once Avalon was announced to perform, Students Against Rape Culture member Katie Yow and CAB held a forum on March 30 to hear concerns about the performer’s lyrics and songs.

“A few people came who didn’t know about him and were curious,” said senior Andrew ‘Thaddeus’ Herz, president of CAB. “Students and some people from the outside community came.”

Senior Vital Akimana, president of community senate, said he and Yow tried to make the forum a secure place for people to speak up.

“Both Katie and I attempted to create a forum that would be a safe place,” said Akimana. “We wanted to get people to talk and get involved.”

Senior Keira Wilson heard of Avalon before learning that he was going to perform.

“I knew about Mickey Avalon before Serendipity and his music has been on campus,” Wilson said. “It was not surprising that he would be a common event.”

Senior Josh Lewis questioned why Avalon was chosen for Serendipity.

“Before his performance, I questioned the wisdom of inviting an act to Serendipity that many people find controversial and offensive,” Lewis said. “I think for some folks, Mickey Avalon coming to Guilford raises questions about whether our tuition dollars are going to support musicians that reflect, or at least don’t contradict, the core values of the institution.”

Junior Laura Milot was excited to see Avalon perform.

“I think he is a fantastic musician and performer,” Milot said. “I think he is very controversial.”

Akimana said he recognizes CAB’s efforts for the concert, but he is not forgetting his responsibility for the community.

“I found him very questionable,” Akimana said. “I recognize CAB’s effort for having a variety of music and genres, but I do not want to dismiss taking responsibility for the concerns and harm that many in our community have and continue to feel as a result of this artist’s lyrics.”

Yow said in an e-mail interview that she does not agree with the decision to have Avalon here, but recognizes this as a learning experience.

“I do not agree with this decision,” Yow said. “But what is most important now is that the event is happening and to recognize it as a valuable opportunity for learning and reflecting the issues that have been raised. This gives our campus an opportunity to confront issues that are present throughout our culture and open discussions.”

Some of the artist’s past is reflected in his music. Avalon was a prostitute, drug dealer, dealt with drug and alcohol addiction, lived on the streets, and found his sister dead.

“I recognized the concern, but I’ve been telling people it’s his experience from his life and his life was rough,” said senior Emily Bradford, who is chair of co-sponsorship and volunteers of CAB.

Sophomore Tim Lindberg said he sees Avalon’s talent and understands why the lyrics offend people.

“Yes, he does have lewd lyrics and dirty songs,” Lindberg said. “I am not easily offended and I understand what he goes through to write these songs. I understand why people would get offended. (But) to undermine his talent would be very disrespectful.”

“Some of Avalon’s lyrics contain graphic images and statements about committing sexual violence, and this is most troubling to me,” Yow said. “Avalon’s musical expression is his own, but having worked for three years at this school to educate the community and provide support for issues regarding sexual assault, I am very upset when we bring something like this to campus which is so violent and has the potential to hurt members of our community and we justify it as ‘entertainment’ as if that makes it okay.”

Wilson said Avalon sings about topics that are not found in the Guilford community.

“I think he writes about nerving aspects of his own life that I may not agree with,” Wilson said. “At Guilford, we don’t come face to face with the combination of drugs and poverty. I think they are real life things. Granted, people are upset and these themes are a part of life. We live in a Guilford bubble and the outside world is not as nice and we may have to compromise.”

Junior Sharice Chandler attended the concert and noticed how people acted at the performance.

“There were intense mosh pits, crowd surfing, and naked people running around,” Chandler said. “The people in front of me were flicking him off. The only times I could understand Mickey Avalon was when he was talking about his dick or saying his name.”

“With infinite rhyming word combinations, and so many things going on in the world, there’s no excuse for producing hip-hop that consists of repeating your own name and praising your own dick,” said junior Nonie Gandhi. “It’s not that I find prostitution, or gay sex, or penises offensive – I definitely don’t; I just find Mickey Avalon’s lyrics unfortunate. I did go to his show though, and I had a good time. I might fail to see any artistry in his music, but I don’t think it’s a big deal that Guilford invited him to perform.”