Snoop Dogg coming to Bates

Snoop Dogg at a Aug. 20, 2009 performance in Lebanon.

- Bilal Hussein

LEWISTON — Hip-hop star Snoop Dogg will perform later this month at Bates College, as part of a New England tour, a Bates official confirmed Wednesday

The West Coast rapper is set to perform at 9 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 27, in the Gray Gym. The college's Chase Hall Committee, the student-run activity board, announced the concert in an e-mail late Wednesday afternoon.

The stop is not listed on Snoop Dogg's tour calendar on his Web site but is sandwiched between a Friday show at the Webster Theater in Hartford, Conn., and a Sunday performance at Philadelphia's Theater of Living Arts.

The Grammy Award-nominated rapper was a Crip gang member while in high school, according to Wikipedia. Shortly after graduation, he was arrested for cocaine possession and sentenced to three years in prison. His music career began in 1992 after his release when he was discovered by Dr. Dre. Snoop's debut album, Doggystyle, was released in 1993 under Death Row Records. Doggystyle went quadruple platinum and spawned several hit singles, including "What's My Name" and "Gin & Juice."

The 39-year-old performer's 10th studio album, Malice n Wonderland was released in December 2009.

Keith Tannenbaum, assistant dean of students and coordinator of student activities for Bates College, said Wednesday that the college was approached by an agent late last week. Snoop Dogg's tour would be traveling through New England at the end of the month, and the agent presented an opportunity to pick up a date between stops.

Tannenbaum said the agent offered a manageable deal, and the students on the activities committee were excited about the opportunity.

"They decided to pursue it and we did not tell anybody other than the board until the concert was confirmed on Monday," he said.

Though no official announcement was made before the Wednesday e-mail, word had already spread "around the globe," Tannenbaum said. "We were hearing back Monday night from alumni," as well as from students who were out of the country.

With the early spread of rumors, the buzz among the Bates students had died down slightly by Wednesday. Some expressed concern that Feb. 27 will see several athletic teams away at postseason matches. Among the games scheduled are conference semifinals for men's and women's basketball and the conference championship meet for men's swimming and diving.

Who: Rapper Snoop Dogg

When: Saturday, Feb. 27

Where: Bates College

Tickets: $22.50 for Bates students; $35 for general admission (2,000 tickets available at www.batestickets.com)