As the lights dimmed and the murmur of the crowd was replaced by a soulful voice and the chimes of a keyboard, the Orange & Brew transformed into an old jazz club.
Rudy Currence, 24, of South Carolina, took the stage Tuesday night, serenading an audience of about 50 for about an hour and a half.
The performance was co-sponsored by the Orange & Brew and the UF committee for Black History Month 2010, which organized Black History Month events for the university.
Kamali-Ann Burke, executive director of UF’s Black History Month and a public relations senior, said she thought Currence’s music, with its feel-good lyrics, really fit this year’s Black History Month theme, “A Love Story.”
Currence performed a variety of original songs, one about his life growing up in Rock Hill, South Carolina and his dream to pursue a musical career. One song included the lyrics, “I wasn’t black enough so I got picked on, but I wasn’t white enough.”
He also sang bits of popular songs such as Outkast’s "So Fresh, So Clean" and some traditional gospel songs.
At one point he broke out with the electric slide, daring the audience to get up and do the dance. Eight people joined in.
Currence recently signed a record deal with Ludacris’s label, Disturbing Tha Peace, and Mike Chek Entertainment.
Currence was paid about $2,000 for the performance, said Tonya Dawson, program coordinator for the Center for Student Activities and Involvement.
Correction: The Alligator originally reported that Rudy Currence recently signed a record deal with Ludacris’s label, Disturbing the Peace and with Mic Check Entertainment. These should be spelled Disturbing Tha Peace and Mike Chek Entertainment.
It was also incorrectly reported that Currence performed Outkast's song "So Fresh, So Sing." The song is titled "So Fresh, So Clean."
