Chicago knows a superstar or two — Michael Jordan, the first lady of chat, Oprah, and, of course, President Obama. And, as it turns out, Lupe Fiasco. The Grammy-award-winning hip-hop artist will perform in Hubbard Park at 8 p.m. today as part of the first Hawkapalooza festival.

The night will kick off with a pep rally featuring fall-season athletes and end with a free concert. The Student Committee on Athletics worked closely with SCOPE to combine sports and music for the event.

“To our knowledge, nothing like this has ever been done on the campus at UI [before],” said athletics-committee member Tim McLaughlin.

The newly formed group developed the idea of Hawkapalooza earlier this year, and it hopes to make it a fall tradition. The organization is encouraging all UI students to come to the event as an act of unity before the first football game of the season.

“We were heavily involved in the selection process of the artist,” McLaughlin said. “We could not be happier that Lupe Fiasco agreed to play the show and that we were able to secure him as the artist for the first Hawkapalooza.”

Those attending are encouraged to enter the park at 6:30 p.m. to attend the pep rally. UI students will receive priority seating for both the pep rally and concert by presenting their student IDs.

SCOPE general manager T.C. Lockhart said it is important that students have free concerts, because such events are different entertainment options.

“As enjoyable as the nightlife in Iowa City can be, it’s refreshing to tap into other nighttime alternatives,” he said.

When booking a potential performer, SCOPE has several things to consider, such as financial risk, venue availability, and whether UI students will be interested in seeing the performance.

“[Given that] students have such diverse musical interests, SCOPE strives to produce a concert lineup that taps into numerous genres and appeals to as many students as possible,” Lockhart said. “I can’t think of a better way to start the year than a free Lupe Fiasco show at Hubbard Park.”

Fiasco, who has never performed at the UI and who will release a new CD in December, brings a vibe to Iowa City different from the more traditional hip-hop artists.

“[We] chose Lupe Fiasco because his is an act that appealed to so many students,” Lockhart said. “Lupe’s talent speaks volumes to various audiences. Not only does Lupe Fiasco appeal to rap and hip-hop audiences, but he is also credible enough to appeal to college students who may not typically listen to rap music.”

SCOPE hopes to fill Hubbard Park with the performance. With more than 2,000 people confirmed on the event’s Facebook page, visitors are expected to come from such locales as Des Moines, Cedar Falls, the Quad Cities, and Cedar Rapids.

Lockhart noted that without the financial support of the UI, the free concert would not have been possible.

“We are humbled by the extensive support we have received throughout the UI community,” he said.