From Ludacris to Gym Class Hereos, the musical acts on campus this past week have been anything but "ordinary."
But yesterday's campus visit from five-time Grammy winner and 1999 College graduate John Legend had a political touch to it. Coming just before next Tuesday's Democratic primary in Pennsylvania, Legend was on campus to help rally for Senator Barack Obama
Looking to strike the right chord with newly registered voters, Legend performed seven songs, including his signature hit "Ordinary People," at the Penn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.
The singer was joined by actor Kalpen Modi, better known as Kal Penn, to rally support for the Illinois Senator.
"I think it would be great to have a president who actually read the Constitution," said the Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle star, who is currently a Penn professor of Asian American Studies.
Kal Penn began campaigning for Obama in Iowa during the Writer's Guild Strike.
"I had no job," he joked.
The concert, which was free and open to the public, was hosted by the Penn Democrats, who endorsed Obama in March.
Legend played several new songs- - one of which he does not plan to release any time soon. After performing "These Days," Legend explained that he felt a song about voter apathy was no longer relevant.
Compared to previous elections, he said, a lot more young voters seem enthusiastic to be involved with the current campaigns. "Paris Hilton going to jail, that's all we were reading about last year," he added.
Wharton freshman and class president Keith Williams enjoyed "the mixing of politics and music."
The concert came at a crucial time for the Illinois senator, who has begun to suffer from a recent shift in the political winds.
Last month, cable news networks began playing clips of Obama's longtime pastor, Reverend Jeremiah Wright, making anti-American comments from the pulpit.
Still, many at Penn hope to see Obama as America's next commander-in-chief.
The Penn Dems, working with Penn for Obama, have registered over 2,400 new voters.
College senior Kevin Rurak, who attended yesterday's concert, described the Obama campaign as a "once-in-a-lifetime thing for Penn and for this country."
