“Opposite of Adults”: Wellesley welcomes Chiddy Bang

"Don't tell my mother this, but the only reason I'm not going home now is because of Chiddy Bang!" confessed Betsy Eriksen '14, who has decided that her recent bout with mononucleosis won't keep her away from this Friday's concert.

College Government (CG) and the Schneider Board of Governors (SBOG) have announced that the Californian indie band Best Coast and the Philadelphia-based hip-hop duo Chiddy Band will be the annual Fall Frenzy concert's headliners. The excitement is palpable on campus—everyone is waiting for the upcoming concerts. But the excitement is tempered with a bit of uncertainty. Some may already be familiar with the surf pop of Bethany Costino, the lead singer and founder of Best Coast. But who exactly is Chiddy Bang?

Whether or not you know who they are, you've probably already heard this innovative duo at work on hit singles like "Opposite of Adults," a mash-up of MGMT's "Kids," and "Truth." When asked for a strict label for the genre of music they play, Chidera "Chiddy" Anamege and Xaphoon Jones (née Noah Beresin) smartly replied that they play a sort of"Rapelectronicaafrobeatclubpro." It's an appropriate label for a group whose songs include tracks from Passion Pit, MGMT, La Roux and Mary Poppins.

Called "kings of the basement party jam," these artists got their start in Philadelphia while freshmen at Drexel University. Chiddy, who was studying business, and Xaphoon, who was studying music, immediately clicked when a neighbor introduced them. After collaborating on the composition of new beats, the duo took their work to basement parties across the city.

As they became more famous, Xaphoon and Chiddy took their work to a variety of record labels. Though they initially encountered some difficulties, they eventually signed with a British label, and their hit single "Opposite of Adults" landed number 11 on the United Kingdom charts.

Since then, the duo has had success in the U.S. as well. Recently signed with Virgin Records/EMI Music, they have played at major music festivals such as Glastonbury and Lollapalooza. On Aug. 24 they released their first album, entitled "Here We Go." Unsurprisingly, the two have left school in pursuit of their booming musical career.

We know where they are now, but where did these two young artists—they're not even old enough to legally drink yet—come from?

Chiddy was born in Newark, N.J. to Nigerian immigrant parents. They taught him the power of perseverance early on; Chiddy worked hard through his childhood, eventually landing a scholarship to attend the prestigious Mt. Herman High School.

Born and raised in Philly, Xaphoon grew up running errands at various music studios, where he picked up tips from the experts and even snuck in studio time. When not meeting with local jazz artists, he found time to learn to play several instruments, further influencing his eclectic musical tastes.

Where does the inspiration come from? Chiddy cited Lauryn Hill, Redman and Naughty by Nature as major influences, while Xaphoon listed DJ Premier, The Clash's Joe Strummer, Pete Rock and J Dilla as his sources of inspiration.

The result? Tunes that are fun, fresh and utterly danceable. Their music has a universal appeal that, although the press has dubbed it a "hipster's wet dream," is fundamentally unclassifiable.

But these two wouldn't have it any other way. "We're just two kids making music," stated Chiddy simply. We wouldn't have it any other way either.

Best Coast will perform on Thurs., Nov. 18 in Tishman Commons. Chiddy Bang will perform on Fri., Nov. 19 in Tishman Commons.