The Columbia Heart Beat: FAN GETS BUM RAP: From CoMo Rap Fest promoter

Campus Musick founder Chase Lauer

COLUMBIA, 7/30/11 (Beat Byte) -- An unusual customer service response from Missouri Muzic Fest promoter Chase Sullivan Lauer (left) to an inquiring fan almost has a hip-hop rhythm.

"Can't wait to see your hater ass begging for a ticket outside the gates."

Questions and concerns about rapper Nicki Minaj's advertised appearance at the Labor Day MoMusic Rap/Hip Hop Festival earned fan Arthur Nunn the harsh retort on a Facebook page.

"Will Nicki be at this event?" Nunn asked Missouri Muzic Fest, a Facebook alias used by Lauer. "Is the use of her name and photo just for publicity? Seems like there could be some legal issues here."

Prompting Nunn's questions were "misleading promotions" that sounded "fishy," he told the Heart Beat. Recent newspaper stories have also raised concerns about which acts were firmly booked for the Boone County Fairgrounds show. Pre-concert ticket sales are largely based on the promised acts.

"Can't wait to see your hater ass begging for a ticket outside the gates."

-- concert promoter Chase Lauer to fan

"There are a lot of offers out and a lot of contract negotiations going on that I wouldn't expect you to understand," Lauer told Nunn. "This is the way the industry works, but I wouldn't expect you to understand that, Arthur."

Missouri Muzic Fest is an offshoot of Campus Musick, which Lauer -- a 2005 Mizzou Journalism School graduate who concentrated on advertising and public relations -- says he started "as a way for independent and local artists to have a voice and an outlet for their music, focusing primarily on the college demographic."

"We have a contract with Nicki Minaj, but now she wants more money," Lauer told the Columbia Heart Beat. "Our lawyers are working non-stop to resolve the issue, and there are a lot of issues currently being resolved. Until these issues are resolved, we have pulled Nicki from the website and promotional materials."

An astute promoter featured from Mizzou to Ole Miss, Lauer appeared in recent Maneater stories showcasing local rap and hip-hop talent. To promote his own rap group Goone last year, Lauer staged an "alien abduction" complete with CD giveaways on the Mizzou campus.

"Just yesterday, extraterrestrial beings were spotted in lecture halls across campus throwing free CDs and shirts at students," the Maneater reported. "A random and fleeting act of interstellar kindness? Or a clever human marketing ploy? Earth citizen and MU graduate Chase Lauer claims the latter. Touting the incident as a 'guerilla marketing campaign' to publicize local rapper Goone's latest studio effort, Lauer insists there's no need for alarm."

If Lauer seemed alarmed in his response to Nunn, it may be the stress of promoting a show Columbia Tribune entertainment columnist Pete Bland called "a nightmare in the making."

"In this industry, artists are constantly demanding more money, even after contracts are signed and deposits are paid," Lauer told the Heart Beat. "During this 'limbo' time with Nicki, we have contracted LMFAO, Shwayze, Chingy, Jeremih and Lil Niqo. We have several other offers out to huge names in the industry, and will have the complete lineup set by this Sunday night."