Bonnaroo’s Roo Clue Number 11!

Since it’s a Tuesday clue, Roo Clue #11 was once again hidden at a real-world location. This time, Bonnroo picked a place not so remote: the student center at Johnson & Whales University in Charlotte, NC. Check out a picture of the clue below:

Here’s the haiku:

A school known for food,
Is near a maker of beats.
Hopes high for the kid.

This isn’t quite as easy as some of the recent Roo Clues (maybe Bonnaroo’s been paying attention to my gripes?), but I’m still pretty confident I have the answer. The second line all but guarantees it’s a rapper (or, perhaps, DJ) and immediately brings affiliations with Dr. Dre to mind. Eminem‘s the first who comes to mind, but doesn’t fit the clue. The “kid” and “beats” aspect could also point to Kanye West, but not only does he not quite make sense, but he’d be too big of a reveal AND not the most likely to return after his last Bonnaroo fiasco. My best guess, and the answer that seems to make the most sense, is KENDRICK LAMAR.

Here’s why I think it has to be Kendrick:

• “A school known for food” – The first line is the one I’m least sure about. Clearly it’s a reference to a culinary school, but that leaves unlimited possibilites. Though it’s not one of the most well-known, Whole Foods runs a Lamar Culinary Center. This seems like a bit of a stretch, but the rest of the clue reinforces it.
• “Is near a maker of beats” – Kendrick Lamar is from Compton, the same place as Dr. Dre, who pioneered the immensely popular Beats headphones.
• To loosely tie in the location of the clue (which, in the past, have had different degrees of relevance)- one of the universities’ several campuses is in Little Compton, RI. The school itself has a culinary program, which also may tie into line one.
• Dr. Dre is also featured on the Kendrick Lamar track “The Recipe,” which relates once again to food.
• Lamar is signed to Dre’s label Aftermath, further reinforcing the connection (or “nearness”) between the two.
• “High hopes for the kid” – Lamar’s breakthrough 2012 album is called good kid, m.A.A.d city.
• The “high hopes” is likely a reference to the overwhelmingly positive critical response to Lamar, many praising him as the single best up and coming rapper of the moment.
• After topping so many year-end lists and snagging a recent spot on SNL (along with plans for other summer festivals), Lamar’s been gaining more and more momentum and, as of now, he’s free Bonnaroo weekend.

[youtube=http://youtu.be/8-ejyHzz3XE]

This clue, though a bit ambiguous, remains pretty straightforward when you lay out the evidence for Kendrick. I’m very confident we’ll be seeing the rapper at ‘Roo! This also almost guarantees that we’ll see Lamar pop up onstage to drop his verse for A$AP Rocky’s “Fuckin’ Problems” as well!

Our previous Roo Clue Solutions:

Roo Clue 10 | Father John Misty
Roo Clue 9 | Mumford & Sons
Roo Clue 8 | Purity Ring
Roo Clue 7 | A$AP Rocky
Roo Clue 6 | Of Mosters and Men
Roo Clue 5 | Tame Impala
Roo Clue 4 | MGMT
Roo Clue 3 | Sleigh Bells or Pixies
Roo Clue 2 | Animal Collective
Roo Clue 1 | Japandroids

And don’t forget to check out our 2013 Bonnaroo Lineup Rumors post, which is regularly updated with the lastest info and speculation!

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–Baltimore Natives Think Alike: Animal Collective & Dan Deacon To Play Marathon Music Works.
–2013 Bonnaroo Lineup Rumors