Kid Cudi, Public Enemy Top Vanderbilt’s Rites of Spring

Kid Cudi will join an ecclectic group of rockers and rap legends this year at Vanderbilt University's 2011 Rites of Spring music festival.

The music festival, which is in its 40th year, takes place on the Alumni Lawn of Vanderbilt's campus in Nashville, Tennessee, on April 15 and 16. Though Nashville is hardly known as a rap mecca, Rites of Spring marks Cudi's second trip to the country music capital, following his 2010 performance at Bonnaroo, and the 'Day 'N' Nite' rapper will be joined this year by legendary hip-hop group Public Enemy. Past hip-hop reps at the Rites of Spring Festival include Q-Tip, T.I., Drake, Talib Kweli and Lil Jon.

Cudder and Public Enemy will perform alongside rockers the National, Matt & Kim and singer/songwriter Sara Bareilles. On his 2010 sophomore album 'Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager,' Cudi incorporated rock hooks into his music. "I just really get more fulfillment out of singing now," Cudi told MTV last year. "I'm teaching myself the guitar, that's my new found love. I never thought that I could play an instrument. Picked it up, surprised myself."

Tickets for Vanderbilt University's 2011 Rites of Spring festival go on sale on Thursday, February 24th, and can be purchased here.