The college dropout is coming to DeKalb, but not for classes.

Kanye West will play the Convocation Center at 8 p.m. Saturday as part of his “Touch the Sky” tour.

American Idol winner Fantasia will open the show, potentially with other acts who are not confirmed, said Kevin Selover, marketing manager for the Convo.

The Convo tries to bring a few hip-hop acts in each year, and the acts tend to do well, Selover said. In the past, it has brought Ja Rule, Ludacris, Ciara, Twista, Young Buck and Lloyd Banks. West, however, is more pop, Selover said.

“He is more on the mainstream charts,” Selover said.

Opening act Common dropped out of the show last month but Selover said he thinks the absence of the rap artist will have no significant effect on audience turnout.

“Most people want to see Kanye,” Selover said. “He’s the big draw.”

Freshman visual communication major Mariel Mentink said she is not a fan of hip-hop music and would not go see West.

“I like a lot of indie rock, but that really wouldn’t cater to the Convo Center,” Mentink said.

Mentink said she would like to see a band such as Death Cab for Cutie brought to the Convo.

Chris Byers, a sophomore business management major at Kishwaukee Community College, said he has only heard one song by West, but thinks he is a good artist worth seeing live.

“I don’t listen to much rap,” Byers said. “The song I heard was on my buddy’s CD. I don’t have a lot of exposure to him.”

The shows brought to the Convo this fall have come about in part because of the partnership the Campus Activities Board has with the Convo to bring acts to NIU.

CAB’s goals were to listen to what concerts students wanted and to relay those ideas to the Convo, said CAB President John Acardo.

“We wanted well-balanced and diverse concerts,” Acardo said. “I think we succeeded in that.”

Over the past few years there was not a strong relationship between the Convo Center and CAB. This fall has made a tremendous difference in the acts brought to the Convo, Acardo said. In addition to West, CAB helped bring 311, 3 Doors Down, Ciara and Twista and Trey Anastasio to NIU.