Hype wasn't enough to get the first annual "Rap Attack" concert off its feet and the show, featuring Boogie Down Productions, Queen Latifah and X-Clan, was cancelled yesterday due to a lack of ticket sales.

Only 620 of 5,000 available seats were sold for the March 26 show in Rec Hall, said Steve Vogel, University Concert Committee concert director.

Full refunds will be available from March 26 to March 29 at Eisenhower Auditorium.

Vogel expected that only about 1,000 tickets would be sold by showtime.

"That would have been a loss that could put UCC out of business," he said.

Because it was considered a cultural concert, the University backed the show's losses for up to $30,000, but Vogel predicted a loss of $45,000. Since UCC is self-supporting, the student group may have buckled under this loss.

"We feel bad about it," he said. "But we couldn't physically do it. These cultural concerts are hard to do."

UCC will not lose money on the concert because the University will underwrite the cost of advertising, Vogel said.

UCC originally tried to get rap group Public Enemy and singer Anita Baker, but both were unavailable. Boogie Down Productions and Queen Latifah agreed to perform at the concert even though they aren't on tour, and X-Clan was signed to the show later as an opening act.

"We're all upset about the cancellation," said Vogel. "But the bands understood."

Gerard Louison, vice-president of Black Caucus and that organization's representative to UCC, called the cancellation unfortunate.

"I think the scheduling of the concert on a weeknight contributed to bad ticket sales," he said. "We needed it on a weekend."