Kid Cudi comes to Kent State
January 6, 2011
Electricity filled the air at the M.A.C. Center Thursday night as Kid Cudi, Gorilla Zoe and Chip Tha Ripper lit up the stage for a sold-out crowd.
A rain filled evening couldn’t keep fans away from lining up outside the doors to the M.A.C. to see their favorite artists.
Jeffery Hammond, Undergraduate Student Government’s director of programming, was amazed at the turnout they had for the show. Most of the tickets were sold to students because they had a whole week before the tickets went public.
“There hasn’t been a concert sold-out like this since the 80s,” Hammond said. “Back then they didn’t even have enough seating for the 4,200 that are here tonight. Drake was the closest we had come to being sold-out with about 3,800.”
At 3:20 p.m. Jodi Novotny sophomore, integrated business education major started the line at the door so she could be the first in to the stage to see her favorite artist up close and personal.
“I’m very excited,” Novotny said. “He is one of my favorite rappers. It’s worth standing out in the cold to see him.”
The night stared off with Gorilla Zoe bumping and grinding the stage for the fans that surrounded him on two levels. Butts didn’t stay in the seats long after his soulful lyrics started pulsating peoples hearts. Every few songs he would take off a piece of clothing and throw it into the crowd.
Kaela laird, sophomore hospitality management major was the lucky lady who got to take home his hat.
“I was kinda like in shock for a minute,” Laird said. “I was like oh my God I got his hat.”
Britaniegh Blanchard, freshman athletic training major and Sarah Lenox, senior nursing major ended up with pieces of his shirt.
“Well we were fighting over it with a couple of other people,” Lenox said. “And it just ripped into two pieces.”
Gorilla Zoe wrapped up his set by proudly displaying KSU colors by putting on a hoodie to rap out in before his last song.
“Thank y’all for having me,” Zoe said. “Because of y’all I am me.”
Zoe gave the crowd a treat by playing one of his new songs coming off of his album “King Kong” dropping in February for his encore as he left the stage.
Chip Tha Ripper cut the stage up in his set getting the crowd ready for Cudi. He even sang his favorite song for the crowd “UAF” which meant “Ugly As Fuck!”
The crowd waved their hands in the air while bobbing their heads along with Chip as he belted out his lyrics.
Chip also had a crew there filming for an upcoming video. He threw his rag into the crowd for a souvenir to take home to remember the concert.
Taylor Gantz, junior psychology major was the happy recipient.
“I had to fight my buddy for it,” Gantz said. “I’ve been listening to Chip since high school. I was so excited.”
The lights then fell dark before Cudi came out and the crowd starting chanting his name to get amped up. His DJ started spinning tunes before the artist made his presence known.
When Cudi finally appeared the crowd was on their feet screaming their heads off. He strutted the stage while singing his first song to get the fans even more riled up then they were.
“Hands up,” Cudi said. “Make’em move too.”
He bounced his hand up and down trying to get the crowd to do it along with him. Chip came back out to duo for a few songs with Cudi. Cudi not to be out done by any other artist of the night jumped up on the barricade singing to his adoring fans.