Cleveland native hip-hop star wows fans at the MAC

A rain-filled evening couldn’t keep fans from lining up outside the M.A.C. Center doors Thursday night to see Kid Cudi, Gorilla Zoe and Chip Tha Ripper rock the stage.

Though Kid Cudi’s opening acts filled the gap from the gates opening at 8 p.m. to Cudi’s appearance at about 10 p.m., fans weren’t deterred in their excitement — even in the afternoon hours.

At 3:20 p.m. Jodi Novotny, freshman 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.”

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.”

The concert opened with Gorilla Zoe, followed by Chip Tha Ripper.

Zoe entered the stage, bumping and grinding for the fans that surrounded him on two levels. Every few songs, he took off a piece of clothing to throw into the crowd.

Kaela Laird, freshman hospitality management major, got to take home his hat.

“I was kind of, 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 Kent State colors with a hoodie during his last song of the night — one from his upcoming album “King Kong.”

“Thank y’all for having me,” Zoe said. “Because of y’all, I am me.”

Next, Chip Tha Ripper blasted the stage, preparing the crowd for Cudi. He even sang his favorite song for the crowd “UAF,” short for “Ugly As Fuck!”

Members of the crowd waved their hands in the air while bobbing their heads along with Chip as he belted his lyrics. He said he had a crew there filming for an upcoming video.

At one point, Chip threw his rag into the crowd as a souvenir to one lucky recipient.

Taylor Gantz, sophomore psychology major was that man.

“I had to fight my buddy for it,” Gantz said. “I’ve been listening to Chip since high school. I was so excited.”

Once Chip had left the stage, the lights then fell dark. The crowd starting chanting Kid Cudi’s name to get amped up, his DJ spinning tunes before the artist even made his appearance.

When Cudi finally emerged from backstage, the members of the crowd got to their feet, screaming their heads off. He strutted across the stage while singing his first song to get the fans even more riled up then they were before.

“Hands up,” Cudi said. “Make’em move, too.”

You can contact Katie Moore at [email protected].