Ramapo’s annual spring concert was held in the Bradley Center on Saturday night, and headlining the event was rapper and hip-hop artist Big Sean. The event was sold out months in advance and this showed, as the building teemed with a raucous, capacity crowd.
Opening the show was 92.3 radio performer DJ Toro, who was in charge of hyping up the crowd with his blend of popular dance music. Supplementing this excitement was an announcement from the College Programming Board that stated alternative rock band Relient K will be coming to Ramapo before the year is out for another concert.
Big Sean’s appearance electrified the mob of students who came out in great force to see the well-known artist. He performed personal hits such as “Guap,” “Beware” and “Dance,” as well as tidbits of recognizable feature work that he amalgamated into his set.
“Ramapo showed love,” Big Sean said after the show. “It’s one of the best shows I’ve done this year for sure. It’s great energy, you know, the energy was on 10. I can tell that they were excited, and I know the show was sold out a couple months in advance. I was happy to be a part of it.”
Aside from his singing, Big Sean came prepared with a variety of props including a megaphone, extra microphone stands and “Rico the Lion,” his personal mascot that pranced around the stage during one of his songs. His infectious energy resulted in a comfort with the audience, and as the show went on, he threw clothes into crowd and even himself for a brief moment. It was a scene out of a rave, with flashing lights and a digital screen flashing behind him.
The rapper also expressed his appreciation for all of the fans that came to see him and spread messages of love, peace and following dreams at any cost. In a show of kindness, Big Sean gave a shout out to a young handicapped boy, which was followed by chants of “Christian.”
“[I want to] make more music, expand as an artist, just solidify myself in this rap game for the long run. I got a clothing line, Aura Gold, I got a fiancée, you know all that, so it’s just making everything right,” he detailed. “Growing up, becoming a man. A lot of great people in my life, so I’m blessed, I’m blessed.”
Big Sean is currently in the midst of making a new album, but first he is enjoying the college tour that Ramapo certainly left a mark on. Students can look forward to what the College Programming Board has in store for them next spring, this concert being proof that the Ramapo College community loves concerts.
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brocha@ramapo.edu
