Within the first song of Fetty Wap’s setlist, a fight broke out in the center of the crowd. Bodies rippled outwards, people fell backwards on top of each other while punches were thrown. The performance continued as security jumped in and broke it up.

And this was just during the first song of the night.

Fetty Wap, Rich Homie Quan and Travis Scott performed at Goldstein Auditorium Friday night as part of Greek Unity Fest, organized by the National Pan-Hellenic Council.

New Jersey rapper Fetty Wap brought on his crew to perform with him. At the end of his set, he performed “Trap Queen,” which had all of Goldstein Auditorium dancing along. He walked offstage afterwards, and murmurs of hype for Travis Scott spread around the crowd.

The stage was shrouded in a bloody red. To the screams of many, Travis Scott walked onstage. He paced back and forth, wordless, staring at the crowd while the ominous instrumental to “Meadow Creek” loomed in the background.

“I see we got some people who been to the Rodeo already,” said Scott, pointing at a fan holding up his Rodeo tour t-shirt. Scott’s cross-country Rodeo tour with Young Thug concluded last Tuesday night in Seattle.

“And here’s a PSA: what we do at the rodeo, is rage!” Scott howled. “So if you can’t rage, then you best go to the back of the crowd!”

Absolute chaos ensued. Over the next nine songs, Travis Scott was the orchestrator for the outrageous, violent crowd. The front half of the crowd was consumed in a wave of people mashing against each other. Elbows, fists and bodies were flying. Audience members were taken aside and accosted by DPS and crowd security, while others were backing away from the mosh pit and heading towards the back — they couldn’t handle the Rodeo.

 

Before Scott played his final song, “Mamacita,” he called for a fan to jump on stage. He chose someone, pulled him up, and stopped the music to speak to him.

“You have one f*cking instruction, my n*gga,” said Scott. “When the song drops, you jump into the crowd — you in their hands now.”

After “Mamacita” ended, Scott left and Rich Homie Quan took the stage. Despite the fact that he was the finale, most of the audience didn’t seem to respond to his presence. Besides his hits — “Type of Way,” “Lifestyle,” and others — most of the crowd stood around, many opting to leave. He closed his set to the sounds of the crowd screaming “Rich Homie, Baby!”

The electrified crowd exited briskly out of Goldstein Auditorium. Outside, some students were receiving citations from DPS for raging a little too hard. But although Rich Homie Quan was the final act, the name on audience members’ lips after the concert was “Travis Scott.”

Published on April 3, 2015 at 11:56 pm

Contact Momin: mrafi@syr.edu