Atlanta-based rapper Ludacris smacked fans with Southern-sauced hits and thug-appeal at the Auditorium on Thursday night, and the crowd licked it up, jumping to its feet and throwing hands in the air the second he took the stage.
There were noticeable vacancies in seating at MSU’s Homecoming kickoff concert, but fans were full of passion and energy for the performer. The floor and walls vibrated with the beats.
Ludacris performed numbers from his triple platinum “Back For The First Time.” Its token track, “What’s Your Fantasy,” is a somewhat infectious anthem that booms from bars, SUVs and frat houses on any given night.
Other popular songs from the album include “Southern Hospitality,” “U Got a Problem?” and Timbaland-produced “Phat Rabbit,” one of the first numbers he performed.
The beats and the prospect of seeing Ludacris for the first time drew some fans.
“I love his music, it’s tight. I’ve never been to a Ludacris concert before,” biochemistry freshman Sam Molina said before the show.
Marketing sophomore Carmeka Weathers, kinesiology junior Lashawn Pritchett and sports medicine junior Veronica Gill were seated in the third row and bought tickets the day they went on sale last Friday.
After a brief consultation they concurred “Phat Rabbit” is their favorite song.
“I’m so excited to be here,” Weathers said.
“His whole attitude, his style, just everything - it brings you up,” Gill added.
Efforts to recruit the rapper began last summer. Ebony Productions, a student organization under the programming board of ASMSU, summoned Detroit connections to make it happen.
“We were able to contact with Ludacris’ people from then, we worked out a deal this semester to get him here,” said Ebony Productions director of operations and advertising junior Ronnie Frelix Jr. “He was pretty hype over the summer, we got some good feedback as far as having him at the concert show, so we went ahead and booked him.”
Opening acts included spoken word Detroit-based Mike E, Dirty Dozen, Raw Collection and MC Breed, a Flint-based rapper.
