Popular rap acts come to the Triangle to perform

Raleigh and Chapel Hill continue to be hot spots for popular rap artists, with Waka Flocka Flame, Future, Ty Dolla $ign, Fetty Wap, Kid Cudi and Chance The Rapper having concerts in the Triangle area this past winter.

Waka Flocka performed in three shows at Cat’s Cradle in Carrboro from January 11 to January 13. Originally, the rapper was scheduled to perform for one night, but ticket sales for Flocka’s January 13 show sold out within the first 30 minutes of sales. Tickets to the additional shows also sold out quickly.

Sophomore Roxanne Fortney bought a bundle of tickets for Flocka’s rst show and sold them to friends that did not make the ticket deadline.

“I was afraid tickets would sell too fast for all my friends to be able to attend the show, so I decided to buy [extras],” Fortney said.

Atlanta-based rapper Future, most famous for his gritty autotuned style, was next in town, stopping by The Ritz as a part of his “Purple Reign” tour on March 2 with Ty Dolla $ign.

The tour is headlining Future’s most recent album, Dirty Sprite 2, which reached number one on the US Billboard 200, as well as the Billboard US Top R&B/Hip-Hop albums.

Future had a very successful year in 2015, with his album What a Time to Be Alive, a collaboration with artist Drake, debuting at number one, as well as multiple popular songs including “Where Ya At,” “Real Sisters” and “March Madness” earning radio time.

“Future is so talented and I’m really excited to see him live,” junior Kelly Shareshian said.

Rapper Fetty Wap will come to the Cradle on March 17. The rapper rose to fame last spring, with his hit single “Trap Queen,” followed by other number ones hits titled “Again” and “679”.

Sophomore Shannon Wulff will be attending the show and is excited to see him in person.

“I really like his music and I’m going with my friends,” Wulff said. “It should be a lot of fun.”

Kid Cudi will be performing at The Ritz on March 13, Fetty Wap is scheduled for March 17 and Chance the Rapper is slotted for March 29.

Junior Matt Schinsky is excited about the rap concerts coming to town and the heightened interest he has seen in the genre.

“When people think about Chapel Hill, they don’t think of it as much of a rap scene,” Schinsky said. “So it’s nice to see there is more of a following for rap and hip hop than we thought.”

jmnicotra@students.chccs.k12.nc.us

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