Soulja Boy cranks up tailgating fields

Soulja Boy bumped the tailgating fields Friday night as an audience of about 5,000 danced along with the rap star to his signature song, “Crank That.” 

Throughout the concert, fans screamed with excitement as beach balls bounced through the crowd.

The opening acts recognized IU and the Little 500, building to the excitement of the actual presentation when Soulja Boy expressed how great it was to perform during Little 500 week.

The IU Essence dance team danced alongside the stage throughout the show and stimulated audience participation. The rap duo Playo and O Dog warmed up the audience with an intimate song called “Indiana Swag.” Other opening acts included Jake Udell, Farfaradude and Joby Wright. The concert had an upbeat and hip-hop feel throughout.

“From beginning to end, there was not a moment where I wasn’t either dancing or screaming. It was so exciting,” said freshman Meghan Lovellette, who stood in the front row.

Soulja Boy rolled up to the tailgating fields in a limousine at about 8 p.m. The 18-year-old Atlanta-raised rapper said “Wassup?” to Bloomington before starting with the song “Turn My Swag On.” But the crowd really got stirred up when Soulja Boy called out to his adoring fans with the hit “Kiss Me Through the Phone.”

“How many sexy ladies we got in the crowd?” Soulja Boy said before he performed the song.

He was wearing baggy white shorts, a black T-shirt and a Boston Red Sox hat topped off with a gold chain necklace hanging with a heavy plaque of his name. Having worn sunglasses embedded with Swarovski crystal in the past, Soulja Boy especially attributes his swagger to his shades.

“His eyewear is his key piece,” said Soulja Boy’s personal stylist, Jamal Robinson.  
The show was sponsored by Bloomington’s Ice House Foundation, a group of students paired with IU’s club hockey team. Members gave Soulja Boy a hockey jersey with his name on the back. A fan caught Soulja Boy’s eye, and he passed the jersey to the lucky girl in the middle of the crowd.

Members of the organization said they were pleased with the turnout at the tailgating fields, considering this was the first concert performed in this location during the Little 500.

When asked about the choice of Soulja Boy as the performer, senior Jason Apple replied, “We hope to combine the Little 500 tradition with the community by bringing a top hip-hop artist of today.”

Games, such as the IU favorite cornhole, were set up in the field by the charity Camp Kesem. The fundraiser was run by senior Adam Wagner, who collected donations in tents with fun activities. 

“Camp Kesem is an IU-run camp that is held for one week in the summer free of cost to about 100 children,” Wagner said.

Along with keeping a personal and direct relationship with fans online, Soulja Boy rapped offstage and onto the field throughout the performance. Not only did he “Do Da Stanky Leg” with the audience, but he invited them to share fame on “Soulja Boy TV,” his personal YouTube.com channel where he posts music videos and personal addresses to his fans.

“Soulja Boy live was amazing,” said freshman Lauren Arena, “because everybody really got into the music and cranked up each dance.”