Young Jeezy creates suspense during concert at Sammy

Chants of “Jeezy! Jeezy!” grew louder as hundreds of fans gathered Friday night between the houses of Zeta Beta Tau and Sigma Alpha Mu, eagerly awaiting the Grammy Award-nominated artist to take the stage.

Gates opened for Young Jeezy’s performance at 6 p.m. as guests were either ushered into general admission or the VIP section. Organization was noticeable as the VIP section was separated, tickets were collected accordingly and security was plentiful.

“We’ve got a lot more experience,” said IU senior Jehad Bittar, a promoter for Revival Entertainment. “We try to make sure everything is perfect.”

Proceeds from the concert will benefit the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. The event was produced and presented by Blue Ocean Productions and Revival Entertainment.

Crowds of people flocked to the concert, choosing to attend Jeezy over the Soulja Boy show that was simultaneously taking place. Ludacris performed Thursday night.

“He’s a little more original than the other two (Ludacris and Soulja Boy),” freshman Todd Miner said of Young Jeezy.

The event began with opening acts Main Squeeze and Family and Mac Miller, pumping the crowd up before DJ Unk and Wiz Khalifa took the stage.

DJ Unk, known for his songs “Walk It Out” and “Two Step,” engaged the audience, particularly the women in the crowd, in his performance. Fifteen girls climbed onstage and danced alongside DJ Unk as friends and fellow students cheered them on.

At about 9:05 p.m., the audience began getting restless for Jeezy, who was already supposed to be on stage. The DJ was stalling for time, trying to keep the eager fans excited and at bay.

“There’s always a lot of issues that can come into play, like when Yung Joc was late last year and DMX got kicked off early,” Sammy brother and junior Zach Linsky said. “I don’t necessarily believe someone will be there until they are onstage because of all the drama that can happen, so it’s always good when they are.”

The crowd erupted at 9:19 p.m. when Young Jeezy appeared, sporting a white shirt and chains of diamond-covered bling.

Fans sang along as Jeezy performed various songs, accompanied by men in the background waving promotional DVDs and top-shelf liquor. Hands of Jeezy fans waved rhythmically in the air to the music until, at 10 p.m., the concert came to a close.

“There was a great turnout,” Linsky said. “A lot more than last year. There were a lot of people there.”