Young, on-the-rise rapper, bbno$ (pronounced baby no money), performed at WCU Thursday Aug. 22 as part of Last Minute Productions’ Week of Welcome event series.
The event opened with DJ Juasca. As he performed, the crowd steadily continued to grow. The set included songs for every student from “Axel F” by Crazy Frog to “360” by Charli XCX. Music ranged from pop to techno, but energy never faded, instead, it consistently grew. Throughout, dance circles opened and closed sporadically in the audience.
As the set ended, the energy from the crowd radiated in the air. Students dressed as bbno$ began to appear with his signature pink beanie and iconic goatee. Signs bounced around above the crowd with hand drawn pictures of the rapper, signs of his name, song requests and requests for bbno$ to use their phone for a selfie.
At the front of the stage barrier, different audience members lined up, each holding a letter spelling out, “IT BOY BBNO$” referencing the artist’s most recent hit, “it boy.”
The set began with bbno$’s DJ playing a few songs. As anticipation peaked, the it-boy jumped on stage to the opening clip of his most popular song “Lalala” then rickrolled the audience cutting the song off with “Never Gonna Give You Up,” by Rick Astley. The crowd jumped and sang along as the bass of the speakers vibrated chests.
After the opening song, Brian Boyer came to announce Last Minute Production’s upcoming events. Upon seeing Boyer’s popularity among students, bbno$ bowed as Boyer came on stage. After the announcements, the show really began.
As motivation, bbno$ announced he’d be giving a signed cookbook to “whoever went the hardest.” He held the cookbook out in front of the screaming crowd and read out recipes as people cheered.
Between songs, bbno$ used his time to talk about the importance of mental health. He opened up about his own struggles saying he had therapy earlier in the day. He also admitted when he first came on the stage that evening, he was having an anxiety attack.
The rapper also spoke about the importance of a college education. Before pursuing rap, bbno$ got his degree in kinesiology.
During the show, bbno$ chose students to bring on stage to act as his friend and fellow rapper, Yung Gravy to perform a few of the duo’s greatest hits. Three students each spent one song on stage during the songs “Welcome to Chilis,” “Shining on my Ex,” and “Whip a Tesla.”
As the show was coming to a close, bbno$ awarded the signed cookbook to a student who brought their dog to the show. The decision later sparked controversy on anonymous social media app, YikYak, whether it was ethical to bring a dog to a crowded concert.
The show closed with a sped-up house remix of “Lalala,” the song that put bbno$ in the public eye after it trended on video social media app, TikTok.
Energy was still high as the show closed. Students lingered behind begging for an encore. Students slowly scattered, stopping to talk about the show and their favorite parts.
Last Minute Productions consistently puts on free events for students throughout the year. To see upcoming events, follow Department of Campus Activities on Instagram or Facebook @wcucampusactivities. You can also find events on Last Minute Productions’ engage page.
