After hours of waiting, the lights finally dimmed. An iconic voice emerged from the darkness. All at once, the room erupted into applause and movement. 2 Chainz had arrived. And he was tearing up the stage in a pink wheelchair.

On Oct. 27, Reynolds Coliseum was packed to the brim with students anticipating the arrival of 2 Chainz, the rap artist headlining NC State’s homecoming concert. Hundreds of attendees streamed onto the floor in droves, while others filled up the balcony seats above. Before doors opened at 7:30 p.m., eager concertgoers had formed a line that extended past Wolf Plaza.

“We’ve been [in line] for an hour and a half,” said Nardra Daniels, a fourth-year studying psychology. “It’s getting cold, but we’re still doing good.”

Within Reynolds, strobe lights and lasers pulsed from the stage as a local DJ played tracks to hype up the crowd. Both on the floor and in the balcony, attendees danced and moshed to the music. As the night progressed, however, attendees exhibited frustration towards the concert’s delay, chanting “we want 2 Chainz” over and over.

“It’d be lit if 2 Chainz was actually here,” said Michelle Kerstein, a second-year studying fashion and textile management.

Nevertheless, the crowd found ways to occupy the time. At one point, concertgoers lit up the room with the flashlights on their phones and swayed back and forth. At other times, students on the floor cheered on skilled dancers in the balcony who impressed the crowd with their signature moves. Then the opening act, K Camp, finally graced the stage.

K Camp and his crew completely elevated the mood of the room. With renewed energy, the crowd went wild and sang along to well-known songs, including “Comfortable,” “Cut Her Off” and “Blessing.” K Camp is an emerging rapper who hails from Atlanta, Georgia.

“Some of the goals that we have in terms of selecting the artist is always making sure that it’s going to be an artist that is one, engaging; two, popular to some degree and three, something students would be excited for,” said Luis Esteves, executive vice president of the Union Activities Board (UAB) and a fourth-year studying political science and international studies.

“This year, in terms of choosing 2 Chainz, we knew that 2 Chainz is very engaged,” Esteves said. “He’s got good music, and he just recently had his new album come out. He seemed to be the best fit.”

Esteves said that UAB’s goal is to always provide the best experience that they can for students. He said that they were also trying to get Reynolds fuller than last year.

“Hopefully, it’s going to be lit,” Esteves said.

In the darkness, phones lit up all around the venue. Snapchat accounts were poised at the ready. 2 Chainz spoke for the first time, and the crowd responded with deafening excitement. Immediately, pink strobe lights flashed as the crowd jumped to the beats that reverberated through the room. On a huge screen, a video played of 2 Chainz pumping a fist in the air, while one of his backup dancers wheeled him around. The concert had begun.

“I’m feeling great,” said Ameera Khattab, a student visiting from William Peace University. “It’s awesome. I’m super excited to be here. … This is lit.” 

2 Chainz performed many of his chart-topping hits including “No Lie,” “I’m Different,” “Birthday Song” and “It’s a Vibe.” He also performed songs from his new album, “Pretty Girls Like Trap Music.” On stage, 2 Chainz was accompanied by backup vocalists and dancers. His professional backup dancers were young women clad in black attire, and notably increased the production value of his show, hyping up the crowd with their masterful choreography. As they popped and performed splits, he belted out the lyrics of his trap hits, all the while in his pimped out pink wheelchair.

“I’m the freshest … you’ve ever seen in a wheelchair your life,” 2 Chainz said to the crowd.

The artist also interacted with the crowd. An attendee on the floor had brought an NC State basketball jersey designed specifically for the rapper as well as a crutch. 2 Chainz asked for the jersey and crutch to be passed to the stage, and he proudly held up the jersey as he stood up with the help of his backup dancer. 2 Chainz also said it was a blessing to be there.

“I want you to get up,” 2 Chainz said. “I want you to go to class. I want you to go to work, because if you don’t believe in you, then who will?”

As the concert came to a close, a steady stream of students left Reynolds Coliseum.

“I thought it was absolutely amazing,” said Xenna Smith, a first-year studying communication. “It was a great way to kick off Homecoming, especially at a school as diverse as ours.”