Rap artists native to the Bay Area gave CSU East Bay students something to get hyphy to during an intimate concert last Friday in the New Union.

ASI Presents booked Bay Area rappers Roach and Lil’ B, along with headliner Mistah F.A.B., to keep the campus community entertained during the usually dull Winter quarter.

“It’s good to have something to do here on campus,” said CSUEB student Angelina Leones. “Winter quarter can get boring because the weather can get kind of ugly.”

Though the concert started close to an hour after the promoted time, the crowd was kept entertained by a DJ that played music typical to the Bay.

As more and more people filed in to the Multi-Purpose room in the New Union, comprised of CSUEB students and community members, the first two acts took the stage.

Excited to finally have someone performing, the audience rallied to support CSUEB student Jamel Jackson as he performed some of his songs.

After one more budding artist performance, there was an hour-long pause before anyone else hit the stage. The first of the better-known performers, Roach, warmed the crowd up with a high-energy performance.

By the time Lil’ B hit the stage just after 9 p.m., the ever-growing audience was pumped and ready for a great show.

There was a lot of controversy surrounding Lil B’s section of the concert because of his infamously obscene lyrics, but the artist held himself with a certain level of maturity.

Halfway through his second song, the sound system went off and neither the music nor the microphone was working.

To ease the awkwardness while the system was being fixed, Lil’ B mingled with his fans—shaking hands and pretending to eat with a wooden spoon that happened to have been brought to the concert—until the sound started working again.

“Thanks for having me at your school,” said Lil’ B, immediately after being handed a working microphoe. “I really appreciate your support.”

After an engrossing performance, the artist stayed on stage to support friend and fellow rapper Mistah F.A.B. as he closed the night with an equally exciting section of the show.

“I’m really proud of y’all for staying in school,” Mistah F.A.B. said after his first song. “Just remember to stay positive. It ain’t about how much money you got, it’s about personal excellence and hard work.”

The artist then went on to say some words in defense of Lil B’s character, stating that he was a great friend and a talented rapper.

A highlight of the show was when Mistah F.A.B. asked the audience to hold up objects in their hands so he could freestyle—rap and rhyme about the objects in the crowd off the top of his head.

The objects, which included a set of keys, a Bay card and even a spatula, were all used in the freestyle eventually. Though it was skeptical if the spatula was going to make the cut, the artist finally found the perfect rhyming word with “Dracula.”

Mistah F.A.B. brought a small contingent of supporters with him up on stage. One member of the entourage jumped into the crowd as the concert was coming to a close to dance with the audience.

As the concert started to wind down and the crowd started to disperse, it was evident that Lil B and Mistah F.A.B. were trying to promote an encouraging atmosphere for the mostly college-age crowd.

“Remember to stay positive,” Mistah F.A.B. said as he walked off stage. “Just stay positive.”