Binghamton University students will be digging into their “Bank Account” this semester to see 21 Savage perform at the BU Events Center.
The Student Association Programming Board (SAPB) is following its fifth consecutive year of rap and hip-hop concerts by bringing the rapper to headline the 2018 fall concert.
The SAPB announced Tuesday night that the rapper will be performing at the Events Center on Thursday, Nov. 15.
According to Christopher Wright, the concerts chair for SAPB and a junior majoring in political science, the headliner was primarily chosen based on the student survey, and which artists got the highest number of votes.
“We chose him just because we had the student backing there, and we knew that at least this percentage of students were interested in the artist coming,” Wright said. “So it’s a pretty good representation of what the student population enjoys.”
This year, 61.5 percent of students who took the poll voted for hip-hop, rap and R&B as their top genre preference, while 58.1 percent voted in the pop and rock genres.
“We look at all the different categories, who’s available and who’s up-and-coming,” Wright said. “At the end of the day, when we do get an artist, we still appreciate the student feedback to guide us along the way.”
21 Savage, born Shayaa Bin Abraham-Joseph in Atlanta, Georgia, is best known for his 2017 single “Bank Account,” which hit No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. The rapper also appeared alongside Post Malone, last year’s fall headliner, in the single “Rockstar,” which peaked at No. 1 on the charts.
“He’s collaborated with big artists like Drake and Cardi B, too,” Wright said. “He should do well because he’s been pretty popular and students voted highly for him.”
In late October or early November, 21 Savage plans to release his sophomore album.
“He actually mentioned on his Instagram that his new album was completed, so we’re also pumped that he’s releasing new music this year,” Wright said.
Like previous years, tickets will still be $40 for floor seats for students and $25 for general admission for students. Extra fees will be added to the final ticket price, which include a facility fee and convenience fee. Unlike last year, more floor seats will be able to be purchased for students and the general public.
“We’re including more tickets because we were able to fit more people on the floor this year,” Wright said. “We want to let everyone know that there would be a higher chance of getting a floor ticket with the increase.”
Another new addition to this year’s concert is that for the first 24 hours, ticket sales will only be accessible to BU students.
“We just wanted to make sure that students were able to know who the artist is before purchasing a ticket,” Wright said. “We also wanted to give students priority first.”
The show will take place in the Events Center on Nov. 15. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets will be available to purchase at noon this Thursday, Nov. 1.