By Jen WiecznerThe Daily Northwestern
SESP sophomore Jackson Froliklong went back to his room in Chi Psi around midnight Friday to change his shirt and found Afroman there.
“There was the man himself, everyone’s favorite celebrity, hanging out in my chair,” he said.
Afroman, best known for his 2001 hit “Because I Got High,” returned to the fraternity house after performing at Tommy Nevin’s Pub in Evanston Friday night for about 85 students.
Just through the glass doors, people ate and drank in the restaurant as the often-called one-hit wonder sang about why he didn’t clean his room, make it to class or go to work.
Medill sophomore Danny Satin, Chi Psi social chair, took full credit for bringing Afroman to Evanston.
“To be honest, it was real easy,” he said. Afroman’s agent’s contact information is posted on his Web site, and Satin had heard he likes playing college fraternity parties.
Over dinner before the show, Satin said the artist told him, “Some rappers rap about different things, but I decided I should rap about what I knew best, and that’s partying and having a good time.'”
Afroman drove 24 hours round-trip from Tennessee just to do the show, Satin said.
He added that Afroman’s demands were modest, and included two 40 oz. bottles of Colt 45 malt liquor, dinner and a hotel room.
Satin put him up at the Best Western across the street.
“When he got there Afroman got kind of flustered, and said he didn’t like staying so close to where he was playing,” Satin said, adding that Afroman called him three hours later from a Red Roof Inn in Wisconsin.
Nevin’s didn’t have a dressing room, and the stage was only about 8 by 15 feet, but Afroman did not complain, Satin said.
“He understood that he was performing for a bunch of college kids, not the House of Blues,” Satin said.
Chi Psi had only invited their own brothers, four sororities and freshmen they were rushing.
“I didn’t want people coming that I’d never met before,” Satin said. “It was definitely meant to be an event for Lodge and friends of Lodge.”
Reactions to the show were largely positive, even if not everyone was a dedicated fan. The crowd pushed toward the stage for “Because I Got High,” singing along and dancing.
“I would say that there were seven people there max that actually knew his songs besides his two famous ones, but everyone else just thought it was a cool thing that he was there,” Satin said.
“The looks on some people’s faces are sheer and utter boredom,” said McCormick sophomore Ali Gitomer at the show. She added that although she didn’t know any of the songs besides “High,” she thought the music was “really good.”
Satin said the show cost a few thousand dollars, but the more than $1,000 they made at the door charging $15 a head would help offset the cost.
That cost included paying Afroman to wear a “Rush Lodge” T-shirt on stage, and a half-hour “meet and greet” at the Chi Psi house following the show.
Around midnight, Afroman munched hot dogs in the Chi Psi kitchen, before going to a large double on the third floor. Soon there was only standing room as he reclined in a swivel chair while about 30 other students squished onto three short couches.
He was mostly reticent, with eyes half closed; he wordlessly waved away a 40 oz. fraternity brothers offered him but accepted a plate of hot dogs the brothers heated in a panini maker.
Froliklong, who had been meaning to change his shirt before discovering the rapper sitting in his room, said that although he wasn’t really a fan before, the experience changed him.
“I wouldn’t call myself a fan; after enjoying his presence, I’d call myself a lifelong friend,” he said.
Afroman stayed for just longer than half an hour, shook hands around the room then left, camera flashes following him.
“He was acting like he could have stayed all night,” Satin said, adding that Afroman said he would come back next weekend. “He’s definitely kind of a one-hit-wonder, which was part of the coolness of it.”
Reach Jen Wieczner at [email protected].
