Big K.R.I.T. headlines FMO’s annual spring concert

Preston R. Michelson, Reporter

For Members Only hosted its annual Spring Concert on Saturday night featuring rapper Big K.R.I.T. and several other groups.

The event was held on the East Lawn outside Norris University Center and attracted about 400 attendees.

Big K.R.I.T., born Justin Scott, headlined the event. He was featured as one of the top 2011 XXL freshmen, alongside rappers such as Meek Mill and Yelawolf. He has also toured with Wiz Khalifa, who played at Dillo Day last year.

At the beginning of the concert, Big K.R.I.T. repeatedly attempted to pump the crowd up, trying to increase attendees’ energy despite the night’s low temperatures. He continued the concert with a fast-paced set including several tracks from his discography.

“I feel like with this kind of energy and this kind of love, we’re all in the VIP section,” Big K.R.I.T. said during the concert.

Syndicate 119, an NU jazz and hip-hop band led by Medill-Bienen sophomore Thaddeus Tukes, opened for Big K.R.I.T.. The ReFresH Dance Crew accompanied Syndicate 119 on stage during their final song before Big K.R.I.T. took the stage.

“It was an honor, and it’s an experience,” Tukes said. “Especially because our music is so much different than his music, it gave the audience another genre of music to enjoy.”

Prior to Syndicate 119 playing their set, DJ Dibiase entertained the crowd in preparation for the opening act.

FMO, which puts on several events throughout the year aside from the annual spring concert, describes itself as “the voice of the Black community at Northwestern.” This year, the group received ASG funding from the Senate Project Pool to put toward staging, lighting and general funds in an effort to attract more students and create a more inclusive event.

Last year, FMO hosted its spring concert at 27 Live, featuring R&B singer-songwriter BJ the Chicago Kid. This year, the group attempted to create an event like a music festival by changing the setup, including moving to an outdoor location.

Communication freshman Justin Enoch, who co-founded a music blog called “Pretty Good Music,” attended the concert and said he was appreciative of Big K.R.I.T.’s energy.

“I thought that Big K.R.I.T. came out with the same intensity he would’ve brought to a much larger crowd,” he said. “He didn’t seem fazed by the setting in any way and worked the crowd really well.”

Correction: A previous version of this story misstated the number of attendees at the concert. About 400 people attended. The story also misstated the name of the DJ who played at the event. It was DJ Oreo. The Daily regrets the errors.

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