Finals Fest is most notable for bringing in rising stars, and University of Idaho students will get a chance to decide for themselves April 28.
But, Finals Fest is also notable for sticking with the same old song and dance — literally.
Hip-hop and male are both a given when it comes to the annual celebration. After this upcoming Finals Fest, 6LACK will become the fourth male hip-hop artist in a row to perform at the end-of-the-year event.
So far, however, performers have all turned out to be fairly strong picks from Vandal Entertainment. Chance the Rapper took the stage in 2015. ILoveMakonnen performed in 2016. Post Malone took to last year’s 2017 Finals Fest. And, this year, 6LACK will round out some students’ Finals Fest experience for their entire college career.
Before this grouping of hip-hop artists flocked to UI, however, Vandal Entertainment experimented with a variety of performances from bands and solo artists.
Cast a general let-down, Grouplove visited in 2014. So, Finals Fest left behind the indie pop and alternative rock scene and began its trajectory into a full blown yearly hip-hop festival.
But even before the Grouplove flop, Finals Fest hosted 10-time Grammy winner Taylor Swift in 2007 and the now widely successful Macklemore in 2013.
But this year, the relatively unfamiliar “moody hip-hop” performer from Atlanta, 6LACK, will test the waters at Finals Fest just before we round out the school year. With more than 6.5 million monthly listeners on Spotify and a plethora of tracks, 6LACK should be set to provide a very hip-hop filled evening.
From Taylor Swift to Grouplove to Post Malone, there was at least some variety. Now, there is little variety to be seen at Finals Fest.
Where are the female performers? Where is the variety in genre? There has to be something beside a male hip-hop artist that will appeal to the UI masses.
It is important Vandal Entertainment bring more variety to Finals Fest in an effort to curb boredom. Some UI students began with Chance the Rapper and will end their time at UI with 6LACK — all male hip-hop artists.
UI’s SprinTurf seems to have the magic touch when it comes to artists finding heightened success after their respective Finals Fest performances. So, who knows? Maybe 6LACK will end up being the next big thing.
— HS