Quinn XCII
University Union has announced the entertainment for Mayfest 2018, featuring singer-songwriter Quinn XCII, rapper YBN Nahmir and DJ-producer Orange Calderón. Gates for the event will open at 1 p.m. on Friday, April 27, in Walnut Park.
With his ability to seamlessly blur the lines between pop, electronic, hip-hop, and soul music, Quinn XCII has quickly paved his own lane with his unique sound. In the Spring of 2017 he went on his first sold-out headline tour through the East and West coasts, straight into summer festivals. Quinn XCII’s debut album, “The Story of Us,” was released on Sept. 15 via Columbia Records. The album is led by his rising single “Straightjacket,” which was named SoundCloud’s “Song of the Month” and reached #3 on SoundCloud’s Pop chart;; at Spotify, “Straightjacket” has been streamed more than 18 million times around the globe, with 2.8 million monthly listeners. His first nationwide headline tour directly to follow the album release was nearly sold out.
All one needs is a single video to breakthrough. That’s proven out since the ’80s with MTV, and it continues to prove true in the YouTube generation of the 2010s. YBN Nahmir is witnessing that fact first hand after the rapid viral success of his song “Rubbin Off The Paint.” It was uploaded in early September 2017, but within a couple weeks, the video was on Worldstar and on its way to its first million views. Fast forward only a few weeks later and the video eclipsed 40 million views while racking up over 10 million streams on Spotify, numbers that earned it the #79 position on the Billboard Hot 100 chart the #33 spot on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart upon its chart debut. Vince Staples recorded a freestyle over “Rubbin Off The Paint” and he even got a shout out from Chris Brown. He’s released a number of singles “I Got A Stick” and remixes (“Gucci Gang,” “The Race”) since the burst of success of his initial single and they have gone on to rack up millions of plays. Though he’s still in the initial honeymoon of viral success, there are already the signs of a long career.
YBN Nahmir
Beginning her career in the summer of 2014, Orange Calderón sprang on the scene with a calm sense of urgency. In two short years, she’d covered most of the Continental U.S., opened for megastar artists including Skrillex and Outkast, played in eight countries and begun hosting celebrity interviews on her personal Dash Radio, show “The Juice.” In December of 2016, Orange became the first woman to champion a national competition in the DJ field, taking home the title at McDonald’s x Complex’s Annual “Flavor Battle” DJ Tournament. The following February she was named among the “DeLeón 100,” a curated list of music industry trailblazers identified by Sean “Diddy” Combs in partnership with Billboard. She’s continued to blaze those trails, DJing in a national Jeep Commercial, Host DJing several Season 1 episodes of VH1’s “Hiphop Squares,” creative consulting on popular award shows and being the first female to curate for TIDAL’s “DJ Selector” Series, and Serato’s “Serato Cast” Series.
The activations and enhancements at Mayfest will include student art installations, various photo ops, airbrush tattoo, henna, inflatable obstacle courses, a lounge area, giant board games and Silent Disco. The student DJs at this year’s Silent Disco will feature Nich Hoffman, Khari Brandes, Culture Clash and Ryan French.
Orange Calderón
Entrance to Mayfest is free for all SU/ESF undergraduate students with a valid student I.D.; however, pre-purchased tickets are required for all SU and SUNY-ESF graduate students, SU College of Law students and guests of SU undergraduate students, along with a valid SU/SUNY-ESF, college or military I.D. Guest and graduate/law tickets will NOT be available at the park and must be purchased for $23.50 at the Schine Box Office, beginning Tuesday, April 17, at 9 a.m. Guest tickets purchased by SU/SUNY-ESF undergraduate students are limited to two per I.D.
Neither student nor guest tickets grant re-entry into the park. All students and guests MUST have their most recently issued valid college or military I.D. to be granted entry to the park. A state-issued ID alone will NOT suffice. Please note that backpacks and/or bags, selfie sticks and camel backs will not be permitted. Please find all information regarding the purchase of beverage bracelets, event logistics, parking, entrance requirements and answers to FAQs at the official SU Mayfest Website.
For further questions or concerns surrounding Mayfest entertainment, activities and press, contact Keely Higgins, director of public relations for University Union, uupublicrelations@gmail.com, and follow University Union on Facebook @UniversityUnion, Twitter @UniversityUnion and Instagram @UniversityUnion.
About Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private, international research university with distinctive academics, diversely unique offerings and an undeniable spirit. Located in the geographic heart of New York State, with a global footprint, and nearly 150 years of history, Syracuse University offers a quintessential college experience. The scope of Syracuse University is a testament to its strengths: a pioneering history dating back to 1870; a choice of more than 200 majors and 100 minors offered through 13 schools and colleges; nearly 15,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students; more than a quarter of a million alumni in 160 countries; and a student population from all 50 U.S. states and 123 countries. For more information, please visit www.syracuse.edu.
