Vanessa Su
Arts & Entertainment Editor
A highly-anticipated annual musical event, this year’s Delirium delighted many UCSB students with its star-studded lineup featuring producer Mustard, DJ Kenny Beats, and rapper Leikeli47. On Oct. 26, the Thunderdome was packed with a plethora of students dancing the night away to relieve post-midterm stress and anxiety.
Kicking off with rapper Leikeli47, who sported her iconic bandana, Delirium amassed a large crowd of students eagerly awaiting the presence of Mustard, who played all of his big hits and fan-favorites such as “Pure Water” by Migos and “I’m Different” by 2 Chainz. Afterparty DJ Kenny Beats gave Mustard a run for his money with mashups of “Foot Fungus” by Ski Mask the Slump God and “Baby Sitter” by DaBaby featuring Offset.
Formerly known as DJ Mustard, Los Angeles native Mustard frequently collaborates with the likes of rappers such as YG and Ty Dolla Sign, and has three full albums under his belt. Inspired by his uncle to become a DJ, Mustard’s original work with YG catapulted his career as a producer and led him to eventually create hits such as Rihanna’s “Needed Me” and YG’s “Big Bank” featuring 2 Chainz, Big Sean, and Nicki Minaj.
American producer Kenny Beats also boasts an impressive music portfolio with his collaborations with artists such as Vince Staples, Zach Fox, Ski Mask the Slump God, and many others. After graduating from Berklee College of Music, he started his iconic YouTube channel (The Cave) on which he invites artists such as Denzel Curry, Rico Nasty, and Zach Fox to rap over his own custom beats.
Purple hazy fog permeated the Thunderdome as the lighting crew shone beams of light through the crowd of students. A popular campus location for sports events, the gym provided ample seating and sufficient space for the lighting crew to properly illuminate the stage and shine spotlights on the artists. The friendly crowd boasted plenty of smiles and was scattered with Halloween costume-adorned students dressed as policewomen, pickles, etc.
The quickly growing crowd of students took up nearly three-quarters of the Thunderdome as they jumped to Leikeli47’s rapid-fire rapping and trap-heavy beats. Grinning brightly, the feminist rapper stopped the performance to applaud all the students, saying how proud she was of everyone “getting a higher education — give it up for yourselves!”
After Leikeli47 warmed up the crowd, all the lights were dimmed before revealing Mustard up on stage to the delight of the roaring students below the stage. Students swarmed the gymnasium as Mustard took up the mic to shout out the “day one DJ Mustard fans up in here.” Blasting his music through the Thunderdome, he engaged the crowd with his high energy and never-ending enthusiasm.
After playing several of his hit songs, Mustard halted the trap beats and beckoned for three lucky students to grace the stage with him as he performed, showing his willingness to interact with fans and a sign of gratitude to avid listeners of his music. The crowd danced non-stop as “My Type” by Saweetie, “Act Up” by City Girls, and other hits blared through the speakers.
This year’s Delirium proved successful with its high-energy artists that showcased enthusiastic performances and fun interactions with the audience. Overall rap and trap-heavy, the setlist appealed to the majority of the crowd as it contained many party favorites and hit songs. All three performers added their own musical flair and flavor to the performance, allowing for smooth delivery and eliciting a long-lasting, gleeful response from the crowd.
Fans can look forward to Mustard as he continues to produce new tracks for popular artists. His next gig will be in San Diego, California at the Parq Restaurant and Nightclub on Nov. 27. As for Kenny Beats, fans can look forward to more YouTube videos of him collaborating with different rappers each episode. Leikeli47 currently does not have any performances lined up but we eagerly await her future musical projects!
Author’s Recommended Songs: “Needed Me” by Rihanna (prod. by Mustard)
“Love On Ice” by KEY! feat. 6LACK (prod. by Kenny Beats)
“Fifth Story” by Common feat. Leikeli47