Arts & Entertainment Editor
To wrap up UCSB’s annual festive Week of Welcome, AS Program Board treated UCSB students to a free Welcome Back Concert featuring rapper YBN Nahmir and DJ Vincent at Storke Tower on Sunday, Sept. 29. With a similar turnout compared to past Welcome Back Concerts, the crowd, which boasted an overwhelming number of freshmen, energetically ate up the evening show.
Alabama native and mastermind behind the YBN collective (a group of rappers whose names start with YBN such as YBN Cordae, YBN Almighty Jay, YBN Bielsa, etc.), YBN Nahmir enthusiastically performed an original set featuring original hits such as “Bounce Out With That” and “Rubbin off the Paint.” On the other hand, Vincent, the opening act of the performance, chose to showcase his skills by performing popular mixes of songs from other artists such as Skrillex and Kendrick Lamar.
A popular location for noon shows and small concerts, Storke Plaza served as the ideal venue for YBN Nahmir and Vincent to showcase their musical repertoire with its spacious area and many stairs that allowed students to peer above the crowd and catch a clearer glance of the artists.
The show’s opener, Vincent, relied heavily on popular songs such as “Humble” by Kendrick Lamar and “Jumpman” by Drake to rile up the crowd for an hour prior to YBN Nahmir’s performance. Famous for his remix of Drake and Meek Mill’s “R.I.C.O,” the DJ played a mix of electronic and trap mixes before YBN Nahmir dashed on stage.
Although a bit indecisive as he switched from song to song, YBN Nahmir played an intense set of rap songs, prompting the crowd to jump incessantly as the speaker blasted trap beats and YBN Nahmir’s voice echoed through the plaza. “Y’all crazy,” YBN Nahmir snickered as the crowd cheered for him.
He introduced his friends, who doubled as hype men, to the crowd before jumping back into his set, sending an infectious wave of adrenaline through the crowd as he dashed across the stage. His sense of energy and ability to engage with the crowd excited it, allowing for an impressive performance and rap delivery.
A fresh start to the school year, this year’s Welcome Back Concert served as an improvement upon last year’s Welcome Back Concert that featured Cuco and disappointed due to its lack of original songs from the artist. This year, UCSB students can look forward to more artist performances as well as a variety of other activities such as film screenings and comedy shows.
A young rapper on the rise, YBN Nahmir does not currently have performances planned in California but will perform in Binghamton, NY at the Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena on Oct. 5. Currently on his “for you” world tour, Vincent will be heading to San Francisco, CA on Nov. 1 to perform at Origin SF for AMF Halloween. Both artists are touring and coming out with new music, so fans can anticipate announcements of future music projects and performances from them!
Author’s Recommended Songs: “Think Twice (feat. Lil Skies)” by YBN Nahmir
“Same Page (feat. Brooke Daye)” by Vincent