This Saturday, SLU students will flock to the intramural fields for Springfest 2019, featuring artists Desiigner and Topaz Jones and student openers DJ Wazzza and DJ Chris & Chill Scott. The event is hosted annually by the Association for Campus Entertainment. “Despite the weather not being great, we are anticipating that the student body will enjoy all the acts for the day,” said ACE Assistant Concert Chair Tumo Koontse.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Sidney Royel Selby III comes from a proud music heritage – his grandfather is popular blues musician Selby Sidnei – but he earned his own fame as Desiigner from his debut single “Panda,” which hit number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 2016. Desiigner signed a contract with Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music and released his mixtape “New English” in June 2016, followed by the single “Timmy Turner.” His next release “L.O.D.” or “Life of Desiigner” was released as an EP in May 2018.
Desiigner revealed to Genius that his rap career was sparked by getting shot at age 14. “I got hit by a bullet in my hip,” Desiigner said. “It was just that moment that really said, ‘Yo mind your business.’” Although he has been criticized for his rap styles’ similarity to peer Future, it would be a mistake to judge Desiigner on who the artist is on the outside. Desiigner recently opened up to GGN News about moments of suicidal thoughts, and that “from then on, I kept a smile on my face.”
Topaz Jones grew up in New Jersey under the name George David Brandon Jones. His mother is a Harvard scholar who encouraged him as a child to address social justice issues, but it was his father, who played in funk bands, who gave Jones his interest in music. Jones later went on to attend New York University, and became famous for songs like “Tropicana” and “Powerball” in 2016.
Those funk influences funk can still be felt in Jones’ music. His lyrics covers a variety of topics: political, social and personal. In an interview with Pitchfork, Jones described how “in 2013, I made a song called ‘Coping Mechanism,’ shining a light on police brutality, and it rings so true today – it almost makes 10 times as much sense now as it did a few years ago.”
DJ Wazzza is excited to return to Springfest this year as a student opener. “I’m presented with a new set of challenges but I will take them head on and provide a great performance for a great event,” Wazzza told The Hill News. “I’m honored once again to bless SLU with a diverse range of music to satisfy as many musical tastes as I can in 40 minutes.”
Also opening for Springfest 2019 are DJ Chris and Chill Scott. For Scott, this opportunity is a dream come true. “I started DJing last summer, and I was too scared to do Fall Fest, but I got the courage to do Springfest and here we are,” Scott said. “I’m really excited.”
Preparing for Springfest is no easy task. “[The] days leading to the actual event are stressful because there’s so much that needs to be done beforehand,” Koontse said. “We have to make sure our artists get what they asked for at the same time as selling tickets while attending classes and keeping up with our busy schedules.” However, being part of the concert committee is still really rewarding, Koontse said. “We want students to have a great time and at the same time be safe.”