Juelz Santana raps to support cancer research event sponsored by Penn State Kappas

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Juelz Santana was in the building — but rapper DJ Supernova said he wouldn’t come to the stage until the audience earned it.

DJ Supernova prompted a competition Saturday night between students from Philadelphia and students from New York, asking each group to make noise. He said Santana wouldn’t approach the Paul Robeson Cultural Center’s Heritage Hall stage unless he could hear he was at Penn State.

Students representing New York — where Santana is from — won the competition, prompting the rapper to take the stage and perform “I Wanna Rock” freestyle.

Kappa Alpha Psi, Inc. hosted Santana’s performance. The free concert, featuring Santana and DJ Supernova from Forensic Unit, was held to support St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, the fraternity’s national philanthropy. The pediatric treatment and research hospital accepts all patients, regardless of their family’s ability to pay, according to its website.

Just before Juelz Santana appeared, Kappa Alpha Psi, Inc. fraternity members approached the stage to directly bring awareness to the purpose of the benefit concert.

Fraternity vice-president and event coordinator Austin Miller said he wanted to promote awareness for St. Jude’s and provide entertainment at the same time — Juelz Santana was a good way to do it.

“He’s a very versatile artist. I think he’s one of the rare artists that can cater to both males and females,” Miller (senior-journalism) said. “It’s a good diversity.”

Before the show, the HUB was packed with a line of students — which went from Heritage Hall’s doors all the way to the bottom of the center stairs — to see the show. Joseph Ortiz (freshman-engineering) said he came to the concert because he grew up around rap and because Santana is a popular artist.

“We like the way he flows with his music,” Ortiz said. “I mean, he’s a big name.”

Ortiz said his favorite song right now is Lloyd Banks’ “Beamer, Benz Or Bentley,” which also features Santana.

Saadi Javadi (freshman-premedicine) said before the show that it would be “poppin.’”

During the performance, Santana said he wanted everyone to have fun and frequently addressed the “independent ladies” in the room. At one point in the concert, Santana stopped everything in the middle of a song.

“I don’t think they’re ready,” he said, referring to the audience. “Wait, let me look at my watch. I think they’re ready.”

Cue “Clockwork,” a song in which Juelz Santana spurted lyrics like, “Tick-Tock, around and around and around the clock.”

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