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This Friday, Syracuse University and SUNY-ESF students will pack the Carrier Dome in anticipation of Block Party 2022. Artists Baby Keem, 2 Chainz, 070 Shake and A-Trak are set to take the stage starting at 7 p.m.

From hip-hop to EDM, each artist performing will bring their own flair to the stage. Students should expect high-energy, memorable sets as the group of renowned artists brings their music to SU.

Here’s a rundown on the artists performing:

Baby Keem:

Baby Keem’s release of the hit song “ORANGE SODA,” which racked up hundreds of millions of streams across platforms, catapulted the 21-year-old artist into the mainstream sphere. Since then, the Carson, California native has regularly dropped eccentric tracks that have propelled him to multiple Grammy nominations, including a win for Best Rap Performance this year. Baby Keem’s debut studio album “The Melodic Blue,” which features songs like “range brothers” and “lost souls,” peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Fun Fact: Kendrick Lamar and Baby Keem are cousins.
Must-know Songs: “ORANGE SODA,” “trademark usa,” “family ties,” “hooligan”

2 Chainz:

Born Tauheed Epps in College Park, Georgia, 2 Chainz has been in the rap game for over two decades. He formed the hip-hop duo Playaz Circle with Earl “Dolla Boy” Conyers in 1997 and was signed to Ludacris’ Disturbing tha Peace record label soon after. The pair’s debut single, “Duffle Bag Boy” featuring Lil Wayne, was released in 2007 and became an instant hit on urban radio. Since then, the Grammy-winning artist has released seven studio albums, with three certified platinum and two more certified gold. Known for his impact on 2010s Southern hip-hop and trap music, 2 Chainz has said his latest release, “Dope Don’t Sell Itself,” will be his last trap album.

Fun Fact: 2 Chainz has many Atlanta-based business ventures, including his nail salon and a minority stake in the College Park Skyhawks, the Atlanta Hawks’ NBA G League affiliate.
Must-know Songs: “It’s A Vibe,” “Momma I Hit a Lick,” “Rule the World,” “No Lie”

070 Shake:

070 Shake is a rapper and singer originally from North Bergen, New Jersey. She’s part of the 070 music collective — their name comes from New Jersey’s 070 ZIP Codes. Born Danielle Balbuena, she rose to prominence after working with Kanye West on the production of some of his 2018 projects, including “Ye.” She signed to his record label, G.O.O.D. Music, in 2016, and her debut album “Modus Vivendi” released in 2020. “Skin and Bones,” the lead single for Balbuena’s second album, was released on April 22.

Fun Fact: 070 Shake played basketball while a student at North Bergen High School.
Must-know Songs: “Guilty Conscience,” “Honey,” “Glitter,” “Under The Moon”

A-Trak:

A-Trak — born Alain Macklovitch — is a Canadian-born DJ, producer and record label executive. Macklovitch notably gained a Grammy nomination for “Barbra Streisand,” a song he produced with Armand Van Helden as a member of the DJ duo Duck Sauce. A-Trak has been named as one of the 50 Most Important People in EDM. The multi-talented 40-year-old is also the president of Fool’s Gold, a record label that has artists like BROCKHAMPTON, Kid Cudi and RL Grime signed to it.

Fun Fact: A-Trak studied physics part-time at McGill University in Montreal.
Must-know songs: “Heads Will Roll – A-Trak Remix,” “Magnets – A-Trak Remix,” “Barbra Streisand”

Published on April 27, 2022 at 11:10 pm

Contact Nathan: nlfennin@syr.edu