Drake performs at the Bryce Jordan Center

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – On his “It’s All A Blur Tour - Big As The What?” tour, Drake performed at the Bryce Jordan Center on March 31 with Lil Wayne.

Drake hasn’t been back at Penn State since 2011, which he shared during his concert and told the crowd how he missed the students and energy and that he is proud to be back.

The concert was interactive with a marching band, dancers, fireworks, smoke and props, and Drake even floated around the stadium on a small platform.

Drake’s performance was accompanied by floating items that circled the stage in the center of the floor. There was a UFO, a large pink bra, two fairies flying with their wings, and the grim reaper with a knife motioning stabbing down.

Additionally, Drake showed off a larger-than-life statue of Virgil Abloh, who founded the designer brand, Off-White, and passed from cancer in 2021. Abloh is holding a paper airplane, which was set free to fly at the end of the show. It is a memento of Drake’s tattoo he has of Abloh.

The concert included around 40 of Drake’s songs, a feature of Lil Wayne and high-energy.

Ari De’Armas, a second-year student majoring in psychology, said that her favorite part was when Drake performed at a DJ booth and remixed all his classic hits.

“It was kind of like we were at the club, which is really cool and I liked how he went on the podium and got lifted up to say ‘hi’ to everyone,” De’Armas said. She was sitting in the upper bowl but was able to get a closer look at the artist when he was elevated.

De’Armas had a sweet surprise when Lil Wayne had his own short set on stage: “When Lil Wayne came out and started singing all his hits, I literally cried. He was so amazing,” De’Armas said.

Another surprise was the unique and funny concert conclusion. The encore song, “Slime You Out” featuring SZA, was sung with a male audience member sitting in a chair with a bucket of slime waiting to be dumped over his head.

Natalie Simone is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, email nvs5790@psu.edu.