Sage the Gemini continued fall concert after fight breaks out

Students crowded at the front of the stage in one massive pit to get closer to Sage the Gemini, who performed at the City National Grove of Anaheim on Sept. 27. Photo by CASSIDY KEOLA, Staff Photographer

Despite the occasionally vulgar and sexual nature of Sage the Gemini’s music, he made it clear to the audience that he would only perform under the conditions that people were respectful and touched each other consensually. When a fight broke out among students during his performance, he immediately cut the music and proceeded to wait until security had taken care of the situation.

“That’s not what we came here to do,” said Sage disappointedly. “We came here to have a good time right? Grab, consensually grab, a beautiful lady if she wants to.” 

The hip-hop star proceeded to chant, “Everybody say consensually! Consensually grab a woman, dance with her, if she wants you to!”

Sage the Gemini took the stage of the City National Grove of Anaheim on Sept. 27 as the headliner of Chapman’s annual fall concert. The event, hosted by the University Program Board (UPB), is one of the most anticipated Chapman-run activities of the year for the eclectic variety of artists, giving students the ability to cost-effectively see some of their favorite artists in a more intimate setting with fellow students.

Sage’s positive message and charismatic stage presence aided the event in being a worthwhile experience even for students who may or may not actively listen to his genre of music.

To maintain relevance with what students are listening to, UPB selects artists based on various surveys and feedback. In general, most students responded that they prefer rap and EDM to other genres. 

“Last year was more EDM style, and this year I wanted to balance it with more rap style music so everyone feels like they’re being involved in that input,” said Allie Ma, UPB’s special events and traditions director.

Both genres were represented as EDM-duo Brookeland took the stage as the opening, hyping up the audience before Sage the Gemini’s performance. However, Sage’s heavy hip-hop and pop genre-mixing style did not encompass the music taste of all students. 

“They always do rap concerts. I love to see some like rock, alternative stuff,” said Gabi Aguilar, a junior vocal performance major. “We’re all music lovers regardless of if we knew him or not, and we knew it was going to be a fun night to go out.”

Camryn Tynan, a freshman television writing and production major agreed. She said that she and her friends “came for the one song that he’s popular for, ‘Gas Pedal,’ and after that song was done, (they) left.”

While many students conceded to Sage’s primary appeal mainly being his slim handful of party anthems, the event itself proved overall successful, bringing in a few hundred students in total. Students crowded at the front of the stage in one massive pit to get closer to Sage. His stage presence relied heavily on interacting with the audience, frequently talking to his fans over his own tracks and shouting, “You already know me, S-A-G-E” in chorus with the entire room.

“We’re more here for the experience,” said Johnny Chapman, a senior data analytics major, glancing at his friend Noah Johnson, a senior business administration major. “Obviously his music is great, but I feel like for us it’s more about the fact that we’re seniors. Last fall semester, last fall concert.”

“Also, it’s someone we all knew,” Johnson said. “We all grew up with him I guess you could say. It’s like what we heard at high school dances, where everyone’s twerking to ‘Gas Pedal’.”