University Union “got the juice” for its next show.

For students looking for a smaller but still exciting show, they need only look to Chance The Rapper’s Social Experiment Tour, which will make a stop at the Schine Underground on Wednesday night.

The show is a part of UU’s Bandersnatch Series, which emphasizes indie and smaller budget acts, said Steven Magee, Bandersnatch’s co-director. The series has had remarkable success in bringing up-and-coming stars, such as Steve Aoki and Big Sean, to Syracuse University in the past few years.

“In terms of foresight, it’s pretty incredible,” Magee said.

Chance The Rapper, whose birth name is Chancelor Bennett, has become popular quickly in the last year and a half. His first mixtape, “10 Day,” was named after a suspension he served during his senior year of high school and was featured in Forbes’ “Cheap Tunes” section in April 2012. More recently, the now 20-year-old rapper released “Acid Rap,” which has been widely met with praise from music critics and fans alike.

Because of Chance’s quick rise to fame, UU had to act quickly to get him on the schedule. Magee knew that he wanted to bring in the rapper, who has been featured on tracks with rap industry giants such as Childish Gambino for the Bandersnatch series, and that he would have to get in contact with him early. Magee said UU made an offer to the artist’s camp in May and officially booked Chance in early June.

All signs point to Chance being another wise tab by UU, as tickets for the Chicago-based rapper sold out in just more than a half hour in September, making it the quickest-selling show in UU’s 51-year history. UU also held multiple social media contests for extra tickets, offering trivia for Chance die-hards who might have been in class or were not able to get a ticket when the announcement went public.

So what makes Chance such a hot commodity?

“He’s really different,” said junior finance and entrepreneurship major Belen Crisp, who saw Chance open for Childish Gambino in August 2012.

Crisp cited Chance’s relaxed and fun style, as well as when he turned down a record deal from Top Dawg Entertainment — which boasts fellow rapper Kendrick Lamar as a client — as reasons for his growing fame. Another factor Crisp mentioned for Chance’s popularity is his ability to speak to the college demographic.

“The appeal is that he’s our age, and relates to our generation really well,” said Crisp, who will turn 21 in April.

Other students point to the lessons Chance spins into his raps as a source of his popularity. Sophomore English education major Brittany Lindo pointed to Chance’s feel-good themes as a likable quality in his music.

“What he talks about is really positive,” she said.

Because the show will be in the Schine Underground, and since tickets sold out in record time, many students were hoping UU would consider moving the show to a bigger venue, such as Goldstein Auditorium. But the process of switching settings would be complex, and the small space could very well be a positive, Magee said.

Previous venues Chance has played in usually have capacities ranging between 500-700 people. However, Schine Underground only holds about 300 people.

“I’m really looking forward to the intimacy of the show,” Magee said. “I want to see how Chance can hype up the crowd.”

Wednesday’s show will be the tenth of Chance’s nationwide Social Experiment Tour, which runs from Oct. 25-Dec. 7. In the course of the tour, Chance will play 32 shows in 44 days. Magee said students attending the event on Wednesday should expect good tunes coupled with a great atmosphere.

Said Magee: “I’m super excited. It’s going to be incredible.”

Published on November 5, 2013 at 10:46 pm

Contact Vincent: vtloncto@syr.edu