A concert performance by Fetty Wap is an experience that is very uniquely its own. This journey was made even more incredible for me when I got the chance to meet the artist personally. His concert and our conversation made this evening a night to remember, and I can only surmise that every member of the audience felt similarly. The trap king captured the entire audience at the House of Blues. With a variety of hits, both his own and other artists’, Fetty Wap targeted the interests and desires of every member of the crowd individually in one way or another. Each member of the co-ed adolescent audience found himself singing along at one point of the concert either to a Fetty song or to a Fetty feature on Fifth Harmony’s song, “All In My Head (Flex).” After scanning the crowd from the photo pit, it was evident that the once-mainstream artist had captured the love and adoration of more than just teenagers who enjoy trap music.
Scattered throughout the crowd were adults of all ages, enjoying the music and atmosphere along with their younger counterparts. Fetty Wap made great use of the intimate nature of the venue in order to create an inclusive environment between each member of the audience and himself. His songs—on which anyone could, and did, sing along to—practically forced the crowd to bellow out his signature sound bits. It seemed like the entire venue knew each and every word to songs that had dominated the music industry in the past. Hits like “Again” and “679” were prominently featured and met with increasing satisfaction from the crowd. It was riveting to hear and see Fetty perform these songs that seemed to take over the radio on every car ride since 2014, when these hits were released. The experience of witnessing these songs being performed in person—songs that had been featured at every party at the height of their popularity—was second to none.
After meeting Fetty backstage after the show, it became abundantly clear that his charismatic persona was not just an act put on in order to garner him more on-stage appeal. Anyone listening to his music will get a sense of his genuine love for his work, and this sense is only confirmed by his personal manner. His enthusiasm and energy was so pervasive that it seemed as if Fetty Wap was performing for each member of the audience personally. After picking up our tickets at Will Call, we happened to bump into two members of Fetty’s entourage, Scar and Clift. They told us succinctly: “Get where we can see you.” Inspired by their inviting words and by the anticipation of an incredible evening listening to and watching Fetty Wap perform, we eagerly heeded their advice.
To achieve this, we approached the merchandise table and asked to speak with a tour representative. We were hoping to secure another photo security pass, as we were only given one photography pass between the two of us for this concert coverage. Soon, the tour manager and head of security arrived to speak with us. After a brief conversation, they took us past security and into the photo pit. In the spacious row between the crowd and the stage, it felt as if we were getting a private show from the artist whose music we had listened to over and over again. Toward the end of the show, Clift came out and brought us backstage. On stage, we saw many of our classmates from Boston College standing in the crowd. As they scanned the stage, their eyes widened in recognition and familiarity. We—two college students covering the event for the newspaper—clearly stood out on stage in contrast to Fetty’s inner circle. Soon after the concert ended, we conspired to find a way to make the night even better. The answer was simple: meet Fetty Wap. With access to backstage, we hung around and eventually bumped into the tour manager. He informed us that if we wanted to meet the star, we should continue to linger and hope to bump into him. We waited in the “meet and greet” line and within minutes, met the original Remy Boy. After informing Fetty Wap that we were covering the event for our college newspaper at BC, his face lit up and he expressed his love for the idea. Everyone erupted into good-natured laughter as I nervously declared that I would email Fetty Wap the article after it was written. He insisted that I be in attendance at his next Boston show.
Throughout the brief interaction, I was overcome by the sense that Fetty Wap truly cared for each and every one of his fans— from asking his fans their names to showing interest in this article, he was showing a genuine interest in engaging with the people who were thrilled to be near him. He joked with people standing in the line, and even sang happy birthday to one concert-goer. His authentic care helped each fan feel comfortable with a celebrity who naturally makes people starstruck. The “For My Fans” tour was a blast from the past that presented concert goers with a nostalgic feeling. We as a crowd reminisced together the year Fetty took over and the times that we have enjoyed his hits since then. The performance itself, combined with my adventurous pursuit of meeting Fetty Wap, made for my most memorable concert experience to date. I did not take his insistence at my attendance for the next concert lightly. I plan for the artist to see my face in the crowd as he delights fans from on stage.
