Serving the campus of the University of Alabama since 1894

The Crimson White


Serving the campus of the University of Alabama since 1894

The Crimson White

Serving the campus of the University of Alabama since 1894

The Crimson White

Waka Flocka comes to Jupiter

Rap artist Waka Flocka Flame will return to Tuscaloosa on June 7 to perform at the Jupiter Bar and Grill.

Born in Queens, New York, as Juaquin Malphurs, Waka Flocka Flame – also known simply as Waka Flocka – stepped onto the national rap scene in 2009 after releasing his chart-topping single, “O Let’s Do It.” His 2010 single, “No Hands,” debuted at 45 on the Billboard Hot 100 before peaking at number 13, and it has been downloaded more than 3 million times since being released. Waka Flocka’s debut album, “Flockaveli,” dropped in 2010.

Malphurs acquired the nickname “Waka” from his cousin based on the the catchphrase of Fozzie Bear from the Muppets. Rapper Gucci Mane, a family friend, later added in “Flocka Flame” to complete the stage name.

This won’t be Waka Flocka’s first time in Tuscaloosa. He played a show in April 2014 at the Delta Chi fraternity house at The University of Alabama. Justin Oliver, a sophomore majoring in public relations, attended his previous concert.

“Waka knows how to have a good time,” Oliver said. “Any concert he does, he has the crowd hyped and ready to party.”

Oliver met Waka Flocka Flame briefly after the show.

“Some artists are not always willing to meet their fans, which makes them seem cocky and arrogant,” Oliver said. “Waka wasn’t afraid to take some time out to meet the people that brought him to Tuscaloosa.”

Jeremiah Jones, owner of the Jupiter Bar and Grill, said Waka Flocka was thought to be a good match for the Tuscaloosa audience because “he had a large college following, and this is a college market.” Jones said Waka Flocka was also booked to test the market for future hip hop and rap acts.

Waka Flocka will perform at the Jupiter Bar and Grill on Saturday, June 7. Doors open at 9 p.m., and tickets are $20-25. The show is 19+.

See also: “Rappers leave Illuminati for Machine

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