*UPDATE: NLE Choppa is no longer headlining Wake The Giant 2025. Updated information can be found here, and SPB’s statement can be found here*
Quinnipiac’s Student Programming Board announced on Monday that NLE Choppa will be headlining the annual indoor spring concert, Wake the Giant on April 27. This marks the third year in a row that a rap/hip-hop artist has been chosen for the annual spring concert, with NLE Choppa following Flo Rida last year and Migos member Offset in 2023.
The 22-year-old Memphis native had his first breakthrough early in his career at only 16 years old when, in 2019, when he released ‘Shotta Flow’. This single currently sits at 225M views and peaked at number 36 on the Billboard Hot 100. However, it isn’t his most viewed music video (that title belongs to Walk Em Down ft. Roddy Richh, which boasts over 75 million more views).
From there, he continued releasing mixtapes and collaborations with other notable artists including Roddy Richh, Lil Baby, Lil Wayne, Imagine Dragons and more. His highest charting single, ‘Slut Me Out’ was also remixed by Sexxy Redd.
NLE Choppa is also known for making multiple installments to his most popular songs: his discography contains seven installments of ‘Shotta Flow’ excluding remixes, and three installments of ‘Slut Me Out’ at the time of publishing.
Wake the Giant has been a standout Quinnipiac event for over two decades and has hosted many A-list artists including Ke$ha, The Fray, Jason Derulo, Fetty Wap and more. From 2019 to 2022, the event was either cancelled due to COVID-19 or hosted by comedians rather than musicians. Since then, the SPB mainstage committee has strived to grow and improve the event each year.
NLE Choppa’s energy is unmatched, with all of his music videos bursting with energy and constant movement. His interviews with Genius really show his animated personality, and I’m confident this same energy will be brought to the M&T Bank Arena. Before paying a visit to Hamden, NLE Choppa will also headline at Yale’s Spring Fling in New Haven the night before on April 26.
NLE Choppa will be touring with Lil Baby, BigXthaPlug, and Loe Shimmy this summer across the United States. If you can’t wait until then, you’re in luck! Tickets for Wake the Giant go on sale on Monday, March 31 at 3pm for undergraduate students. Graduate students will be able to purchase tickets on April 2 at 6pm if any are available.
Be sure to follow SPB’s Instagram (@QUSPB) to keep an eye out for more information regarding Wake the Giant, including volunteering opportunities. In the meantime, grab your friends, some Kool Aid pickles and get ready to ‘Go Stupid’ at Wake the Giant next month!
