Standing outside in a line that is, as one student describes, “about a quarter mile down the street,” many are waiting to get into the Freaker’s Ball.

Every year on Halloween there is a different rap or hip-hop artist that comes to the school to perform at the outdoor stage behind the University Center. This year the Student Government Program Board managed to get the Paid in Full Tour featuring N.O.R.E., Cam’ron, M.O.P., and Naam Brigade. The tour is to promote a movie of the same name that Cam’ron stars in.

The line slowly moves along while people talk to each other and start dancing in line every time a good song comes on. The smell of smoke is in the air and the line stops moving for about 30 minutes. Some people leave the line to try and sneak in front of others that are closer to the concert area.

By 9 p.m., many people have reached the front of the line and are greeted by security guards with metal detectors who tell ladies that they can’t bring their bags in. Anxiously they walk past security to enter into the semi-crowded music filled arena.

The music is so loud that a vibration can be felt in one’s chest. DJ Scoobz on the turntables tries to hype everyone up for the event as an appetizer to the people that are waiting impatiently for the performers considered as the main course.

After a costume contest and an attempt to have a booty-shaking contest, the crowd of students start yelling for the main course. Around 10:30, one of the hosts starts to tease the people by supposedly talking to Cam’ron and N.O.R.E. on his cell phone. “N.O.R.E. won’t come out until y’all make some noise!” he warns holding the cell phone out towards the crowd.

An intense roar is heard from the crowd but that doesn’t seem to be enough for the host.

“He said y’all ain’t ready for him to come out.”

The crowd screams for N.O.R.E. but as a result another group comes on stage to warm up the crowd. Naam Brigade does a short set and then N.O.R.E., along with his entourage, comes on stage. The crowd is ecstatic. Women scream and men holler, some clap and jump up and down.

N.O.R.E. performs some of his old songs such as “Oh NO,” “Banned From TV,” and some off his latest, Grimey… God’s Favorite, “Nothin'” and a new song he has out with label mates Maze, Musolini, and his partner Capone from the group Capone-N-Noreaga otherwise known as CNN, who were also there. The performance lasted about 20 minutes.

After N.O.R.E. leaves the stage, a screen lowers from the top of the stage and a trailer for is shown. When the trailer finishes, Cam’ron and his crew rush the stage. His group the Diplomats, his sidekick Jimmy Jones and Juelz Santana are with him, walking back and forth and sometimes dancing on stage. Cam’ron performs some songs off his album, Come Home With Me, and of course his recent hit singles “Oh Boy” and “Hey Ma.”

He also performs some of his old material like “What Means the World to You.” His performance lasts about as long as N.O.R.E.’s.

After Cam’ron announces where the after party is and makes an exit, a DJ from M.O.P. asks for a moment of silence for Jam Master Jay of Run DMC, who was murdered the day before. Some more music is played and most of the crowd that leaves only stayed to see the two mainstream artists. The underdogs, M.O.P. or the Mash Out Posse, come out with their right hand lady, Fox, and perform “Cold As Ice.” They perform other songs such as the underground anthem “How About Some Hardcore,” “4 Alarm Blaze” and their best known single to close out the night, “Ante Up.”

Fox throws water from a bottle on the crowd while Billy Danze and Lil’ Fame perform. Rapper Teflon comes out to perform for “Ante Up” and the real “hardcore” fans jump up and down and recite the lyrics. After that, the group ends the song while the hungry crowd waits for more. But M.O.P makes their departure.

Many start to leave disappointed and wanting more.