KYLE provides Mavs with a Super Duper Homecoming

Alyssa Bunde
Staff Writer

While we didn’t get our homecoming bonfire/fireworks again, the MNSU student body did get a super duper concert. This year’s performance was “iSpy” rapper/hip-hop artist Super Duper KYLE, or KYLE for short, and he came with high-spirits, songs to please, and a hyped opener. 

The show began around 7:30 p.m. Friday and was upbeat from the beginning. Rapper and opener Iyaz was a blast from the past, sending everyone back to their awkward middle school days with throwbacks like “SOLO” and “Replay”. It was difficult to pinpoint whether the crowd knew who KYLE was or cared about the opener Iyaz, but it was clear that everyone was present to have a good time.

Minnesota State University, Mankato junior Brianna Mandersheid shared her thoughts of the concert. She said, “Hearing “Replay” took me back to middle school dances in a good way. I also thought KYLE did a good job at hyping up the crowd.”

Soon after Iyaz finished and the crowd grew bored of chatting with their neighbors, they started chanting for KYLE to come out. Ask and you shall receive. KYLE enthusiastically sprung to the stage and reminded everyone that his goal was to make sure everyone left with a smile. 

However, MNSU student and KYLE fan Aliana Kell likely left with a bigger smile than most. The rapper at one point shouted out the student for being cool and even bowed to her.

Kell commented on the encounter and said, “This concert was ultimately an experience I’ll never forget and made my homecoming amazing, and I wouldn’t have been able to do it without being part of the student events team here on campus.”

MNSU student and concert chair of the Student Events team Brandon Weideman explained the lengthy process of finding a homecoming performer. Weideman stated the team started searching in March, and made offer after offer until they finally found KYLE. Despite the long work the concert chair was please with how the event turned out. He explained, “Overall, I thought the event was a success. People had a great time, the production and artists were amazing, and I am so proud of all the hard work that our team put into it.”

KYLE’S performance was bubbly and filled with personality. He took time to speak with the crowd calling out fans for being super, had Fortnite graphics playing in the background, and performed even the lesser-known songs with a smile. While in the crowd I heard random comments calling him goofy.

However, as a KYLE fan, I know his whole thing is being corny or goofy and not caring because he just wants to make others smile. Afterall, anyone who raps about being into Pikachu obviously has moved past caring if the people in the crowd think he’s a little weird.

MNSU student Ammar Mohammed also commented on the performance. He said, “The organization and set up was great but the performance should have been much better.”

The only complaint I have with the concert was that it felt remotely short and as a long-time KYLE fan I was disappointed that he didn’t sing more of his early songs. As a whole though, this concert was one of my favorite Homecoming concerts. Therefore, to anyone upset about KYLE being the Homecoming performer, at least he showed up, unlike Fetty Wap…too soon?

Header photo courtesy of KYLE’s Facebook page.