AUDIO

On Saturday, the up-and-coming rapper Tyrone Jackson, better known by his stage name as Ty Dolla Sign, was set to continue his In Too Deep tour in Eau Claire.

But after flight complications and a lack of presale tickets, continuing Jackson’s show would cost host Ricky Collins and the Star Society, now StarWolf, a few too many dollar signs, forcing the show’s cancellation.

Collins, who is better known by his stage name as StarBound, said presale tickets, which were $25 for regular seating and $35 for VIP seating at the Eau Claire Expo Center, were only at about 150 for an event that cost more than $20,000.

After trouble communicating with Jackson’s management on transportation issues, Collins learned just last week the flight price would cost about triple of what he initially anticipated.

“If the presales would have been where they were supposed to be, then it still would have been a pain, but we still might just paid for it, even though it would have cost more,” he said.

Right now, Collins and StarWolf are in the process of giving money back for those who did purchase tickets, which is something he guarantees will happen.

“Everybody will be getting refunded,” he said. “We’re just waiting for all the money to process and go through our business accounts and stuff like that so we can go ahead and send it back to everybody’s card.”

Putting on an event like this is certainly not easy, Collins said. There are all the little details people might not think about, like security, accounting, securing a venue and, of course, transportation.

Last November, what was then Star Society brought Brian Collins, better known as Kid Ink, to Zorn Arena on campus. Brian Collins was one of the first billboard hip hop artists to perform in the city.

Senior Austin Hackney attended the Kid Ink concert last November, and he said the big difference this time around is that the venue was off-campus and it’s still early in the school year as students are still getting settled.

But student supporters of hip hop might still be in luck this school year.

Ricky Collins said he and his organization are in the works of bringing another big name to the city by in a few months, and full attention will be turned to that after he works everything out with the Ty Dolla Sign concert.

He’s also encouraged students to see underground hip hop artists, ones such as students Darrell Hill (stage name Doug Hill) and Nathan Ejuwa (stage name EJ Music) performing on and off campus.

Ricky Collins said having the balance of people making a name for themselves on a smaller level while attracting big names to Eau Claire is key to the genre’s movement in the area.

He said he thinks he can pull off a big name in a few months, and this time, he’ll need the help of everyone to make the event a success.

“It’s a team effort to bring this here,” Ricky Collins said. “We can do all of this business behind it to make it happen, but then we need the support from the fans to be able to buy the tickets and spread the word with us.”