The sound of elementary-, middle- and high-school girls screaming filled Eastern High School's Don Johnson Fieldhouse, 220 N. Pennsylvania Ave. in Lansing, on Saturday as students and parents awaited the arrival of rapper Lil' Romeo.
The concert was a joint effort between the Lansing School District and T. Rose Productions. Proceeds went toward the HOPE Scholarship Program, which offers Lansing sixth graders money for Lansing Community College after high school graduation.
"A vast majority of kids in our district work hard and are committed to learning and we seldom get to reward them," McNeal said of the show.
As the crowd made its way to the auditorium, a number of students were already draped in Lil' Romeo apparel, while others held "I love you, Romeo" signs.
"I'm a big fan," Everett High School sophomore Shantay Reynolds said of the rapper. "I just want to see him perform. He's a good performer."
Lansing resident Tamara Pennington brought her 11-year-old daughter, Tamara, and her friends to see the young performer.
"They've seen him before," Pennington said. "From the songs I've heard, it seems like he has a pretty good message."
Before the concert a fashion show highlighted P. Miller Shorties, Lil' Romeo's clothing line, and P. Miller Signature Collection, run by rapper Master P, Romeo's father.
After the fashion show, event host radio station 96.5 WQHH announced a five-minute intermission and 50 minutes later, Lil' Romeo finally took the stage.
He rapped parts of 13 songs, with his deepened voice towering over his once high-pitched sound. The crowd did its participation thing during singles such as "Little Souljah's Need Love Too," "The Girlies" and "True Love."
During the show, Lansing Mayor Tony Benavides publicly thanked Romeo for coming to the city.
"I'm honored to be up here with this young man. We appreciate his dedication to the children in our community," Benavides said. "As a proclamation, I'm claiming today 'Lil' Romeo Day' in Lansing."
Romeo ended the show with his single, "My Baby." Judging from the crowd response, the audience left happy.
