The show, which included Day 26, capped a week that included several events scheduled by Program Board, On The Fly Productions and Minority Student Services.

But some students were surprised with the attendance for a free concert.

“Compared to T-Pain, this concert is dead,” said Farmington Hills junior Troy Lambert.

The lower side bleachers and the floor of Rose Arena were mostly full, but the upper bleachers contained very few attendees.

Day 26 opened the concert near 9 p.m. to a cheering and screaming crowd. But technical difficulties diminished the enthusiasm.

Lambert said although he enjoyed Day 26, he had trouble understanding the group.

“The band was good, but the sound was bad. We couldn’t make out what they were saying,” Lambert said.

Some students got upset with the wait for the show, as well, as Fabolous did not start his performance until about 11 p.m.

“We had to wait in line for 30 minutes while officials checked purses and bags. Then we had to stand in the hallway for another 20 minutes before we could go in,” said Livonia freshman Maggie Vote.

The concert’s length and waiting was not the only complaint.

Fabolous’ DJ made the shout out, “Hello Michigan State!” early into the performance, leaving CMU students and fans looking back and forth at each other in confusion. The DJ quickly corrected the mistake and continued on with the music.

Much of the crowd took off a few songs into Fabolous’ performance.

“I thought I was seeing Fabolous featuring Day 26, not Day 26 featuring Fabolous,” Westland sophomore Ashley Ballarin said.

Program Board and On The Fly Productions are co-sponsoring rapper Fabolous’ performance at 7:30 tonight at Rose Arena. The event, which ends Hip-Hop Week at CMU, cost $25,000 out of the programming budget.

Tickets originally cost $14 to $22 for students, faculty and staff. Program Board President David Breed said in early August it was a good time to bring him because Fabolous’ new album, “Loso’s Way,” released July 28, went straight to No. 1 on iTunes.

Things got funny a month later. On Monday, the show became free for students, faculty and staff. Breed said slumping ticket sales contributed to that decision. Coordinator of Student Activities Damon Brown cited other reasons, including the excitement around the CMU football team’s 29-27 upset over Michigan State last Saturday.

On Thursday, On The Fly Productions and Program Board made an appearance at Wares Fair for the first time in years. Why? To hand out Fabolous tickets to students.

In a nutshell, CMU programming paid $25,000 for a rapper it has to give away tickets for. Somebody screwed up big time.

I am all for bringing quality entertainment to campus. Dane Cook and Dave Matthews were here before my time and were extremely popular. Ludacris and T-Pain also came to campus in high demand over the last few years.

Let’s face it: students are drawn to entertainment. Program Board and On The Fly worked hard over the years to help that. But somebody here miscalculated who CMU students would pay money to see.

According to the Web site concertideas.com, here are some of the other acts CMU could have ended Hip-Hop Week with for around the same cost or cheaper: Bubba Sparxxx ($12-15,000), Chamillionaire ($20-25,000), Ice T ($12-15,000 as a lecturer), Mike Jones ($20-25,000) and the Ying Yang Twins ($10-15,000).

I’m not saying all of those acts are better choices. And I’m not saying all of those acts are available for that specific time and date. But when you pay $25,000 for an act you can’t get people to go to, you didn’t make the right choice.

Singing comedian Stephen Lynch, coming Oct. 16, is the next big test. His price tag is $37,000. Ticket prices are not quite set. But will students pay to see him?

If not, CMU programming has to go back to the drawing board and get a real pulse of the students.

Find an act CMU students will pay to see.

The performance will take place at 8:30 p.m. on September 18 in Rose Arena, according to the contract between CMU and Fabolous, obtained by Central Michigan Life via the Freedom of Information Act. The performance, which is co-sponsored by Program Board and On the Fly Productions, will end the annual “Hip-Hop Week.”

Coordinators of Student Activities Damon Brown, said the price for the performance is around the same for what Program Board and On the Fly Productions have paid for the last performance in the past several years.

“It’s about what we paid for Yung Joc, but less than T-Pain,” Brown said. “We got him at a good-time, right before his new album dropped so, I would say, he costs a little bit more now.”

Brown said Fabolous performed two years ago and the show was good, but he doesn’t foresee that hurting the amount of people coming to this show.

“That’s two years of students graduated and he gave a great show then,” Brown said.

Brown said the band Day 26, which is a group who won MTV’s “Making the Band 4” will be opening the performance.

“They have one singer out of Detroit and had success on MTV,” he said. “They’re an R&B group, so we are kind of able to kill two birds with one stone (by having a rapper and R&B group).”

Kristen Trombly, concert chairwoman for Program Board, said she thinks the success of Fabolous’ new album “Loso’s Way” will also sell a lot of tickets.

“We’re hoping students can come out and enjoy it,” the Metamora junior said.