Last Friday, hip hop artists Jeremih, Isaiah Rashad and Roc Worthy performed at Redfest, an annual concert held by ASUU for students at the U.
Last year ASUU canceled their Redfest booking with a potential guest, Asher Roth, because his lyrics contradicted their “efforts to improve the campus climate.” The controversy surrounding one of this year’s musicians emerged while he was performing.
During headliner Jeremih’s set, he invited two students on stage. Jeremih attempted to kiss one student and pretended to kiss another. A third unknown woman got on stage and flashed the audience.
ASUU representatives tried to interfere with Jeremih’s actions by speaking with his manager but received little cooperation in response.
Jeremih’s behavior last weekend was not an exception as the singer regularly asks women on stage to dance with him.
“I originally thought that could not have possibly been real and that it must have been staged by the group,” said one student who was in the audience on Friday.
Following the concert, a representative from ASUU reached out to the two students pulled on stage to ensure that they were comfortable with Jeremih’s actions and were not experiencing emotional trauma.
“ASUU had no prior knowledge of Jeremih’s intention, nor his behavior in bringing the two concert attendees on stage,” said ASUU in a statement released on Sept. 18. “We realize the severity of this situation and we hope that everyone will take this incident just as seriously.”
Students that have been subjected to sexual assault or harassment have a vast number of resources available to them through the Center for Student Wellness and the counseling center.