SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — The New York State Fair has announced today that rappers YG and Tee Grizzley have signed on to perform as part of the fair’s 2021 concert lineup. State Fair Public Relations and Marketing Manager Dave Bullard confirms NCC News was the first to report the additions.
Tee Grizzley will perform on the fair’s Chevy Park Stage on Saturday, Aug. 21 at 2 p.m., while YG will take to the same stage on Saturday, Sep. 4 at 8 p.m.
“That completes our lineup of 72 shows on two stages, more than 50 national touring shows, every one of them free with your $3 admission,” said Bullard.
The pair are both prominent names in the rap music industry today. YG currently attracts 12.6 million unique monthly listeners according to data from Spotify, and he has a BET Award and an iHeartRadio Music Award to his name. Tee Grizzley checks in at 4.1 million monthly listeners and has three career Top 10 hits according to Billboard.
NCC News reached out to management for both YG and Tee Grizzley, but neither side was available for comment.
The fair also confirmed in a press release last week that its price for general admission tickets has dropped this year, from $10 to $3.
“By lowering the price, the fair is much more able to attract all kinds of people,” Bullard explained. “[Everyone] can benefit from the free entertainment that’s available in here… more than $4.5 million worth of free entertainment.”
Bullard noted that the fair is taking extra precautions against the spread of COVID-19, as the highly contagious delta variant has reached a “substantial” spread in Onondaga County according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cash transactions will not be allowed at the gates and kiosks will all be spaced at least 12 feet apart.
The surge of the variant also means that despite the excitement surrounding the musical guests and other attractions, the fair organizers remain uncertain about this year’s attendance. Bullard said that because of the developing virus situation, early ticket sales numbers would be of little help in predicting turnout.
“All bets are off this year,” said Bullard. “We really have no idea how many people are going to show up.”
This year’s fair begins on Friday, Aug. 20. Gates will open at 9 a.m.
