Boosie Arrives In O-Town
BOBBY ARDOIN
St. Landry Now.com Editor
Boosie Badazz shed what he calls his “happy tears,” on Wednesday as he arrived at Opelousas’ Delta Grand Theatre to promote his upcoming concert.
Formerly known as Lil’ Boosie, the 43-year-old, nationally-known rapper received a proclamation from St. Landry Parish president Jessie Bellard, who declared May 10 as “Boosie Badazz Day.”
The parishwide acknowledgement and the Mother’s Day parish Agricultural Arena concert that begins at noon, seemed to emotionally capture Boosie, as Bellard read the proclamation.
“No one has ever done this for me,” Boosie said in an interview afterward.
Boosie said that the Opelousas-area crowd was always important for him as he launched his career nearly 30 years ago.
“I’ve been coming here for a long time and I’m just really grateful. I just want to say thank you’all,” said Boosie, who handled questions from digital and television media.
Boosie joked that between now and his ag arena performance he’s going to look for some Cowboy boots that complement the dirt floor of the venue in addition to locating several outfits that he thinks will offset the energy that he plans to bring to Opelousas.
Surveying the inside of the Delta Grand, Boosie said he became nostalgic.
“You know, (the Delta Grand) and Opelousas will always be a special place. I was performing here a lot before I was performing nationally and across the world. I was only regional back then, but I remember the red walls and when (the Delta Grand) looked different,” said Boosie.
According to promotional material that advances the May 10 concert, Boosie is scheduled to perform for several hours. There will be other performers, Boosie said, that will also entertain the anticipated large crowd until 9 pm.
“Boosie is always gonna be energy and I’ve got a catalog of songs and some of them go back to when I was appearing in Opelousas. I’m ready to make Mother’s Day here in my name. This is going to be special and if you know me, I always leave the stage wet,” he added.
His depth of material, Boosie said, reflects his lifelong trials of battling what he has said is childhood diabetes along with other troubles that materialized throughout his career.
Bellard pointed out that the parish proclamation recognizing Boosie was only the second one that he has issued since taking office in 2021.
Boosie, Bellard said, is recognized as a nationally-known music contributor, who has brought economic benefit to St. Landry who has performed locally while providing a strong connection with the local community.
