It took six years, but rapper Armani White finally is playing Youngstown.

White, whose song “Billie Eilish” has been streamed nearly a half billion times on Spotify, will be the headliner for this year’s Federal Frenzy, presented by Youngstown State University’s Penguin Productions.

White will be one of more than 20 acts performing on two outdoor and three indoor stages on or near West Federal Street on April 18.

Carolyn Jesko, assistant director of student activities at YSU, said White was booked to play a Penguin Productions’ event scheduled at Westside Bowl in March 2020. It was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“They’ve been on our radar for a while, and then obviously they’ve released some more music and have gotten a little more popular,” Jesko said. “We recognized their name from the list of

artists that were available for booking in the spring.”

White is far more well-known than he would have been in 2020. “Billie Eilish,” released in 2023, has been streamed 453 million times on Spotify and spawned a “Legends Mix” with Ludadris, Busta Rhymes and N.O.R.E. White also recorded tracks with such artists as A$AP Ferg and Denzel Curry.

Scout Nicholson, Federal Frenzy media coordinator and a YSU freshman, said, “The talent team came up with a list of headliners. We had a lot of good ideas, and were trying to find something that would be good with the Youngstown population. We wanted to have something that was different from years past, because I feel like a lot of times we’ve had just a white guy with a guitar. So we wanted something different this year, and we found Armani White. He has a really popular song, and we thought that people would know that, and then just be interested from there.”

The rest of the lineup will be dominated by acts with local and/or regional ties, many of whom will be playing the event for the first time.

“I wish we had unlimited amounts of sets and stages and funds to have bands that have played before and new bands,” Nicholson said. “But our talent team had that focus (new acts) for the lineup. It’s a variety of current YSU students that are in bands, alumni that have graduated from YSU and are performing, and then local Youngstown bands, regional bands and our national headliner.”

Acts scheduled to perform are: Marcus Smith & the Rapscallions, Kid Mammoth, 48th Drive, Brake Fluid, Cassette Confidential, Doomsday Darling, Empty Kodiak, Frida and The Mann, Fruitfly, Humbles County, Janelle Li’El, Joey Aich, Krypto, Divine, Largemouth Brass Band, Lydia Shae, Mo Turk, PARiS STEPHAN, S.Y.S., Singled Out, The Sweet Spot, Three of Clubs and TJDUB.

The YSU PenPro Main Stage will move to the 200 block of West Federal Street near the Draught House for 2026. With the renovations and median installed on Federal Street, there is more room for main stage spectators in that area, Jesko said.

The Summit FM Stage will be located near 34 W. Federal St. Indoor venues hosting acts will be The Varsity Club, which was a 2025 Federal Frenzy site and first-time participants V2 and Twisted Roots.

There will be some food trucks and vendors on site, but Federal Frenzy is designed to draw attendees to visit and support downtown businesses.

“It’s a collaborative approach,” Jesko said. “We would love to partner with anyone that’s willing to contribute in any way.”

WHAT: Federal Frenzy

WHEN: 2 to 11 p.m. April 18

WHERE: Downtown Youngstown

HOW MUCH: Admission is free. For more information, go to ysu.edu/penpro