FREE DRAKE CONCERT AT THE SOUTH STREET SEAPORT GOT CANCELED & THEY STARTED RIOTING! DRAKE LOST ALOT OF FANS IN NEW YORK! LIKE 15,000 OF THEM!

Senseless violence marred a Drake concert at South Street Seaport Tuesday night, prompting security to pull the plug on the show before the rap phenom ever had a chance to grab a mic.

The raucous crowd massed on the Seaport's cobble-stoned streets spun out of control during a lull that followed a performance by opening act DJ Ninjasonik.

"It was a riot," said Melanie Gerald, 22, of Brooklyn, who was caught in the middle of the mayhem.

Gerald was among several thousand people who turned out for the free show, part of a publicity blitz marking the debut of the up-and-coming Canadian rapper's album, "Thank Me Later."

Tamika Johnson, 31, of East New York, Brooklyn, showed up with her 6-year-old daughter.

"Everybody was pushing up, trying to get to the front," Johnson said. "People in the front started leaving because they were getting crushed. Then they started throwing bottles from the balconies."

Things went downhill from there. Fights broke out as rowdies tossed flowers and then flower pots - even beer bottles and metal chairs - from the upper floors of the Seaport down onto the crowd on the street, several witnesses said.

Jasmine Arroyo, 23, of Brooklyn, said the scene turned into "a madhouse" as people on the street began firing plastic bottles and "any object they could find" at the hurlers on the balcony.

"A lot of people were drunk and falling down ... fistfights within the crowds," she said. "There were people jumping onto token booths and hopping over fences."

Afiya Phillips, 18, of Brooklyn, felt the brunt of one hoodlum's actions.

"I got hit with a chair tonight - Drake needs to give me some free tickets," she said.

The smiley-faced Drake was anything but after his gig was canceled, telling the Daily News the NYPD put the kibosh on the festivities due to "overcrowding."

"I am humbled by the crowd that showed up in support of my performance," he said through his spokeswoman. "Unfortunately, the show was canceled by the NYPD due to overcrowding, leaving me without the chance to give my fans a real show."

Police officials said they received a flurry of 911 calls, and Seaport officials said a decision to cancel the event was made in consultation with the NYPD.

"By the announced showtime, both the Seaport management and NYPD estimated that the onsite crowd had greatly exceeded ... safe capacity ... and the show could no longer be presented in a safe atmosphere," a spokeswoman for the Seaport said.

A promotional email sent to the Daily News prior to the show boasted that 10,000 people were expected to pack Pier 17.

A total of seven people suffered minor injuries, including two who had sustained head injuries, police said.

Cops collared two rowdies - one who had tossed a bottle and another who obstructed police, NYPD officials said.

NYPD Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne said Seaport officials asked the NYPD to assist in dispersing the crowd.

"They admit they did not contemplate this turnout," Browne said of the organizers.

Gerald and several other fans said crowd-control measures were inadequate.

"Next time they need more cops, and they need to have a limit [on attendees]," she said. "I've seen Marc Anthony here - it wasn't like this."

Earlier Tuesday, more than 500 crazed Drake fans lined up to meet the Lil' Wayne protégé at his album release inside the Best Buy store at Union Square.