Ski Mask Brings Out Nardwuar At 2023 Summer Smash

Ski Mask the Slump God blew the roof off the SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, IL, last Saturday. The 27-year-old rapper kicked off the second day of the rap festival with something special. During his performance, he brought on Nardwuar the Human Serviette, absolutely hyping up the crowd. Born John Ruskin, Nardwuar is a Canadian celebrity journalist and musician who is the lead singer and keyboardist for the Evaporators. His absurd, eccentric, yet well-researched interviews of rap and hip-hop stars are infamous.

While it appears Ski Mask did this for the memes, it's still a great tribute to someone who can get rappers so riled up. Pharrell and Drake are on record saying their interviews with Nardwuar are the best they've ever had. However, other performers like Dave Rountree of Blur, Alice Cooper, Travis Barker, Beck, and Nas have either hung up on him or verbally or physically attacked Nardwuar. A polarizing figure in the rap game for sure, the journalist must've felt pretty good gracing the stage at one of rap's most influential concerts of the year.

Ski Mask's 2023 Summer Smash Contribution

The Summer Smash 2023 featured an impressive lineup all weekend long, including Vince Staples, Ice Spice, Glorilla, Juicy J, Trippie Redd, and Rico Nasty. Headliners were Kid Cudi on Friday, Future on Saturday, and Playboi Carti on Sunday. Plus, special guest stars were $uicideboy$, Lil Uzi Vert, and Lil Durk. To put it bluntly, this was a massive show that didn't disappoint. And when Ski Mask the Slump God pulled his Nardwuar stunt, the audience ate it up.

Nardwuar also angers Canadian politicians on the regular and is on the record stating he will interview any celebrity. Funny enough, musicians have immortalized his zany demeanor in tribute lyrics. At the 2013 SXSW Festival, Pharrell turned the tables on him and interviewed him the same way he'd interview others. Lil Uzi Vert sampled some of his 2018 Nardwuar interview for the song "Futsal Suffle 2020." Most recently, Maclemore's 2022 song "Maniac" features a cameo from the Canadian journalist, complete with references. For Ski Mask, his embracement of Nardwuar's kooky aura should only help his own rising fame.

[Via]