Ski Mask the Slump God Tears Down the House at Homecoming Show

It was quite a homecoming for one of South Florida's most beloved rappers, Ski Mask the Slump God, as his show at the Fillmore Miami Beach last night went off without a hitch.

As the New Times arrived on the scene at 7 p.m., a line outside the Fillmore had already formed, filled with fans eagerly waiting to get inside and snag a good spot for the show. The crowd continued to grow as the night went on, but unlike at the Ken Carson show earlier this year, they were much less intense about reserving a spot in the mosh pit.

Once Molly Santana hit the stage, the crowd's energy started to build as she performed songs like "Chain Swangin" to warm everybody up and prepare them for the night ahead.

When South Florida favorites DJ Scheme and Danny Towers followed, the energy level grew as Towers played a quick set that saw the audience start moshing and moving to "Florida Water" and "How You Feel?" People in the front were going bar for bar with Towers as he held it down during his opening set.

Up-and-coming rapper C Stunna's appearance only made the night more memorable. He threw himself into the pit to connect with fans more intimately. DJ Scheme also continued giving people what they wanted, playing XXXTentacion and Juice Wrld classics like "YuNg BrAtZ" and "Armed and Dangerous." It was one of the most fun parts of the show, as it just felt like a nostalgia-inducing party and a celebration of an era of rap that is long gone but so significant to South Florida. Hardrock kept the momentum going, living up to his name and hopping down from the stage to connect with fans.
The stage setup wasn't elaborate. There was a large screen on stage and another above the performers at a slight angle. The whole thing was simple but fitting of Ski's reputation for focusing more on hyping the audience and bouncing while spitting elaborate rhymes.

At around 9:50 p.m., dressed to the nines with a big furry hat and shoes to match, Ski stomped out to his X-assisted banger, "RIP Roach." After about two minutes, Ski realized it was way too hot to wear fuzzy garments on stage. He quickly shed them and ran around the stage in socks and a T-shirt like it was 2017 all over again. Scheme, Towers, and Rolling Loud cofounder Tariq Cherif stood in the background, making the whole show feel like a gathering of the South Florida Avengers.

Ski played some of the newer tracks off 11th Dimension, but once he started seeking his day-one fans, it became a full-on rager. Playing underground hits like "Off the Wall" and "H2O" helped begin a nearly endless series of moshing and moving to the music. With Towers already on stage, the two played their DJ Scheme-produced track "How You Feel?" once more.

One of the most underrated moments came when Ski slowed the show down to hand out water to the crowd. Ski, Scheme, Towers, Cherif, and other crew members passed out water and checked on the crowd to ensure everyone was doing okay. It's dope to see an artist of Ski's level and reputation take a moment to ensure his fans are doing well and can keep going. It's one of his most endearing qualities, showing that he genuinely cares for his fans.
Later, during the show, Ski paid tribute to not only X but Juice as well. Their photos were shown on the large screens as songs "Moonlight," "Legends," and "Jocelyn Flores" were played to pay respect to his fallen friends. Phone lights lit up the Fillmore as Ski and Scheme sang along to the songs.

After a long break from the madness, the speakers played the iconic Mortal Kombat "Round 1" clip, and "Nuketown" began to play, causing the crowd to go into a frenzy. Ski let it rip, performing all the classics, such as "BabyWipe" and "Faucet Failure."

There was a moment when a fan held up a Chucky doll, similar to the one used in Ski's music video for "Catch Me Outside." Ski asked for the doll to be thrown up to the stage, pacing and performing "Shibuya" with the doll in hand. Afterward, he signed the doll and returned it to the fan.

The last two songs were the craziest, as Ski had everyone follow someone dressed up as Jesus in the crowd, opening up the largest mosh pit of the night before he played "Take a Step Back." When the beat dropped, everyone started to full-on rage as the chorus rang of "Ayy, fucked up, fucked up, fucked up, 'Who?' Hey'Fucked up, fucked up, fucked up, you, hey" echoed in the Fillmore.

Of course, the final song was "Look at Me!" and served as a tribute not only to X but also to South Florida rap and the SoundCloud era as a whole. It was a track that did a lot for the period in which Ski blew up as a rapper next to his best friend.

After the show ended, Ski went to the merch table to sign anything fans had bought. This further proved that Ski is one of rap's coolest guys.