The mask has always been a part of music and fashion, from the early days of Slipknot to mid-2010’s Kanye. In 2021, the mask has become a staple across society due to the ongoing pandemic, and a number of big names have been rocking the face covering in performance. We took a look at some of the mask’s most iconic appearances in the music scene – take a scroll and a trip down memory lane. 

KANYE WEST’S DONDA ANTICS

Kanye’s DONDA album release antics have been the hottest topic of the year, with multiple delays, stadium filling listening parties, and livestreams seeing Kanye firmly grasp the culture in his hand once again. For his first listening party, he donned a full red fit – complete with a GAP x Yeezy bubble jacket – with a mask constructed of a sheer fabric almost akin to those used in robberies by novice criminals. His face was barely visible beneath, but one could see the mask constricting his skin and reducing his head to a shape devoid of any texture or personality. The week after, Ye donned a darker mask of the same variety, alongside a Demna Gvasalia designed apparel collection. The headline here, however, was Kim Kardashian, who turned up in a Balenciaga gimp mask.

ICONIC MARGIELA ON THE YEEZUS TOUR

Kanye’s performance history is frequented by intricate masks from Maison Margiela, from a homemade-looking balaclava worn at PFW 2013 to a selection of iconic masks from the Yeezus tour era. The first example was the aforementioned red ski mask, while looking forward we see a number of masks Ye wore to much confusion: speaking in an interview on why he conceals his face, he said:

“If you’re a creator…and you just want to create more, this is exactly what I’ve been fighting for. So if you hear me talk about Louis Vuitton or the Gucci group or anything like that, I’m not dissin’ Louis Vuitton, I’m not dissin’ the Gucci group and sh*t, I’m just sayin’ don’t discriminate against me. Because I’m a black man or because I’m a celebrity you tell me I can’t create in that field. Because you know damn well ain’t no black guys or celebrities makin’ no Louis Vuitton nothing!

They let Pharrell make those glasses, and we liked ’em, right? They let me make those shoes and we liked ’em, right? And they say, “No, no, no n*gga, not no more. That’s too much…Stay in your place. Sit in front of that show and wear this jacket I made you. Stay in your place! Do what you get paid to do! Stay in your place! Don’t embarrass yourself trying to chase your dreams. Save face. Save face.”

That’s why I got this f**king mask on, because I ain’t worried about saving face. F**k my face! That sounded wrong. [laughs] Pause. But they finally got a headline. But f**k whatever my face is supposed to mean and f**k whatever the name Kanye is supposed to mean, it’s about my dreams! And it’s about anybody’s dreams. It’s about creating. It’s not about the idea about being a f**king celebrity, it’s not about the idea of being a black man trying to do fashion and sh*t.”

KANYE & TRAVIS IN FULL-FACE COVERS BY PIERRE-LOUIS AUVRAY 

Kanye’s more recent entries into the mask game don’t come by way of Balenciaga or Margiela, but as reconstructed T-shirts or full-face covers by French creative Pierre-Louis Auvray, who became known years ago for a run-in with the Gucci design team that allegedly stole his ideas. Both Kanye and Travis Scott have been spotted in the unique creations, which feature graphics depicting everything from angelic figures to vintage Harley Davidson designs. 

ASAP ROCKY’S TEST DUMMY MASKS

Rocky’s TESTING phase was experimental, while so important for the artist we see today. The album’s visuals were laden with crash test dummies, and as such, it was only fitting we saw Rocky in a cash test dummy-themed mask. We witnessed him in two iterations: one being a fabric ski mask he used in performance, while the other was a Shin Murayama-designed hockey mask arriving in a far more heavy-duty form. The Japanese artist has a massive history of creating masks, with this one being constructed of a heavy-set leather and featuring a Mercedes-Benz badge on the strapping.