Nerdcore Summer Camp blends hip-hop and geek culture
Belinda M. PaschalColumbus Dispatch
Aug. 27, 2026, 6:00 a.m. ET
- Nerdcore Summer Camp will feature a lineup of artists from across the country on Aug. 29 at Spacebar in Columbus.
- Nerdcore is a subgenre of hip-hop with lyrics inspired by geek culture like video games, anime and pop culture.
- In addition to music, the event will include fan interactions, games and other camp-themed activities.
Once upon a time, there was nothing cool about being a geek. But in the world of nerdcore, it’s hip to be square.
A subgenre of hip-hop, nerdcore eschews traditional rap topics like money, materialism and who has beef with whom, instead drawing lyrical content from geek culture.
“Songs about computers, video games, anime, Dungeons & Dragons, Pokémon, pop culture and nostalgia are very heavy in the nerdcore scene,” said Ryan Francis, a Columbus performer and event promoter.
“There’s a lot of relatable content that the artists in this genre talk about.”
Francis cited examples such as comedy rapper Mayor Wertz’s odes to parenthood and an “absolutely dopest of the dope” paean to Super Mario’s Princess Peach he recently recorded with hip-hopper Prowess The Testament.
Both artists will be in the lineup of Nerdcore Summer Camp, which will feature some of the genre’s biggest names and emerging stars on Aug. 29 at Spacebar.
Francis, who performs as Huge Euge, plays a key role in planning and publicizing the show, but he credits LEX the Lexicon Artist for its conception. Seeking to replicate Florida’s now-defunct Nerdapalooza, the New York punk rapper contacted Francis with the idea and they partnered up.
“I like to say that LEX is the brains. This is kind of [their] baby,” Francis said.
LEX and Huge Euge will join the aforementioned acts at Nerdcore Summer Camp, along with Schäffer the Darklord, Ax & AJB, Swell Rell, NOFRIENDS, D&D Sluggers, Super Smack and Ohm-I.
“We’re bringing in artists from all over the country for what we’re hoping will be the first of many shows,” Francis said. “We’ll see where this year takes us.”
The concert will be more than just a bunch of emcees “rapping about nerdy stuff,” the 40-year-old promoter noted. Fans can also geek out over games and ghost stories around a fire – it’s summer camp, after all.
“It’s going to be chock-full of fan interactions. It’ll be like a show within a show,” Francis said.
It’s also the perfect baseline for those not well-versed in all things nerdcore, so newcomers are encouraged to attend. “You might not know recognize the names on the bill, but you’ll be blown away!” Francis said.
Get your geek on
Open to ages 18 and older, Nerdcore Summer Camp begins at 5 p.m. Aug. 29, at Spacebar, 2590 N. High St.
Standard general admission costs $31.60. Pay $41.80 for a VIP ticket and you’re invited to an exclusive 21-and-up preshow party on Aug. 28. The place and time will be emailed to VIP ticketholders before the event.
Go to bit.ly/4hL35T7 for tickets and more details.
Contact features and entertainment reporter Belinda M. Paschal at bpaschal@dispatch.com.
