Skillz - 08' Wrap Up

Well, here's the first post of the new year.....maybe it's somewhat un-becoming that it's content is a critical look at Hip-Hop from last year. LOL, if your new to the "Wrap Up's", lemme explain em a bit.

Skillz is a uber talented emcee who rose out of the new golden age in the 90's, but not from New York or L.A., as was the common thing for those times, but rather from Virginia. Skillz, (AKA Mad Skillz) whose real name is Donnie Lewis, quickly garnered attention with his 1995 debut release "From Where???", that boasted a who's who of producer's, his highly touted freestyle skills and sharpened emceeing fundamentals. Although many look back at "From Where???" now and regard it as a really good release, at the time it seemed to get lost in the crowd and wasn't an album that everyone was checking for or knew about. After it's release Skillz would continue to record and become more involved in Hip-Hop's underground scene.

After going on to work with fellow VA natives Missy Elliot and Timbaland as well as forming the Supafriendz (Danja Mowf, Lonnie B, and Kalonji) and dabbling a bit in trying to form his own label; that unfortunately never did take off, Skillz struggled to keep his name out there. He would go on to solicit his wit when label offers started drying up, paying the bills and passing the time by assuming ghost writer duties for many of Hip-Hop's biggest names. Eventually, he would sign a deal with underground-emcee-friendly-label Rawkus Records in 2002, but the ever present industry politics got in the way of him releasing his "I Ain't Mad No More" LP. Once again Skillz would step in and use his ingenuity to fill the gaps and in 02' he started the storied tradition of the year end "Wrap Up". The "Wrap Up" or "Rap-Up" is a comedic look back at all of the goings on of the previous year within Hip-Hop culture, performed as only Skillz can write, execute and perform them-wonderfully. Usually providing more than a few hilarious takes on the antics of our favorite and not so favorite artist's and urban culture in general, the Wrap Up's were an instant success. Here's the 7th edition of Skillz' highly celebrated annual rundown.

-BIG D O





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