After serving everybody with his own version of a BET Cypher, Skillz garnered the attention of BET head honcho Stephen G. Hill, who got the Hip-Hop holy ghost and began praising Skillz’s viral hit via his Twitter.
Hill’s reaction was the final part of Skillz plan. The rapper said “I’ve learned how to create something and make you pay attention to it and the average person will say ‘damn, that’s a good ass idea.’” True. Who else has everyone’s ear and attention at the end of each calendar year.
When asked would he take Hill & BET up on the offer, Skillz told The Urban Daily that he most certainly would.
TUD: So are you going to take BET up on the offer?
Skillz: I definitely would not pass up a chance to be on television, on one of the biggest networks of our generation. I don’t take those kind of looks likely. Even if I would have been in the Cypher, I only got 16 bars to make this happen, to make everybody talk about me tomorrow. Don’t get me wrong, in my Cypher I went a little long because I could but I’m sure Stephen Hill would take me up on it. We’ve crossed paths a couple times. He knows who I am when he sees me but maybe he just didn’t make that connection. Through the power of Twitter I got him to pay attention. It worked.
Score one for the good guys and the power of social networking.
Via TUD




Other people that should be in the cypher: Ras Kass, Brother Ali, Freddie Gibbs, Elzhi, Phonte, Big Daddy Kane, Lil’ Wayne (I said it) Jean Grae and Talib Kweli. Just sayin. You know what? Throw in Sheek as well. He may not be the strongest member of The Lox but he’s earned it off of energy alone.
Phonte’s already done the cypher. Other than that, I can’t disagree with Leegle’s list. ‘specially Jean, I’d really like to see what the BET crowd thinks of that.
Great news for Skillz; but it shows once again when BET is always a day late and a dollar short. I appuald Skillz for his hunger, hustle, and ingenuity for his idea; but if you don’t know by know that Skillz can freestyle for days and your network predominatly covers Hip Hop something is wrong.
BET 2011 Cyphers:
Mega Group Cypher:
Slaughter House vs. Wu-Tang vs. Dipset
Ladies Night Cypher:
lauryn hill, jean grae, rah digga and nicki minaj
Underground Kings Cypher:
Immortal Technique, Slug (atmosphere), Bun B, E-40, Tech N9ne and Skillz
Gangstas vs. Nerds Cypher:
Freddie Gibbs, Lupe Fiasco, Sean Price, Charles Hamilton, Project Pat and VX
Such a shitty Cypher it would be awesome:
Soulja Boy, 50 Tyson, Ace Hood, Gucci Mane and Donnis
Best City Cypher:
NYC: Jay-Z
Detroit: Elzhi
Philadelphia: Meek Mill
Chicago: Twista
New Jersey:Red Man
Atlanta:André 3000
Dallas: Chamillionaire
Houston: Lil’ Flip
LA: Blu
Tell me the above list would not be awesome
Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche: Add Brian Pumper to the Shit HOUSE cipher and you have struck Gold. lol
@ Bigga Aka The coolest man on TSS
Shit house
lmao..that was clever
Thats a great idea! B. Pumper has to be in the shit house cypher.
Y’all dudes in here gettin ya dream on.lol
I would like to see the boy Kendrick Lamar in the cyph’. Something tells me he would set his set ablaze.
Stephen Hill is still a coon and deserves a role, if not at least a portrayal, in a sequel to Bamboozled (should one be made)
@teef – agreed.
@Friedrich
I can’t say I can. I can’t say I can. That show would be epic.
Teef: Yup he aint shit
skillz didnt kill this…i actually find him quite chessy
I would like to see the boy Kendrick Lamar in the cyph’. Something tells me he would set his set ablaze.
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Definitely.
And props to my fellow VA native Skillz. One way or the other you have to get someone’s attention. I’ll never ever for as long as I live forget what he did to that “In Da Club” beat on Hot 97 some years back.
One of the best radio freestyles I have ever heard.
@Tins
Yeah man. After your “Cut You Off” post, I started sifting through his work. I bang his music daily now. He is a real problem. If you didn’t catch his “Monster” freestyle or “The Heart pt1″, do yourself a favor.
Immortal Technique in a BET Cipher? Jean Grae? Elzhi? Yall are certainly REACHING with these choices lol. Let’s not forget the television station we’re talking about.
@ Athrin
I think BET would put the artist you mention in a cypher. For the past 3 or 2 years there have been a lot of random, obscure, underground artist in the BET cyphers.
Immortal Technique may not do it for political reasons, but I don’t see Elzhi and Jean Grae not doing it. Personally in my opinion, Jean Grae needs the attention. If given the chance to rep his city I think Elzhi would participate in the cypher.
I hope Stephen Hill reads TSS and steals my idea because sweet Jesus, if hip hop is dead and this cypher happens it will be resurrected!
yeah @ friedrich
good list but it wont happen in 2011 lol
eli porter in a cypher.
@agile, you’re buggin. There wouldve been no late 90s hip hop if it werent for Skillz. He ghost-wrote HALF of your favorite hits. Ease up on that cheesy shit, homey.
VA all DAY!
Could we get Big K.R.I.T in the cyhper?