As Tastemakers, we stand firmly behind our filter here at TSS, screening and negating as many songs as we put on. For the past year or so, one artist we’ve stood firmly behind is Skewby. The man’s music speaks for itself, but the reason why can be described no better than the way it was put by the Memphis MC’s manager, Antonio, in a recent inbox message. Read the rest of this entry »

The first time we ever shared Skewby’s music, I was concerned. Not because there was any doubt in my mind the apparent excellence was post-worthy, but because homeboy was so talented, I just assumed we were beyond late. To my surprise, the Tennessee MC’s Proving You Wrong Since 1988 mixtape had received little to no burn on the hip-hop blogosphere and ended up living up to its title. In the year or so since, this all-around talent has released simmering songs and multiple music videos to showcase his Ginsu-sharp skill set, building skyscraper-like anticipation for his fall debut, More Or Less. Read the rest of this entry »

“Broken levees, friends lost, but I lost more friends when The Source gave props.”

Lonely nights on the highway. Depressed days in the dark. Never-ending spells of mental numbing. These are times I’d choose to subdue myself to Skewby’s “Me Against The World.” Read the rest of this entry »

Skewby takes on Puffy’s “Angels,” which old heads the astute will recognize as loose reworking of The Diabolical’s “Check It Out.” I guess that’s neither here nor there when the young West Tennessee cat is puttin’ the track to rest by placing his rubber stamp on it. Read the rest of this entry »

When you copped the latest Source for the kid on the cover with the co-sign, you might’ve caught Skewby cold chillin’ underneath the coveted Unsigned Hype title. Aside from that, and just coasting the success of his debut Proving You Wrong Since 1988 mixtape that we previewed back in November, the dude Skewb has been steady working his way through the cluttered scene to the front of the stage.

And this new visual for “I’ll Ill” helps him inch even closer. Read the rest of this entry »

Since ‘nobody did this beat justice,’ Skewby Doobie Do decided to drop bombs all over Red Cafe and Faboloso’s ode to themselves, “I’m Ill.” I can’t say how true Skewb’s bold opening line is, because I skipped the OG, but this Memphis MC definitely confirms his sickness with his slick mix of sarcastic social commentary and witty punchlines.

“He’s alone, not a clone, like the rest of rest of ‘em am
Or the rest of ‘em are, why am I making sense?
That doesn’t take you far, I should move kilos
Or rap about it a lot, become a kid’s hero
The whole elementary pull up in a Bent-a-ley
Throw money on the single moms, think that they’ll remember me?”

That’s beyond ill. That’s going into cardiac arrest directly before being t-boned by a semi.

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Download — Skewby – “I’m Ill”

Stray Shots

Freck Billionaire – American Terrorist Mixtape

J._Cole-The_Warm_Up

Young Chris- The Network

D.S.G.B.-Till_Death_Do_Us_Part

Wale_And_9th_Wonder-Back_To_The_Feature

Pharrell – In My Mind

Trav Williams & Moonchild – Better Late Than Never EP

Sporty Thievz – Street Cinema

New York City Band with Luther Vandross

M.O.P. – St. Marxmen

Pacewon & Mr. Green – The Only Color That Matters Is Green

Hevehitta And DJ Unexpected Present Talib Kweli – A Tree Grows In Brooklyn

Funkmaster Flex – The Mix Tape Volume II: 60 Minutes Of Funk

Wiz Khalifa – Burn After Rolling

8Ball_And_MJG-Living_Legends

VA – B-Ball’s Best Kept Secret

Stray Shots

With all the rap blogs I read everyday pretty much playing favorites, of course I’m going to discover an MC as talented as Skewby at a site I specifically keep an eye on for offbeat, non-rap picks. Thanks to the cool, cover-all blog/promo-machine RCRD LBL, now we can all enjoy this Memphis mold of Cassidy, Lupe & Q-Tip (Q-Lupassidy?) turn up the tempo on The Flobots “Handlebars” beat and prove that he can indeed ‘do it better.’ Not only in terms of this song, but just bending bars period. Read the rest of this entry »