One thing I never understood a few years back was when Skillz actually considered not going through with his yearly “Rap Up.” The series is single-highhandedly one of the doper aspects of Hip-Hop and on the first day of 2012, the Virginia MC blessed us with his take the year that just passed. Read the rest of this entry »

Skillz makes those Willie Loman raps geared to the average cat but the song “Regular Guy” is everything but mundane. Video directed by Cristopher Schafer. Read the rest of this entry »

Skillz sits down to discuss his demands, expectations and inspirations surrounding his annual “Rap Up” series, which has become Hip-Hop’s “Auld Lang Syne.” Directed by Samuel Rogers. Read the rest of this entry »

Andrea

2010: The Year Of The Meme [Uproxx]

New Huck Finn Cuts ‘N’ Word [The Daily Beast]

The 5 Worst Pieces of Parenting Advice Sean Price Got On Twitter [Complex]

Orioles Pitcher Alfredo Simon Jailed In Shooting [CNN]

Skillz Says He’s Writing For Willow Smith’s New Album [TUD] Read the rest of this entry »

Skillz’s album may have left something to be desired, but that is not to say his efforts are not appreciated in other avenues. The brother can rap, there’s no questioning that and Steven Hill already guaranteed him a spot in the 2011 BET Hip Hop Awards Cypher. However, it’s his now trademark year end “Rap Up’s” which have become his true calling card.

In a little over five minutes, Virginia’s finest musical documentarian recaps the year which brought us painful realities like the earthquake in Haiti and BP Oil Spill and other painful realities like Montana Fishburne’s cigarette ashtray of an ass. If you’re like me, a few of the topics mentioned will leave the “that happened last year?” look on your face so be prepared to Google. Enjoy the song for what it is though – entertainment – and go on about your day.

See you in roughly 363 days for the next installment.

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Skillz – “2010 Rap Up”

Here’s a novel idea: Skillz is actually going to try to sell his music, pushing the track on iTunes. We wholeheartedly respect the hustle, so use those gift cards your auntie mailed you the day after Christmas. It’s only 99 cents for crying out loud.

– Jay Electronica exorcised the ghost Christopher Wallace & got down with the nation of Roc. History suggests he made the right move. It remains to be seen how it affects his career in the long run, but the short term yield benefited the fans.

– Girl Talk shut the internet down on Monday with his aptly-titled All Day.

– Donovan signed a new deal and promptly added more fuel to the ire of Redskin fans before the ink could even dry. Read the rest of this entry »

Modesty is a trait not easily heralded in the Hip-Hop world. With the yearly increase of competition and rappers present in general, the common practice is to take to your soapbox and get more obnoxious than Ed Lover. For Skillz, the vet of all trades out of Virginia, his moniker has always been his loudest attribute. Through the course of nearly two decades, he has remained an semi-eminent figure without a groundbreaking single to his name–or album, for that matter. Read the rest of this entry »

Looking back at what a grand, content-filled week it was.

– Baracka Flocka Flame had the internuts in a tizzy, as did Willow’s “Whip My Hair” video.

– Use a condom, save the race. Beware handpicked “10 Women Who Should Never Reproduce.” Read the rest of this entry »

The title track from Skillz’s upcoming album features punchlines referencing Wheelchair Jimmy, a miniature Jermaine Dupri, Tiny & Toya and Biggie. Need I go on? Read the rest of this entry »

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. Read the rest of this entry »

Exactly. Shame on an aggin who thought they could run game on a some freestyle skits and not include the governor of VA. None the matter. Virginia has video teams, graphic artists and one MC who will be forever nice in Skillz. And he displays just that with a barrage of witty and timely punchlines that correlated to the televised cyphers and spoke volumes for his freshness. Read the rest of this entry »

Even when presented with countless opportunities to take the sleazy Pop route out, Skillz lyrical tendencies keep pulling him back in. Which is why we’re blessed with such conceptual works of genius like Infamous Quotes. From Allen Iverson rants to classic pieces from The Wire, SkillzVA blends our favorite quips and his penstrokes with help from DJ Jazzy Jeff and J. Period. Read the rest of this entry »

He’s already given you his confessions, so the next logical step would be to settle down right? I mean, it worked for Usher. Skillz realized that life’s not worth living if he doesn’t have that special someone to share the contents of his million dollar backpack with. Read the rest of this entry »

Photo by Turk

I suppose with the explosion of rappers brought on by the advent of the digital age, Skillz would be a regular guy, the middle class of the Hip-Hop realm. Aspirations of full-blown fame have come and gone, he’s settled into a comfortable existence & still managed to make his mark on the world. Read the rest of this entry »

Continuing on his one man mission to bring embarrassing & enlightening Hip-Hop revelations to the masses, Skillz returns slightly ahead of schedule with the latest installment in his “Confessions” series. Backstage of the famed Nokia Theater, he sits down with the legendary Q-Tip & Peanut Butter Wolf. Read the rest of this entry »