Skill is entering a new chapter, and he’s got some heavyweight projects under his belt to prove it.
In a conversation with AllHipHop, the Virginia rapper-turned-ghostwriter reflected on his post-“Rap Up” career and some major milestones, including writing Jay-Z’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction speech.
Skillz launched his annual “Rap Up” series in 2002, popularizing the tradition by summarizing the year’s biggest cultural moments in witty rhymes.
He retired from reviewing in 2021, although he did summarize the events of 2024 after his retirement.
After retiring from “Rap Up,” Mad Skillz was able to focus on the album “The Seven Number Ones,” which was nominated for a Grammy in the Best Spoken Poetry Album category.
Seven Numbers is an album of spoken word poetry that recounts key moments in his life, with each song symbolizing a key experience that shaped his path.
“This album is about seven different things that happened in my life that changed the direction of my life. Every song is a moment,” Skillz told AllHipHop in an interview with DJ Thoro. “The first song is about a meeting my parents had. The second song is a song my mom used to play at home. The third song is when I first heard hip-hop, my first Daughter, I fell in love with it for the first time.
Skillz’s decision to abandon the annual “Rap-Up” tradition that had become both a hallmark and a constraint allowed him to channel his creativity into a venture that showcased his broader talents.
“When I look back at what’s happened in my life since I stopped doing the year-end ‘Rap Up’… it was like writing JAY-Z’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame speech. I wrote this for Hov when he was inducted, ” Skillz told AllHipHop.com in an interview with DJ Thoro. “I’m busy with other things.”
Relevant
