Skillz got Skills

For all you out there who are lost and confused, and searching for something to listen to that isn't a constant spin on your local radio station - never fear Skillz is here. The 2 up 2 down backpacker has formatted a project that will easily satisfy you with what I'm going to call Irsecs (ear sex). Many of you know Skillz as the independent, do it my way punchliner and ghostwriter. This album makes it evident that Skillz is a hip hop junkie who writes for the love of the life of hip hop.

There are a number of tracks that will keep you from using your finger to hit the skip button. The album starts off providing just the right amount of anticipation for the listener as you squint to decipher what he's saying through a distorted mic. Quality opening track though. Most people may be used to the hardcore head nodding Skillz, and you get that when he features Freeway on Don't Act Like You Don't Know. It's Freeway at his best along with Skillz spitting nonstop over a beat that intertwines well with the two flows.

Skillz slows things down for a few tracks to feed you more of a mellowed, smoothed out listening. So Far, So Good has Common sharing the mic with Skillz. It has a real beautiful music feeling. It's typical style for Common as he flourishes as always. That track is followed by the lead single, Sick. Skillz doesn't proclaim himself as the greatest rapper alive, yet he delivers various reason to why and how long he has been Sick. Quality single to lead the album off with. Guest appearance by Black Thought is used to shine up an already shiner in Hold Tight. Skillz delivers, but Thought adds something else to the track that puts it up there with the top tracks of the album.

The album finishes off fairly strong as Skillz lets everyone know why he is independently trying to keep hip hop alive with this album. It's classic hip hop music for those of you who are tired of all the common beats being played today. If you are a true music lover you can't sleep on this album. Not the best of the summer or the year, but good music is good music. Go cop a couple albums.

Keep Hip Hop Alive, One Bar at a Time.
Over and Out, DocBoone.