He first made a name for himself by finishing in second place in a national freestyle competition in 1992, which resulted in a recording contract with Atlantic Records. Skillz' Atlantic debut, From Where???, and its single, "The Nod Factor", were released in 1996, but sank without a trace. In the late-1990s, he allied himself with fellow Virginia natives Missy Elliott, Timbaland, and The Neptunes. He made appearances on Timbaland's albums Tim's Bio in 1998, and Indecent Proposal in 2001; Timbaland made plans to sign Skillz to the Blackhand label he was developing, the label failed to materialize. He along with Danja Mowf, Lonnie B, and Patrice O'Neal, members of Mad Skillz' Supafriendz collective, also appeared on a remix of Aaliyah's hit single "Are You That Somebody" in 1998.
More recently (2000) Skillz is known for his tell all single "Ghostwriter". In which he names (but edits) artists for which he has written hit singles. With lines like 'I'm a ghostwriter, I'm the cat that you don't see/I write hits for rappers you like and charge 'em a fee'. Un-edited versions of the track have not surfaced but Skillz is known to do a live performance in which he includes the names. In one live performance he mentions P. Diddy, Foxy Brown, Mase, and Jermaine Dupri. One artist who openly admits Skillz has written hits for him is P. Diddy.
From 2002 through 2006 Skillz has done a year end "Rap-Up" song that encapsulates the events of the prior 12 months.
Skillz eventually got a deal with Rawkus, where he recorded his 2002 LP I Ain't Mad No More, the title of which commemorated the official change of his MC moniker from "Mad Skillz" to just "Skillz". The afore mentioned LP was never officially released in the U.S., however, during the Sprite Liquid Mix Tour in 2003 he sold some bootleg versions of this CD. The CD was re-packaged without several tracks as "Confessions Of A Ghostwriter" in 2005. A Supafriends LP, Supavision, and another solo LP. A client for the Mama's Boys management company which also includes Musiq, Skillz has been a featured artist at okayplayer.com, run by ?uestlove of The Roots. He just released the 2006 version of the Rap Up.
Discography
1996: From Where???
2001: The 804 Compilation (by the SupaFriendz)
2002: I Ain't Mad No More
2003: Supavision (by the Supafriendz)
2004: Skillz Vs Shaq (by P-Cutta & DJ Whoa)
2005: Confessions Of A Ghostwriter
2006: Mad Skillz (Release Date: October 3, 2006)
Tip Of The Tongue
Mad Skillz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Uhh.. nine-five shizzot, in the hizzouse
Uh what nigga? Tch, uhh, uhh, uhh..
Watch my style rise like ? on your eyes
And battlin is hard, like retards becomin Jedi's
Watch the dread fry, submerge it from tripes
Born from a virgin, with a eye in her back
makin bitches WOOF, like they had seven niggaz with em
MC's is sleazy, plus they styles is easy
Fool take that shit to help son and give it to fuckin Wheezy
or Helen, I'm crackin open MC's melons
Tonight aight yo, I'ma leave some microphones swellin
(Man I be flowin) Whatcha flow got to do with me?
Yo I'm wiser so be Pryor and act like you can't see
I'm the abyss so wack niggaz take a dive
I'm over killer beats the average kids won't survive
You want to battle? Come on and bring it on son
I got your whole family tree on the tip of my tongue
Chorus: Mad Skillz (repeat 4X)
Floatin lyrics, from the tip of my tongue
I swing (swing) I sway (sway) I swung (swung)
[Mad Skillz]
Check it
I flow with tight raps, niggaz get a tight face
Attitude's, like I parked in they handicapped space
but I wets it, wrecks it when I mic checks it
Givin girls my number backwards, tellin em I'm dyslexic
Don't front -- you know what type of shit I'm on
Rippin mics of all types, Verbal Master Sha-Kwan
You were warned about the Northside click
Bitch, flex, and get your neck stretched like Dionne Warwick
Let me lick a shot for all my niggaz in the streets
Gettin ill keepin it real doin what they gotta do to eat
Compete and get hit with dizzy techniques
The only crossin over I'm doin is a motherfuckin street
So listen, I get in where I fit in and word to God
I like beats hard like holdin your shit in, sit in
on the session watch your body get numb
A real MC keeps his skills on the tip of his tongue, what?
Chorus
[Mad Skillz]
Verse, tre, who's tryin to leave in a hearse today?
See Skillz has skills since your great grandma'a first birthday
In the worst way, my styles be diesel
My crew ain't goin no-fuckin-where nigga we the Forever People
Gettin rid of, bullshit, when I bang ya
So MC's don't talk to me, just consider me a stranger
Take a toke I hope you don't choke
Cause if you ever see my shit it'll be through a kaleidoscope
Leavin marks to embark then gettin beat sparked
Floatin lyrics from the tip like an ark
I got rhymes to stand the test of time
I'm bound to climb, when I go one time for your mind
I'm fulfillin my purpose in life, pah (what is it?)
See I was put here so wack niggaz, would know how wack they are
You know who you are your shit's saggin, word is bond
My shit's tighter than five virgins in a Volkswagen
Chorus 2X
Do you have any idea how tight, that, five virgins, well, fuck it..
In "Tip of the Tongue", Mad Skillz talks about his skills as a rapper, using creative metaphors and witty wordplay. He starts by bragging about his style rising "like [something] on your eyes", implying that he's shining bright and standing out. He then compares battling to "retards becoming Jedi's", highlighting how difficult it is. He says he can "chew through rhythms" and make "bitches woof" with his flow. He finishes the first verse by saying that he's so good, wack MCs should take their rap and give it to "fucking Wheezy", a reference to Lil Wayne.
In the second verse, Mad Skillz continues to talk about his prowess as an MC, rapping that he gets a "tight face" when he flows, and comparing his flows to a "verbal master Sha-Kwan". He warns haters not to mess with the Northside click, and says that he likes his beats "hard like holding your shit in". Finally, he raps that he's fulfilling his purpose in life by showing wack rappers how wack they are.
"Tip of the Tongue" is a classic hip-hop track that showcases Mad Skillz's lyrical abilities. The song was released in 1995 and was featured on Skillz's debut album, "From Where???".
Line by Line Meaning
Uhh.. nine-five shizzot, in the hizzouse
I am here in the year 1995, and I am feeling good.
Watch my style rise like ? on your eyes
My style is going to be impressive and eye-catching.
And battlin is hard, like retards becomin Jedi's
Battling is difficult, like people with a learning disability becoming Jedi Knights.
Watch the dread fry, submerge it from tripes
Watch the musical bass sound viciously float and get absorbed in your belly.
Born from a virgin, with a eye in her back
I come from an unusual origin and bring uniqueness to my work.
So where you at -- when I choose to chew through rhythms
Where are you when I am creatively attacking the beats with impressive rhymes?
makin bitches WOOF, like they had seven niggaz with em
I am causing the audience to make loud noises, like they are hyped up and in a group of people.
MC's is sleazy, plus they styles is easy
Most MCs are low quality both in their sleazy persona and basic style.
Fool take that shit to help son and give it to fuckin Wheezy
You need to give your weak stuff to someone else and help your son, or even Wheezy, enhance it.
or Helen, I'm crackin open MC's melons
I am easily breaking any opposition and leaving them exposed.
Tonight aight yo, I'ma leave some microphones swellin
Tonight I am going to conquer the venue and leave the microphones broken.
(Man I be flowin) Whatcha flow got to do with me?
I don't care about your flow, it doesn't compare to mine.
Yo I'm wiser so be Pryor and act like you can't see
I am more knowledgeable than you, so act like you don't see me.
I'm the abyss so wack niggaz take a dive
I am a deep dark chasm that whack rappers fall into and get buried in.
I'm over killer beats the average kids won't survive
I can ride on deadly beats that average rappers cannot handle.
You want to battle? Come on and bring it on son
If you are up for a challenge, you can try to go against me.
I got your whole family tree on the tip of my tongue
I have the ability to take down anyone, even people connected to you.
Floatin lyrics, from the tip of my tongue
I have a constant flow of lyrics that come out of me with ease.
I swing (swing) I sway (sway) I swung (swung)
I move with rhythm and confidence in my music.
I flow with tight raps, niggaz get a tight face
My rhymes are so impressive, people get a tight expression on their face.
Attitude's, like I parked in they handicapped space
My attitude towards others is comparable to taking their handicap spot.
but I wets it, wrecks it when I mic checks it
But as a master, I take wet and wreck rapping to another level when I test the mic.
Givin girls my number backwards, tellin em I'm dyslexic
I am giving girls my number in reverse to come off as dyslexic to show how unique I am.
Don't front -- you know what type of shit I'm on
Don't act like you don't know how great my music and style is.
Rippin mics of all types, Verbal Master Sha-Kwan
I can destroy any microphone with my exceptional skills like a verbal master in karate.
You were warned about the Northside click
You knew the Northside click was unstoppable.
Bitch, flex, and get your neck stretched like Dionne Warwick
If you try to be tough and show off, you'll get violently hurt like Dionne Warwick's neck.
Let me lick a shot for all my niggaz in the streets
This verse is for all of my guys on the streets.
Gettin ill keepin it real doin what they gotta do to eat
My guys are sick but are true to themselves and have to do what they have to in order to survive.
Compete and get hit with dizzy techniques
If you want to compete with me, you will get hit with techniques that will leave you feeling dizzy.
The only crossin over I'm doin is a motherfuckin street
The only crossover I have is when I am rhyming on the street corner.
So listen, I get in where I fit in and word to God
Listen to what I am saying and see how I function in this scene.
I like beats hard like holdin your shit in, sit in
I love beats that are hard like holding your excrement while sitting.
on the session watch your body get numb
When I am in a session, people are left in shock and numbness.
A real MC keeps his skills on the tip of his tongue, what?
A true rapper is always ready with their skills at any moment of the day.
Verse, tre, who's tryin to leave in a hearse today?
In this verse, I am asking who is trying to get killed today.
See Skillz has skills since your great grandma'a first birthday
I have been a skilled rapper since your great grandmother's first birthday, I was born with unique talents.
In the worst way, my styles be diesel
My styles are powerful and unstoppable.
My crew ain't goin no-fuckin-where nigga we the Forever People
My crew, the Forever People, is unbeatable and is not ever leaving.
Gettin rid of, bullshit, when I bang ya
I am getting rid of anyone's fake rhymes when I come in with impressive beats.
So MC's don't talk to me, just consider me a stranger
Do not talk to me, I am not interested and I consider myself a stranger to fake rappers.
Take a toke I hope you don't choke
Take a hit but make sure you don't choke, because my music is that killer.
Cause if you ever see my shit it'll be through a kaleidoscope
My music is so trippy, you will only ever see it through a kaleidoscope.
Leavin marks to embark then gettin beat sparked
I am making a mark in the world with my beats and rhymes.
I got rhymes to stand the test of time
My rhymes are so good, they will always be relevant even with the test of time.
I'm bound to climb, when I go one time for your mind
I am going up in the music world and leaving an impact in your mind.
I'm fulfillin my purpose in life, pah (what is it?)
I am doing what I am meant to be doing in my life and leaving my mark, that's my purpose.
See I was put here so wack niggaz, would know how wack they are
I came into the music industry for weak rappers to understand how bad their music truly is.
You know who you are your shit's saggin, word is bond
I know exactly who needs to hear this, your music is terrible and the truth is spoken.
My shit's tighter than five virgins in a Volkswagen
My music is better than anything else out there, it's tighter than five virgins crammed in a Volkswagen.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
thaiboxer5
I still have this TAPE. skillz was way underrated
vEL
Check out K-Rino and Beast 1333
12ozMike
yo one of my top 10 MCs for sure... I'm from AZ and got love for VA
Kapella Vision
+thaiboxer5 i agree 100
CAM8689
majorly slept on album...
ratherRAunique
mad slept on ! One love from Bulgaria !
vEL
Check out K-Rino and Beast 1333
MCesike MCes ! Vargas Bustamante
ratherRAunique , MCesike ldch tfpt cd original jewel box papel prepicado celofán Facebook Alejandro MCesike
edwardkraus
criminally underrated...
hellrazor24
this makes me thank GOD i have the ability to hear