How Ski Beatz made the Decision between Rapping and Producing

THE REMIX:  His name will forever be linked to the man who has held down the number one rap spot for years.  He crafted the beat that allowed the hip hop world to know that Jay Z was knocking on its door.  “When I made that beat [“Dead Presidents”] at first, I didn’t like it.  I was like this is cool.  When I threw the Nas sample on it, I was like this is kind of hot.  I played it for Jay.  He was like ‘this is out of control’.  He made a classic out of it,” says hip hop music producer Ski Beatz.

While many rap fans are familiar with Ski’s arrival in hip hop, most aren’t with his musical beginning.  “I got started way back in the day like 1986-1989 in a group called the Bizzie Boys.”  That was when I was first introduced to hip hop.  I started off as a rapper, and I ended up producing albums as a member of another group I was in called Original Flavor.  I did all of the production.  I really didn’t know what a producer was.  I was just making beats because I could rhyme, and I didn’t have anyone to make beats for me.  So, I made my own,” says Ski.

Ski’s decision to put down the mic came after the outcome of a conversation he had with DJ Clark Kent.  “Clark was like ‘Yo, you got all these beats, but what are you doing with them’?  He said, ‘I can help you sell some tracks’.  I didn’t know anything about it.  Clark then introduced me to Father MC.  I sold my first beat to him.  I thought it was going to be like $100 to $200, but it ended up being like $8000.  I was like “Wow!”  I can make this kind of money making beats?  So, I just stopped rapping and started making beats.”  Ski’s favorite is featured on Camp Lo’s 1997 release “Uptown Saturday Night”.  “I really like “Luchini” that’s just a special song to me.”

Ski is currently working on a new project called “Balcony Music”. Watch and listen to this video to get a feel.

About the Article:

Excerpt from “The Pulse Pumping Out of Your Speakers, Part 1: Hip Hop Producers Black Jeruz and Ski Beatz Talk About Getting Into the Game” – BSIDEMAGONLINE    by Nicole Allen

Video: skibeatz.me

About “THE REMIX”:

“THE REMIX” runs every Friday.  It contains excerpts from some of my favorite articles I’ve written throughout my journalistic career.

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