skillz: rap it up 2002-2006.

EDIT: If you are looking for the "2007 Rap-Up" as well as active links for the rap-ups from 2002-2007, please see this post!
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SKILLZ has been on the hip-hop scene since around 1992, but has yet to become a household name despite brushing shoulders with some of hip-hop's hottest (and not so hottest) stars.

You may know him by his previous name "Mad Skillz", changed with his 2002 LP I Ain't Mad No More. Perhaps you've heard one of his freestyles, or you remember him from his verse on the remix of Aaliyah's 1998 hit "Are You That Somebody?" when he talks about others crying like the baby in the background.

If that doesn't ring a bell, perhaps you have heard his words...but not his voice. Skillz is notorious as a ghostwriter for the hip-hop community. In his 2000 single "Ghostwriter" he claims to have written hits for Foxy Brown, Jermaine Dupri, Ma$e, and Diddy. If you've ever heard any of those artists rap, you'd understand why they need a ghostwriter. Diddy is the only artist who has acknowledged that Skillz has written for him in the past.

With that out of the way, let's talk about his rap-ups. Skillz has been lyrically re-capping current events in hip-hop, R&B, pop culture, and beyond since 2002. The 2006 rap-up includes such prized lines as "Gnarls Barkley dropped 'Crazy' to the web on purpose, that song was everywhere even Foxy heard it" and "Nas said 'hip hop was dead' but northern cats spit all year tryin' to bring New York back. Yall need to lighten up son, get a hug. The only time New York came back was on Flavor of Love." He delivers his flow over Dr. Dre's instrumental for Jay-Z's "Lost Ones" referencing The Stealers, Eminem, Obie Trice, Dave Chapelle, Cam'ron, Jay-Z, Three Six Mafia, Terrell Owens, Shawnna, DMX, T.I., Yung Joc, Nitti, Tom Cruise, Dick Cheney, myspace, DJ Webstar & Young B's "Chicken Noodle Soup", Russell & Kimora, Dallas Austin, youtube, Rick Ross, Rihanna, Christina Milian, Cool & Dre, Janet Jackson & Jermaine Dupri, Gnarls Barkley, Foxy Brown, Young Dro, Lil Kim, Cassie, LeToya, Wyclef, Ludacris, Ne-Yo, Bobby Brown & Whitney Houston, Kevin Federline & Britney Spears, Nas, New York of Flavor of Love, Snoop Dogg, Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, Lil Wayne & Baby, Mel Gibson, Playstation 3, Beyonce, Carmen Bryan, Unk, Michael Richards, Madonna, Justin Timberlake, J. Dilla, Gerald Levert, and others. All is tightly packaged into 4 minutes and 55 seconds of memories. Skillz keeps it real for the most part, showing props and dissing as necessary, but he throws in a tiny bit of gossip to remind us what had people talking.

I don't really intend to compile a "best of 2006" list, so this will have to do.

DOWNLOAD: SKILLZ- 2006 Rap-Up

DOWNLOAD: SKILLZ- 2005 Rap-Up
DOWNLOAD: SKILLZ- 2004 Rap-Up
DOWNLOAD: SKILLZ- 2003 Rap-Up
DOWNLOAD: SKILLZ- 2002 Rap-Up

BONUS TRACK: SKILLZ- Hip Hop Died

BUY Confessions of a Ghostwriter

BLOGWATCH: Cable & Tweed pays tribute to the great musicians we have lost this past year. The Blue Walrus has all the remixes you need to pretend you are a huge Hot Chip fan. I AM FUEL, YOU ARE FRIENDS promotes giving in the spirit of the season while bringing us back to "We Are the World". Lil Mike's Last Known Thoughts & Random Revelations gives you a complete listing of New Years gigs to check out.
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EDIT: If you are looking for the "2007 Rap-Up" as well as active links for the rap-ups from 2002-2007, please see this post!