Skillz
Aka : Mad Skillz
Real name : Shaquan Lewis
Hometown : Richmond, Virginia

Skillz Biography :
Way before the breakouts of his longtime friends, The Neptunes, Timbaland, Missy and Clipse, the name Mad Skillz has been synonymous with quality word fare from Virginia. Known as a talented freestyle rapper, Skillz has not received widespread acclaim outside of the hip-hop community, but within it is considered one of its best performers. Arriving onto the rap scene proper in 1994, Skillz stuck a flag in the ground and put the world on notice that Virginia was for rhymers as much as lovers.

Displaying that he was worthy of the name Mad Skillz, the MC garnered a reputation as battling baron, a metaphor master and punchline professor, taking out more opponents than most MC’s can wave a rap book at. ’If you were in a cipher with Skillz, you definitely walked away knowing who he was,’ says Malice of up-and-coming Virginia rap duo Clipse. ’You didn’t want to go up against him.’ He first made a name for himself by finishing in second place in a national freestyle competition in 1995, which resulted in a recording contract with Atlantic Records.

Skillz landed a well-deserved recording contract and in 1995 released, the aptly-titled From Where ???, a small-nod to the then undiscovered talent of Virginia. Filled with avant-garde beats from the Large Professor, the Beatnuts and Buckwild, and wide weaves of words and wit with Skillz, the album became an underground favorite. From Where  ???, produced the hit single, ’Nod Factor’ along with the underground thumper, ’Extra Abstract Skillz’ featuring Large Professor and Q-Tip and garnered Skillz with a hip hop Quotable in The Source.

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 and Lonnie B, members of Mad Skillz’ Supafriendz collective, also appeared on a remix of Aaliyah’s hit single "Are You That Somebody" in 1998.

Skillz eventually got a deal with Rawkus, where he released 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". Currently Skillz has been touring with the Roots, 50 Cent and Jazzy Jeff helping keep real hip hop alive. He also just landed a label deal with Koch Records and is preparing to release his new album early next year.

Skillz Discography :

Skillz Albums :
2005 : confessions of a ghostwriter
2003 : Supavision (by the Supafriendz)
2002 : I Ain’t Mad No More
2001 : The 804 Compilation (by the SupaFriendz)
1995 : From Where ???

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No profanity, or inaproppriate remarks.

Skillz, by DON KAVORK [2007-01-24 05:33:47]

UNDERGROUND BEAST,I STILL REMEMBER THE FREESTYLE YOU DONE ON POWER 99 IN PHILLY ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO.NO MC TOPPED THAT SINCE THEN.YOUR ONE OF THE REASONS I WRITE.THIS MAN NEED TO BE HEARED ON RADIO AIRPLAY.FUCK YA"LL RATSOUP,TAPP DANCING,BEASTIOGLY ASS NIGGAS ! SKILL HOLLA !

Skillz, by KING OF RICHMOND [2006-11-22 12:31:57]

SKILLZ IS A GAY ASS BITCH WHO CAN’T RAP.THAT NIGGA PUSHA-T BE CLOWNIN HIS WEAK ASS BEHIND HIS BACK SAYIN HIS FLOW FELL OFF AND THAT SKILLZ IS JEALOUS OF THE CLIPSE.SHOUTS OUT TO ALL MY BROADROCK NIGGAS AND ALL THE HOES I FUCKED OUT IN ATL.