Skillz – Design Of A Decade v.1 (The 90s) (hosted by J Period & Don Cannon)
Shaquan Lewis aka Skillz is an immensely talented rapper. Unfortunately, he’s been overshadowed by the name brand artists for whom he ghostwrites. And while he often brags of being “your favourite rapper’s favourite rapper,” he’s released just two full-lengths over his 12-year career.
So any Skillz release is an event. Design Of A Decade is the first volume of a mixtape series promoting his upcoming LP, Million Dollar Backpack. Like many great mixtapes, Design is concept driven. Skillz handpicked his favourite beats from the 90s, from Organized Konfusion’s 1991 classic ”Fudge Pudge” to Scarface’s “Fuck Faces” from 1998.
Refreshingly, he breaks the ‘90s throwback mixtape template: no DJ Premier, Pete Rock or RZA. Skillz also allows J Period and Cannon’s mixing and blending to shine. And there’s no skits; just an intro, an outro and an interlude. Skillz keeps the original song structure of the 90s classics, modifying hooks in creative ways and playing with the song concepts. He brings in talented newcomers on a few songs, though Little Brother’s Phonte is only rapper with name recognition.
In an amusing highlight, Skillz recreates the false start of Redman’s “Tonight’s Da Night,” replacing the “punk smooth shit” Red kicks at the beginning of the song with cartoonish trap-rap. Skillz particularly rips the beats for “Tonight’s Da Night,” Cool Breeze’s “Watch For The Hook” and “Fudge Pudge” with guests Phonte and Lil Roc. Most of all, the mixtape shows his progression. From Where??? trafficked mid-90s braggadocio; Design Of A Decade presents a versatile emcee wryly critiquing hip-hop.
Quote from Skillz
SKILLS – “Now I don’t do that many mixtapes, I think I may have like 5 or 6 to my credit. Maybe because I just dont really get inspired to spit over whats hot right now and leak it to the world. I feel like doing something special when I do something, something that will stand out from what else is being at the moment. Picture me rapping over Lollipop right now?? LOL, aint happening homie! So I came up with this idea to do a mixtape series on decades of music. I had to start with the 90’s cuz that music influenced me the most. And when I started pulling songs it was a zillion, I couldn’t decide on which ones that I wanted to do. So these songs are me paying respect to the cats who inspired me. I still get in the car and pick a week where I just listen to one artist all week whenever Im in the car so I can remember how I felt when I first heard those songs. Like last week I listened to Eric B & Rakim all week long, every song, every album. It helps to inspire me ya know? I can’t get inspired by what I hear on the radio. I titled the songs by their initials so you wont know what I did over until to hear the actual song, so check it out, ride with it (it plays perfect in a ipod) vibe to it and hopefully I can make you feel the way I felt while making it. Shout to Cannon & J. Period for making it with me…look out for future volumes cuz I can do these joints all day long!! LOL! Make a playlist and rock out to…”
Tracklist
01. Design Of A Decade [Intro]
02. L.I.K.W.I.T. (Featuring Boogie & Big Shot)
03. F.P. (Featuring Phonte & Lil Roc)
04. N.G.B.A.T.D.I.
05. Dreams
06. B.O.B.
07. D.D.W. (Featuring Boogie, Doubt Gotcha & J. Black)
08. Design Of A Decade [Interlude]
09. G & G
10. T.D.N.
11. W.F.T.H.
12. G.U.G.O. (Featuring Wax)
13. F.E.A.
14. Spittage
15. F.F. (Featuring Garnett)
16. I.R.P.
17. Outtro
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