Skillz sat down with BET to speak on his annual “Rap Up” series, as well as phantom-scribing for Will Smith’s kid…
BET: Do you take notes when something big happens, like, “I need to include this on the ‘Rap Up,’” or do you just sit down at the end of the year and come up with it?
Skillz: I don’t really start thinking about the “Rap Up” until like Thanksgiving. This year, I actually did it kinda late ‘cause I never really intended to do it. I was pretty much done with it. Then through the power of Twitter, I actually started to realize how many people were upset. I couldn’t believe it. Y’all really mad? It was like 8 o’clock New Year’s Eve and people were like, “Yo, it’s not out yet. I haven’t heard it.” And I was seeing tweets from people saying like, “I’m in church and I just walked outside so I can get service on my phone to check on the “Rap Up,” there’s no “Rap Up”?” So then at 12 midnight, I tweeted a picture from an old Cam’Ron interview with Cam’Ron laughing and it says, “You mad?” as the text of the picture. When I did that, oh my God, it was anarchy. It was like hell froze over. People was cussing me out, like, “That’s f****d up, you’re breaking the tradition, you got lazy, n***a.” Over a free song? How are you gonna demand a song that you’re not gonna pay for? So then people were like, “I would pay for it.” So I was like, “Ok word, you’ll pay for it?” Let’s see.
BET.com: What else are you working on?
Skillz: I put an album out. “The World Needs More Skillz” came out October 27. We’re about to shoot the second video for that. I got a Travis Barker remix, the cut that I’m about to release, I got a couple of new videos. I did this movie last year. Me and Jazzy Jeff are collaborating on an album this year. I’m still hosting parties, working on songs. We’re working on some stuff for Willow Smith’s album.
BET.com: How did that come about?
Skillz: I mean, you know, I worked with her dad [Will Smith] on a few projects before so you know I have a relationship with him. It was just a natural progression like they’re doing music so, you know, that door’s always open. I’d be crazy not to try to walk through it, so we’re working on some stuff. Her Roc Nation debut will be out probably next year.
BET.com: What’s it like writing from the perspective of a 10-year-old girl? (Ed. note: Pause again, granddad.)
Skillz: I mean, I can write for anybody. It’s just stepping outside of yourself, looking at the market and realize on what’s missing and try to fill that void. We all throw darts, sometimes they stick, sometimes they don’t. But, you know, you keep going.
READ: Skillz talks “Rap Up,” reveals writing for Willow Smith
PREVIOUS: Skillz – Rap Up 2010
fucking 10 year old singing bout shit likes 30 or something. not trying to diss her or anythign but its still kinda fucked up.
Lets be serious, singing about “brushign your haters off” come on now when your 9/10 what haters do you ahve? i was fucking playing lego, jumping on trees, drawing and shit
I like how BET included Will Smith in parenthesis when they mentioned that he was Willow Smith’s father.
Although, if you’re listening to Willow Smith, you must be a retard and I suppose BET wasn’t wrong to include the clarification.
All I know is Jada was lucky to bag Will. That dude could smash whatever he wanted, and he just sorta set his standards real low. I hear their bedroom antics are pretty off the chain, though. Like wild. *sigh*
this guy wasn’t gonna do it? its ur one time of the year to be relevant,,.. that would be like dick clark refusing to host the dropping of the ball.
I agree with the chinaman. This cat doesn’t make any memorable songs, work out, groom himself correctly or anything for a full year, and he can’t squeeze a mildly entertaining/mediocre song into his hectic schedule? Fuck me, man!
@Rezo you got a valid point lmao
Thanks seif. I just figure that Will works out like a motherfucker, he’s buff as fuck, he’s a top box office draw, can still do decent music, and then pftthhhhh, he lets Jada bag him. Smh. Waste.
the rap up was dead like 4 years ago…
it is no longer something to think about when the new years roll in….
hey dude at least you got some shine some foo’s never even get there names out
I WHIP MA HUR BACK AND FORF I WHIP MA HUR BACK AND FORF I WHIP MA HUR BACK AND FORF I WHIP MA HUR BACK AND FORF I WHIP MA HUR BACK AND FORF I WHIP MA HUR BACK AND FORF I WHIP MA HUR BACK AND FORF I WHIP MA HUR BACK AND FORF I WHIP MA HUR BACK AND FORF I WHIP MA HUR BACK AND FORF
Who has more credibility as a ghost writer, Soulja fag or Skillz? Exactly.
This must be the Era of Rich Kid rap. I was mad at Diggy at first until I saw him on his grind with the mixtapes so I gave him a break. Willow on the other hand I think is goin too far. I think Will and Jada puttin a baby in the spotlight b4 she is ready or b4 she paid any dues and dressing her up worse then Lady gaga in every pic is wrong. Everybody in the industry is claiming to have wrote her song. She put it out and 1 week later shes on 106andPark.Thats a slap in the face to mcs that grind for years b4 they even get on the radio. Leave Hip Hop to the hungry mcs , all you super rich kids need to just count your blessings and leave the culture to the streets.
If he can write for a 10-year-old girl then Skillz can write for anybody.