
Skyzoo

Skyzoo
Growing up just a block away from The Notorious B.I.G., watching him go from local corner boy to rap superstar, Skyzoo couldn’t help but aspire to be a legend. The Brooklyn, NY native saw life in all of its “heaven and hell” juxtaposition, being from the infamous home of both Jay-Z and “Do The Right Thing”. He started rapping at age nine, writing about what he witnessed on his daily routines as a child. Those years of observation and living have turned into first person narratives that have labeled Skyzoo as a “new legend” and have led to his albums being critically acclaimed by fans and critics alike.
His storytelling has been commended by all walks of literary life, from hip hop royalty to university professors and everyone in between. His relatability and marketability have all lead to memorable placements in both the hearts of listeners and the eyes of corporate America. From HBO and NBA 2K to ESPN and Buffalo Wild Wings, Sky has lucratively brought corporate America along for the Brooklyn ride.
Outside of his own music, he’s lent his pen to other literary areas, including screenplay writing for television and film projects, and ghostwriting for various multi platinum/Grammy winning/Billboard topping artists, which he’s become very well known for quietly doing. In regards to his own music, he’s collaborated with a plethora of artists and producers, including the likes of Jill Scott, Just Blaze, Dr. Dre, Bilal, Tyrese, Wale, The Lox, Black Thought, Pete Rock, Illmind, John Legend, Raheem Devaughn, Talib Kweli, and Spike Lee, just to name a few. Sky is also a dedicated active touring artist, having headlines tours in the U.S and overseas for a decade and counting. Whether 2,000 people in a hip hop venue in Berlin, or 30,000 people at a festival in South Africa, Sky’s yearly touring runs are all of the above and everything in between.
His most recent album, “All The Brilliant Things”, has literally been heralded a modern day masterpiece by critics, media, and fans alike. The album shows Sky at his most unapologetically aware; zeroing in on gentrification and cultural appropriation, using his native Brooklyn NY as the backdrop. Filled with live horns, pianists and string sections, along with the depth story telling that he’s made his calling card, the album is another chapter in the book of Skyzoo’s legacy, and according to the people at large, his most profound chapter yet.
What stands out most in regards to all of Skyzoo’s accomplishments is how they’ve all come to fruition on account of his own work and will. The embodiment of a DIY attitude, he’s achieved his success in the form of truly being an independent artist, thus molding him into so much more. Skyzoo has become known as being the ultimate emcee, one able to make classic music with a lasting impact. Listeners can identify with his story and see the many sides of themselves in him. No matter the mood, season, or circumstance, Skyzoo offers music to live to, and live by. The beauty in it all, is as his slogan says; “Lyrics Will Never Be The Same”.

J. Scott da illest
Welcome2DloLife
Welcome2DLoLife is a creative producer and Hip-Hop apprentice who reigns from Suffolk, VA. His devotion to Hip-Hop distinguishes him from the pack, and his approach to unearthing Soul and Gospel B-side records makes him unparalleled in his craft and work ethic.
Welcome2DLoLife exited the womb with Hip-Hop’s golden era as his soundtrack. His early years were spent engrossed in the sonics of artists and collectives from the likes of Wu-Tang, Chubb Rock, Roc-a-Fella, Ruff Ryders to Dave Hollister and The Eagles. With cassettes, vinyl records, and CDs at his fingertips, DLo was baptized by his folks’ adoration for Hip-Hop, R&B, and Soul. It was apparent that a young DLo would quickly catch heed to the gospel of Hip-Hop with his pops as a practitioner of the artform in his own right. As his OG bumped LL Cool J’s “Rock the Bells,” in preparation for a DJ gig, Welcome2DLoLife became spellbound by the way the vibration of bass sent a jolt of energy throughout the entire crib, only the way those called to the craft are.
DLo answered the call and took a stab at producing beats back in ‘04 on downloaded computer software before transitioning to his weapon of choice: the MPC. DLo’s relationship with his MPC blossomed as he mastered the art of chopping and sampling records day in and day out. Influenced by top tier production from the likes of Bink!, RZA, J. Dilla, Just Blaze, Swizz Beats, Timberland, and Pharrell, DLo would continue to develop his own signature dense production style and vintage soul chops.
DLo has secured placements with some of Hip-Hop’s finest, such as Westside Gunn, Jim Jones, Stove God Cooks, Ché Noir, and Ransom, but is a fresh and flourishing act amongst Hip-Hop’s underground producers, performing beat sets around the United States with a focus on solidifying himself as a touring producer act. DLo has become a crowd favorite due to his soul and passion-infused sets. With nostalgia and childhood memories as his spark, DLo is interested in curating a timeless catalog of beats. His latest EP, Commonwealth, is the embodiment of this approach. With a new LP, The Purple Beat Tape, on the way, DLo is prepared to reveal exactly why he’s here to stay.
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The Purple Beat Tape:
The Purple Beat Tape comes off the heels of Welcome2DLoLife’s Commonwealth EP with a sort of vengeance. With his MPC in tow and sentimentality for 90’s Hip-Hop, DLo composes a tight-knit auditory experience made with Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… as his muse. The Purple Beat Tape is imbued with the kind of soul and grit that is often compromised. It’s a sample heavy, nostalgic love letter to The Chef’s own The Purple Tape. As a head-knocking devotion to the beloved Hip-Hop classic, the LP flaunts DLo’s ear for doo-wop crooning vocals and tight acumen for arrangement. The Purple Beat Tape is a soul-stirring composition of beats that attests to hardcore Hip-Hop fans that the human feel to Hip-Hop didn’t die with the great, J. Dilla.

Lunden Benard

Hosted by Fort Knox
Host, Actor, and Hip Hop Personality

Dillon
Dillon currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia in America. He makes food & music & thinks he is a lot funnier than people actually think he is. He had long hair once. Dillon is an actor but very small-time so fuck you. He is left handed. Scratch that, he only writes with his left hand. In college, as a teppanyaki chef, he cooked salmon & scallops for Chuck D.
