Enter DJ SKizz, the silent assassin with the dope sound.
DJ Skizz was born in Boston but now he’s a New Yorker by adoption, indeed. DJ, producer, and member of the renowned World Famous Halftime Radio Show of radio station WNYU FM 89.1, for over fifteen years. If this introduction isn’t enough for you, go ahead.
A great bearer of underground hip-hop, who regularly shows on the radio, Skizz is also a respected DJ on the New York hip-hop circuit, having played at key venues such as SOB’s, B.B. King’s, CBGB, and APT.
Given his qualities, it was therefore not strange that he did the official DJ for various tours, such as the Lloyd Banks / Big Noyd US Tour (2006), the Group Home Japan Tour (2008), and the Large Professor / Cormega European Tour (2012).
He did scratch also for the Son of Yvonne album, the renowned collaboration between Masta Ace and MF Doom.
A big fan of digging in the crates, Skizz is also a classically inspired producer, who has made beats for people like Lil’ Fame (MOP), Big Noyd, Havoc, Infamous Mobb, Group Home, Sean P., Roc Marciano, Masta Ace, Nature, and so on. Finally, it is useless to tell you how and how instrumental it was (in every sense) to the emergence of the New York sensation of a few years ago, Your Old Droog.
On his first album B.Q.E. you could find collaborations with Lil’ Fame, Ill Bill, Sean Price, Roc Marciano, A.G., Steele, FT, Torae, Masta Ace, Nature, Cormega, Craig G, Big Noyd, Havoc, Psycho Les, Rah Digga, among others. Not to mention his latest collaborations with underground big names Crimeapple and Conway, among many others. Look for his instrumental albums and you’ll understand immediately what we’re talking about.
Enjoy the reading, and play some DJ Skizz tunes loud in the meanwhile.
First commercial beat sold/placed:
Big Noyd’s “My Rhyme” and “Crazy Ass Click“.
How long did it take you to produce something that you were proud of:
It took a few years before I felt that my beats were good enough to be heard commercially.
Favourite production set-up:
Akai MPC 2000XL, turntable, Macbook Pro, NI Komplete, MIDI keyboard, good monitors, good vibes brah…
Best digging advice from someone ever:
Best digging advice someone gave me: “Spend more time in the rock section!”
Producer, in the last 3 months, that made you say: “Oh, shit, I have to go back to the lab!”: Nottz…he always seems to make me feel that way…
Your worst production mistake ever made:
The biggest mistake is not being concerned with the mix and master. They are such vital pieces of the production process and when it’s not done well, it will totally fuck up a beat/song.
One essential mixing tip:
Take risks and do what feels good always. The song should make you feel something and the mix should help bring that out.
