I.S. Presents: A Review in Music - The Great Debater

What's up world, me and Q here at I.S. really don't post or critique music on here because, well, because we really don't half ass and sugar coat shit. Most sites, magazines, etc. give their "well it's a good listen" instead of saying "this shit is weak; muhfucka just threw songs in a lotto machine, picked 15, then put it on the album." Even that, they only give you their review after one listen. How the fuck can you really give a review if you didn't even soak in the album yet.

But my NY connect Q Dub came up with an idea: since he listens to a lot of new shit out, he pass me those tunes, I blast that in my 15" Costco subs, then after a week or so, I give my real, un-apologetic, truest review yet. Whether good or bad, I'm only giving my opinion and my opinion is all you need to worry about. Because I'm not one to hold my tongue, or pen, for that matter.



The first batch of music he sends me comes from this cat named Skyzoo and he got th----first off the fuck is a Skyzoo??! *sends text* That's my word Q, if this shit is whack and he sound like OJ Da Juuman there will be words.

Q Dub: Just listen to the shit and get back to me. He fucks wit 9th Wonder and those NC cats.

Me: Oh word? Little Brother and them. Indeed, I'll let's try this out.

So, yeah. This tape he gave me is called The Great Debater and let's hopes my ears don't bleed blue blood.

 


 

Ok, this is a plus. He has very few features which mean you can hear the artist instead of his "co-sign" who gave him their "hottest bars to date." Q Double said that he got other albums out but if you're new would treat this as his debut. Notice nothing says "freestyles" either, this guy must of made songs instead of written freestyles. Then the cover is The Cosby Show, one of my least favorite, favorite shows. Hope this makes Bill Cosby proud with obscene lyrics and hoes popping their pussy for Pimp (RIP).


 
From the opening minutes of the first song "Complicated Rhythm," you know his play on words is a skill and not just some recycled shit you heard another rapper used and you follow suit.


 

"They gave me the same flack they gave Gloria son/ either or, James or Sean, but both of them won."

At that point, your attention is caught. Well, my attention was caught. Listening to that whole song front to back (which is hard to do cuz I kept rewinding it, especially after that Dwyane Wade/ Dwayne Wayne line) was the best introduction I've heard since Jeezy Trap or Die "Grown Ass Man" intro. He got your attention and made sure he didn't let it go, that's a skill.



Throughout the whole tape, really throughout the whole tape, you hear a lot shit being spit to you that you not gonna understand unless: 1) you read books that don't require a subscription too and 2) was born in the black people were running NBC with TV shows era. But I had to fall back cuz this the first few days of me playing the tape and I already see I'm not gonna get most of the shit he saying, yet. This Skyzoo cat flow on a beat and hold on to it like he surfing, not jumping off the board till he reach the shore. This one joint on there, "Written in The Drums," that's shit made me laugh cause Q Double would say some shit like that all the time:


 

"Should money bring me loneliness/ I'll be here alone, counting money, like 'yeah the lonely wins'"

 
That's some Q Dubs Wisdoms and Sky took it yo. Come to think I never see a pic of Skyzoo, them niggas might be the same dude. Got me previewing his budding rap career.



I'll say this is one sentence: "Atypical" should be on the radio and played at clubs. -Insert Q's *fin* here-



"We Here" sound like Roc Boys from Jay. Thing is, it doesn't. The horns are similar as hell, but once you listen to it again, they are not alike at all. Nah, they do sound alike. I was tryna get my Rolling Stone "be-nice" etiquette going.


 

"Get Him to the Greek" is heavily influenced by The Wire. If you haven't watched The Wire ever, your life need not exist. You won't understand this song or understand half the shit written on I.S., even the Avon/Marlo convo at the end was dope. "Big paws on a small pup," yeah, this Skyzoo cat knows good quality programming. The song he got called "Could've Struck The Lotto" had me literally play that on repeat on my lunch break.


 

"I'm on what I'm on, could've jumped tomorrow/ the buck that bought that bottle could've struck the lotto"

Man! This muhfucka really puts thought in his craft. Nigga paint pictures with his words and don't finish until the artworks is done and in a museum.


Holy Thursday by David Axelrod, if you don't know that song look it up before you even hear "Definitive Prayer." You won't understand the beat that's been used here. Matters of fact, for you "New Niggas" go play "Dr. Carter" from Lil Wayne's Carter 3. The shit Sky did on this will never be done on this song ever again. This that shit that muhfuckas hear and get intimidated to even spit after him, let alone touch this beat. The Deron Williams lines can and did hurt plenty of souls. That line make you feel how D. Will felt at that time. I was kind of tight that this was the last song because I felt cheated but still fulfilled because the whole shit was a solid tape. If this was an album, in stores, and cost 12.99, I would buy it without a hesitation. Still don't know what a Skyzoo is but he made a fan out of me. I know Q got some songs he wants me to grab to listen to. 

SKYZOO - THE GREAT DEBATER DOCUMENTARY from Pricefilms on Vimeo.

But for a whole week I vibed out to this tape and kept catching new shit every time, what that Monie Love sounding chick in the beginning called a "Frisbee." He really sticks to that too cuz I know I missed shit. This gives this tape more replay value.





OVERALL: I fucks with this mixtape heavy. A lot of rhymes that need to be said these days but people wanna stay comfy on their micro-fiber couches. Definitely worth the time to play!


Link to The Great Debater by Skyzoo:
http://www.djbooth.net/index/mixtapes/entry/skyzoo-great-debater/