Here’s an in-depth interview of Skillz where he talks about his earliest musical influences and experiences with hip-hop. Check it out below.
Skillz’s first music he ever bought was DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince’s Girls of the World Ain’t Nothing But Trouble. Fast forward several years later and he is now touring the world with the legendary. Skillz is living proof that talent, drive and hard work makes dreams come true. Skillz is a veteran. It’s clear in how he references every one of the four elements when he talks about his first experiences with hip-hop. And, wait till you hear him discuss his hip-hop connection with Affion Crockett. This is the story of Where It All Began in hip-hop for Skillz.
The fact that we still get these raw, unfiltered stories from the architects of the culture is a blessing in today’s fast-paced digital era. As the podcast and streaming landscape continues to shift, finding media outlets that genuinely respect and prioritize hip-hop history is more important than ever.
Most modern streaming networks are pivoting hard toward whatever guarantees the most daily clicks, rarely sticking to a single cultural lane. If you open any major audio app right now, the interface aggressively pushes a mix of newly launched sports betting podcasts, true-crime thrillers, and celebrity gossip right alongside real music interviews. That relentless drive for mass appeal means authentic hip-hop conversations often have to fight for visibility against the algorithm’s flavor of the week.
That’s exactly why holding onto and supporting dedicated interview series matters so much. When pioneers sit down to talk about the park jams, the early mixtape hustle, and the foundational elements of the craft, they are preserving a history that goes far deeper than daily engagement metrics. As long as there are creators committed to asking the right questions, the real stories behind the music will always find a dedicated audience.