JULY 2021

Venerable Richmond, Virginia rapper Skillz is the hip hop head’s hip hop head. He's the guy who spun on cardboard as a kid, sprayed graffiti, and deejayed by connecting his mother’s turntables together. Never in a million years would he think that years later he would become an in-demand songwriter, producer, artist & deejay. ​

Born in Detroit, Shaqwan Lewis, otherwise known as "Skillz" spent time in Fayetteville, North Carolina before landing in Richmond, Virginia. There he attended high school, where he soaked up all the Rakim, Kool Moe Dee, Run-DMC and anything he could get his hands on. “I’ve been a fan of hip hop since day one,” he says. “It always seemed like it was speaking to me directly.” He was a standout English student, honing his rap skills and enrolling in talent shows all over town. Answering an ad in the back of The Source magazine in the mid-90s, he sent in a one minute acapella rap, and won an opportunity to perform at the New Music Seminar in New York City. He finished second in a freestyle competition and drew the attention of Atlantic Records, who quickly signed him. > READ THE FULL BIO

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