SkyyHook: ‘Hip Hop is a Blood Sport, Not Everyone is Supposed to Make it Out of the Arena’

Sway is not a professional he is “thee professional” and to study with him over the last few years has been the definition of awesome sauce. He signs his name with excellence with all that he does and he is someone that I can look up to without getting my feelings hurt, ya know? He’s one of the last good guys out here and that means more than I can say. He’s still so humble when we all know he doesn’t really have to be. He could be an ass just like a lot of his peers but he isn’t. I’ll just say it like this, In a world full of Kobes and Iversons, he has perfected that no look pass. He isn’t in it for himself. You know? He sets up these alley-oops sometimes that you never even see coming and it’s so amazing. He wants us all to get a chance to shine on his team. Not too many people are as fortunate out here. And because of all of that I’ve learned how to remain kind and human with my work. I’ve also learned that I had more patience that I ever dreamed. I just figure if Sway can remain above board with some of the things he’s seen happen over the years, who in the world am I to deviate from that path. You just sort of woosahh and keep it pushin!

What are your thoughts regarding current music in general?

(laughter) What are my thoughts? Next Question! That’s what I think! No seriously, I’m just over the gimmicks and the non rhyming rhymers. I guess this is where someone will call me a hater and I will gladly answer to the name too! Give me substance or nothing at all. And it’s out here for sure!

What advice would you give someone who wants to be involved in the music business? Do you have any words of wisdom that sums up your experience thus far?

Don’t try to buy your way in. Don’t skip the steps of this game. Because the game is set up for you to fail by design. It’s those hard knocks that make you better and that actually teach you how to maneuver out here. Be careful who you bring with you and for goodness sakes man, step your bars up! If you can’t be beat in this arena then you stand a chance of sticking around a lot longer than some cat with a dance and a dope beat. These are facts.

I guess i would say what sums up my experience thus far would be, Stay true to yourself. Don’t let others shape your narrative of you. Keep your head down and work. And remember never to give 100% of yourself to the business or the public. Some of that you deserve to reserve for yourself.

In an industry known for its side hustles, what does Skyy have coming up on top of your 17 other job titles?

To keep it a buck…I sort of hope nothing else is coming up for a quick minute. But we both know that I’ll be telling you about another title sooner than later!

Any regrets? And if so, what are they and if you could go back in time to correct them, what would it be and why?

Yeah there a few. I wish that I didn’t do so much for some people without being paid because it made me question my own worth for a period of time. And I regret a story that I wrote about an artist that I thought was trash. While, I still stand by what I actually said because I still feel that it is true, if I could take it back and say it in a way that was not as harsh, I truly would. I ended up running in to this guy a few months after I wrote it and it wasn’t a good feeling at all. The look in his eyes made me really rethink publicly speaking on music that I don’t like and the people who make it. And it doesn’t even matter how Hip Hop Dalmatians they may be with it. I’d rather talk about what I enjoy, that way no one gets hurt.

What makes a good interview, whether on video, radio or written?

I think that when people are talking like pals around a spades table, it makes for a really dope listen. People like to feel included in the conversation and so I try to make my interviews really personable for that reason. I also admit to enjoying it when I stump the interviewee! This means that they have either not been asked that question before or they never really thought it. At that point you know you are going to get an answer that is much more the person and much less of their publicist!

When it’s all said and done, what will Skyy Hook’s legacy be?

She worked hard and she tried even harder. She was passionate about the music and the culture and it reflected in everything she did. She couldn’t save them all but it never stopped her from attempting to! (laughter)