About the Album: "Half Man, Half Amazing" is Ski Beatz' most personal project to date and sure to be considered a classic album by true hip-hop fans that have felt as if the music they loved for so long has been on the decline.  Last year Nas said that hip-hop is dead, but Ski is here to show you that it is alive and well.  Ski reached out to some of his favorite artists and created the album that he wanted to listen to, choosing not to worry about Sound Scan and BDS stats, instead focusing his time and energy on creating dope records.  Being that Ski is mainly a producer and chooses to let his beats to the talking more often than not, half of the album is instrumental and the other half features collaborations with artists such as Royce the 5'9, Camp Lo, Ras Kass, J-Live, Breeze of the Juggaknots, Skyzoo, Termanology, Buff1, J Bully, Lui Blanco, DJ Statik Selektah and more.  For those who remember Ski's work on the classic albums "Reasonable Doubt" and the "Uptown Saturday Night," and for those who just need a new soundtrack to get you through the day ... this album is for you.

Ski Beatz Biography

SKI Beatz is not a newcomer to the music industry…a North Carolina native, SKI has been putting in work for nearly 20 years.   In that time, his extraordinary production skill and revolutionary vision have established him as a Hip-Hop Pioneer.  Today, ever progressive, SKI continues to build his legacy with groundbreaking beats and fresh talent.

SKI fell in love with Hip-Hop as a teen and quickly began writing, rapping, and producing his original music.  “At that time, I thought you also had to know how to make beats to be a successful lyricist.”   A local rap group quickly recognized his skill and he began doing shows with peers in the region.  It was at one of these small venues that Ski met celebrated producer Clark Kent. 

Disgruntled with the Hip-Hop scene in North Carolina and encouraged by Kent, SKI left his hometown of Greensboro and moved to New York City.  With Kent's help, SKI formed the group Original Flavor and landed his first record deal with Atlantic.  Original Flavor recorded two albums and are best known for the singles “ Here We Go” and “ Can I Get Open” which featured a then unknown rapper, Jay-Z. 

Original Flavor disbanded after their second album, yet SKI, ever innovative, continued to look forward.  Hip-Hop was growing and fans were eager to hear something different.  SKI and then-manager, Damon Dash found a unique, untapped talent in the young lyricist Jay-Z.  “He was the hottest rapper I had ever heard.  A week later he was coming by the crib and we were laying tracks.”   A year later they made Hip-Hop history with the release of Jay-Z's debut album, Reasonable Doubt.  SKI's classic tracks on that album include: “ Feelin' It,” “Politics as Usual,” “Dead Presidents,” and “ 22 Two's .” 

SKI made a distinguished mark on Hip-Hop with Reasonable Doubt.  His distinctive yet classic, soul sound and formidable sampling technique established him as a serious Producer and inspired many of the other successful producers we hear today.  He followed up this success with “ Streets is Watchin” and “ Who You Wit” on Jay-Z's next album, In My Lifetime.  He continued working, producing tracks for artists Camp Lo, Lil Kim, Fat Joe, Big Pun, Foxy Brown, The Outsidaz, Bahamadia, among many others.

After living in New York City for over a decade, SKI returned to his roots in North Carolina. He knew there was talent back home and that most NC artists lacked the resources to showcase their skills.  He also recognized the mainstream success that Southern and Mid-West rappers were enjoying now that Hip-Hop had evolved beyond East and West coast.  With a new vision of North Carolina's contribution to the Hip-Hop game, he co-founded Now City Productions in Winston-Salem, NC.  With this venture he sought to develop, produce and assist artists in landing major recording contracts.  While maintaining Now City, SKI also decided to branch off independently and created his solo component, Ambi Sounds Production, as well as Redefinition Records along with his manager John Notarfrancesco.

Today, SKI is reaping the fruits of his labor and continues his Hip-Hop legacy.  Lyor Cohen personally signed Now City artist HotWRIGHT, within 24 hours, at Asylum Records.  Ambi Sounds artist M.O.S was recently signed by Jive/Zomba and Ski just completed tracks for DTP/Def Jam artists Sharifa and serious Jones, as well as the indomitable Jean Grae (Blacksmith/Warner Bros).  In July 2007, Ski released a new album along with longtime collaborators, Camp Lo, entitled “Black Hollywood,” and is already halfway done with Camp Lo's next album, “Another Heist,” which will be released in early 2008.

SKI is now driven more than ever to nurture fresh talent along with his own original music.  He is rarely out of the studio, constantly working on the next hot project.  While he still invokes the sample, he also embraces new, invigorating sounds and methods.  Undertaking guitar, piano, and other instruments, he's really become the all-around artist.  One to watch, Hip-Hop's very own Renaissance Man, you just never know what he'll do next...

Ski Beatz Discography

50 Cent "Southside (Freestyle)" (2007, G-Unit Records)
Angie Martinez (Elektra) Fucked Up Situation Animal House (8/20/02) Wllis/Martinez
The Avalanches (EMI Aus.) Diners Only (See "Sparkle") Since I Left You (11/27/2000) Willis/Wallace/Wilds/ Seltmann/Chater/McQuilten/Diblas
Bahamadia (Capitol) Uknowhowwedo Kollage (3/19/1996) Willis/Reed
Bahamadia Capitol/EMI) Uknowhowwedo (Single) Willis/Reed
Big Punisher (Loud) John Blaze Endangered Species (3/1/01) Willis/Sermon/Jones/Noble/Smith/Woods
Camp Lo (Profile) World Heist Coolie High (8/22/1995) Willis/Wallace/Wilds
Camp Lo (Dymond Croook) 8 Moons Ago Let's Do It Again (5/21/02) Roberts/Wallace/Willis/Wilos
Camp Lo (Dymond Croook) Black Connect 11 Let's Do It Again (5/21/02) Wallace/Willis/Wilos
Camp Lo (Dymond Croook) Carnival 4 Sha Let's Do It Again (5/21/02) Wallace/Willis/Wilos
Camp Lo (Dymond Croook) Glow Let's Do It Again (5/21/02) Wallace/Willis/Wilos
Camp Lo (Dymond Croook) Gorilla Pimp Let's Do It Again (5/21/02) Wallace/Willis/Wilos
Camp Lo (Dymond Croook) Gotcha Let's Do It Again (5/21/02) Wallace/Willis/Wilos
Camp Lo (Dymond Croook) How U Walkin' Let's Do It Again (5/21/02) Wallace/Willis/Wilos
Camp Lo (Dymond Croook) Let's Do It Again Let's Do It Again (5/21/02) Wallace/Willis/Wilos
Camp Lo (Dymond Croook) Macadame Let's Do It Again (5/21/02) Wallace/Willis/Wilos
Camp Lo (Dymond Croook) Soul Train Let's Do It Again (5/21/02) Wallace/Willis/Wilos
Camp Lo (Dymond Croook) Turbo Ozone Let's Do It Again (5/21/02) Wallace/Willis/Wilos
Camp Lo (Profile) Coolie High (Single) Single (8/22/95) Willis
Camp Lo (Profile) Luchini aka This Is It Single (10/29/96) Willis/Wallace/Wilds/Smith/Spencer/Rand
Camp Lo (Profile) Black Connection Uptown Saturday Night (1/28/97) Willis/Wallace/Wilds/Peretti/Creatore Weiss
Camp Lo (Profile) Black Nostaljack Uptown Saturday Night (1/28/97) Willis/Sigler/Wilds/Wallace/Fulton aka Come On
Camp Lo (Profile Records) B-Side to Hollywood Uptown Saturday Night (1/28/97) Willis/et al
Camp Lo (Profile) Coolie High Uptown Saturday Night (1/28/97) Willis
Camp Lo (Profile) Killin' Em Softly Uptown Saturday Night (1/28/97) Willis/Wallace/Wilds
Camp Lo (Profile) Krystal Karrington Uptown Saturday Night (1/28/97) Willis/Wallace/Wilds
Camp Lo (Profile) Luchini aka This Is It Uptown Saturday Night (10/29/96) Willis/Wallace/Wilds/Smith/Spencer/Rand
Camp Lo (Profile) Negro League Uptown Saturday Night (1/28/97) Willis/Wallace/Wilds/Jackson/Thomas
Camp Lo (Profile Records) Nicky Barnes aka It's Alright Uptown Saturday Night (1/28/97) Willis/Wallace/Wilds/Wallace
Camp Lo (Profile Records) Park Joint Uptown Saturday Night (1/28/97) Willis/Deodato/Cobham/Wallace/Wilds
Camp Lo (Profile) Rockin' It aka Spanish Harlem Uptown Saturday Night (1/28/97) Willis/Wilds/Wallace
Camp Lo (Profile Records) Say Word Uptown Saturday Night (1/28/97) Willis/Wallace/Wilds
Camp Lo (Profile) Sparkle Uptown Saturday Night (1/28/97) Willis/Wallace/Wilds
Camp Lo (Profile) Swing aka Butterfly Song Uptown Saturday Night (1/28/97) Willis/Wallace/Butler
Camp Lo / Black Hollywood LP (2007, Good Hands Records)
Fat Joe (Mystic/Atlantic) John Blaze Don Cartagena (8/25/98) Willis/Sermon/Jones/Noble Smith/Woods/C
Funkdoobiest Natural Fun The Troubleshooters (11/25/97) Weymouth/Stanley/ (Buzztone/RCA) Belew/Frantz/Willis/Vas
Jay Z (Roc-A-Fella/Priority) Dead Presidents Chapter One: Greatest Hits (6/25/96) Willis/Carter/Smith/Phillips
Jay Z (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam) Streets is Watchin In my Lifetime (10/21/97) Willis/Siffre/Carter
Jay Z (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam) Who You Wit In my Lifetime (11/4/97) Willis/Carter/Lorber
Jay Z (Roc-A-Fella/Priority ) Can I Kick It aka 22 Two's Reasonable Doubt (6/25/96) Willis/Carter
Jay Z (Roc-A-Fella/Priority) Dead Presidents (single) Reasonable Doubt (6/25/96) Willis/Carter
Jay Z (Roc-A-Fella/Priority) Dead Presidents II Reasonable Doubt (6/25/96) Willis/Carter
Jay Z (Roc-A-Fella/Priority) Feelin' It Reasonable Doubt (6/25/96) Willis/Carter
Jay Z (Roc-A-Fella/Priority) In My Lifetime Reasonable Doubt (6/25/96) Willis/Carter
Jay Z (Roc-A-Fella/Priority) Politics as Usual Reasonable Doubt (6/25/96) Willis/Carter/Wansel/Biggs
Jay Z (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam) Who You Wit Single (5/13/97) Willis/Carter/Lorber
Jay Z (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam) Who You Wit Sprung Soundtrack (4/29/97) Willis/Carter/Lorber
Jay Z (Payday Records) In My Lifetime (single) Single (1/1/96) Willis/Carter
Jean Grae / 7 untitled songs from an upcoming album (2007, Blacksmith)
Kirk (Atlantic) Uptown Style Makin Moves (1/1/94) Willis/Gordon/Love/Debarge/Debarge
Lil Kim (Big Beat/Atlantic) Spend a little dough Hardcore (11/12/96) Willis/Jones aka Spend A Little Doe
Lord Tariq & Peter Gunz Cross Bronx Expressway Make It Reign (6/2/98) Willis/Davis/Jones-Muhammad/Taylor (Columbia) Irvine/Wheeler/Cartegna/Rios/Hamilton/Pankey
Original Flavor (Atlantic) All That Beyond Flavor (3/22/94) Willis/Hooker
Original Flavor (Atlantic) Beyond Flavor Beyond Flavor (3/22/94) Willis/Hooker
Original Flavor (Atlantic) Blowin Up Da Spot Beyond Flavor (3/22/94) Willis/Hooker
Original Flavor (Atlantic) Can I Get Open Beyond Flavor (3/22/94) Willis/Reevers/Carter
Original Flavor (Atlantic) Here We Go (Fuck It Up) Beyond Flavor (3/22/94) Willis/Reevers
Original Flavor (Atlantic) Hit Beyond Flavor (3/22/94) Willis/Hooker
Original Flavor (Atlantic) Keep On Searching Beyond Flavor (3/22/94) Willis/Hooker
Original Flavor (Atlantic) Many Styles Beyond Flavor (3/22/94) Willis/Carter/Conrad/Hooker
Original Flavor (Atlantic) Spit Game Beyond Flavor (3/22/94) Willis/Hooker
Original Flavor (Atlantic) Stick It Where Da Beyond Flavor (3/22/94) Willis/Hooker/Sun Don't Shine
Original Flavor (Atlantic) What You Want Beyond Flavor (3/22/94) Willis/Hooker aka Whatcha Want Single Willis/Reevers/Carter
Original Flavor (Atlantic) Can I Get Open
Original Flavor (Atlantic) Best Friends Girl This is How It Is (2/25/92) Willis/Reevers
Original Flavor (Atlantic) Brainstorm This is How It Is (2/25/92) Willis/Reevers
Original Flavor (Atlantic) Give Em Some Wreck This is How It Is (2/25/92) Willis/Brown/Reevers/Wesley
Original Flavor (Atlantic) Gumdrops This is How It Is (2/25/92) Willis/Reevers
Original Flavor (Atlantic) Handle the Technique This is How It Is (2/25/92) Willis/Reevers
Original Flavor (Atlantic) I Like It Freestyle This is How It Is (2/25/92) Willis/Reevers
Original Flavor (Atlantic) Swinging This is How It Is (2/25/92) Willis/Joe Sample/Paul Reevers
Original Flavor (Atlantic) This is How It Is This is How It Is (2/25/92) Willis/Reevers
Original Flavor (Atlantic) Waiting For a Break This is How It Is (2/25/92) Willis/Trauth/Cropper/Reevers/Thomas
aka Waitin' 4 My Break
Original Flavor (Atlantic) Way With Words This is How It Is (2/25/92) Willis/Reevers
Original Flavor (Atlantic) When I make it This is How It Is (2/25/92) Willis/Reevers
Pittsburgh Slim "Girls Kiss Girls" (2007, Label TBD)
Royce the 5'9's / Untitled Track from upcoming album
Serious Jones "Hold Em" and "Sob Story" (2007, Def Jam)
Sporty Thievz Angel Street Cinema (8/18/98) Willis/Howell/Ford/Bryan (Roc-A-Blok/Columbia)
Sporty Thievz Cheapskate Street Cinema (8/18/98) Willis/O'Ferrall/Ayers/Ford/Bryan/Howell (Roc-A-Blok/Columbia)
Sporty Thievz Hitmen Street Cinema (8/18/98) Willis/Howell/Ford/Bryan (Roc-A-Blok/Columbia)
Sporty Thievz Like Father, Like Son Street Cinema (8/18/98) Willis/Howell/Ford/Bryan (Roc-A-Blok/Columbia)
Sporty Thievz Raw Footage Street Cinema (8/18/98) Willis/Chapman/Howell/Ford/Bryan (Roc-A-Blok/Columbia)
Sporty Thievz Ready Street Cinema (8/18/98) Willis/Pankey/Howell/Ford/Bryan (Roc-A-Blok/Columbia)
Sporty Thievz Spot, The Street Cinema (8/18/98) Willis/Howell/Ford/Bryan (Roc-A-Blok/Columbia)
Sporty Thievz Spy Hunter Street Cinema (8/18/98) Willis/Howell/Ford/Bryan (Roc-A-Blok/Columbia)
Sporty Thievz Street Cinema Street Cinema (8/18/98) Willis/Howell/Ford/Bryan (Roc-A-Blok/Columbia)
Sporty Thievz Fedz Street Cinema (8/18/98) Willis/Lennox/Stewart/Ford/ (Roc-A-Blok/Columbia) Bryan/Howell
Termanology / Untitled Track from upcoming album

For the latest updates on Ski's projects, check him out at www.myspace.com/skibeatzmusic

Selected Audio Discography (free mixtape download):

http://www.zshare.net/download /1391730e6f6d46/


Websites:

www.myspace.com/skibeatzmusic
www.skibeatz.com

SKI BEATZ VINYL IS AVAILABLE AT THE RED LINE STORE