Brand new extended play & the 6th overall from Brooklyn, New York veteran Skyzoo. Emerging in the underground off the 9th Wonder produced Cloud 9: The 3 Day High, he continued to make a name for himself with a consistent discography. Highlights include The Salvation, the !llmind produced Live from the Tape Deck, A Dream Deferred, Music for My Friends, the Apollo Brown produced The Easy Truth, In Celebration of Us & my personal favorite: the Pete Rock produced Retropolitan dedicated to his home state. All the Brilliant Things built itself around gentrification & The Mind of a Saint was dedicated one of my favorite shows Snowfall, coming off the Old Soul Music-backed Keep Me Company to discuss the Views of a Lifetime.
“Tags at the Moma” produced by Camoflauge Monk talks about scheming for 20 cans a day over a boom bap instrumental whereas “Pardon Me” flexing that he was cut from a more Godly cloth. “The Wager” takes a drumless approach thanks to Cartune Beatz asking for the specifics of a bet & once “Sky is Like” homages one of Nas’ greatest singles ahead of Light-Years next weekend, “Devotion” talks about finishing the school of hard knocks with honors over a crooning Conductor Williams beat.
Thelonious Martin jumps behind the boards for “Love Day” incorporating a flute & a soul sample comparing himself to Gil Scott-Heron wearing a Carmelo Anthony jersey while “Hope & Pray” takes a few minutes talking about wishing nothing but the best for the person he has mind. “The Soloist” blends jazz rap & boom bap courtesy of The Other Guys suggesting he might be better off by himself while “Half Bloom” strips the drums talking about taking on more than he had to.
Picking up where Keep Me Company left off last Black Friday, this new extended play 53 weeks later deals with looking back on what was after you’ve settled into this new world of the growth Skyzoo’s last album explored & I’d actually say I’d prefer Views of a Lifetime over it’s predecessor. I feel like the production’s stronger & the 1st Generation Rich Inc. founder reflects on how his previous life has changed drastically & it got him where he is currently.
Score: 9/10