Skee-Lo Explained

Skee-Lo
Alias:Tha Skee-lo
Landscape:yes
Birth Name:Antoine Roundtree
Birth Date:27 March 1975[1]
Birth Place:Chicago, Illinois, U.S.[2]
Origin:Riverside, California, U.S.
Genre:Hip hop
Years Active:1994–2013
Label:Skeelo Musik LLC

Antoine Roundtree (born March 27, 1975), better known by his stage name Skee-Lo, is an American rapper. He is best known for his 1995 song "I Wish", which became a hit in several countries and reached No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100.[3]

The song was known for its lack of explicit lyrics at a time when gangsta rap was very popular.[4] His debut album of the same title was released shortly thereafter, earning him two Grammy nominations for both the album and single. Afterwards, he stopped his rapping career before coming back to release a new album in 2000 and another in 2012.[5] [6]

Early life and education

Born in Chicago, Illinois, Roundtree and his family subsequently relocated to Poughkeepsie, New York before then moving to Riverside, California when he was nine. He first started rapping in 1983.

He graduated from Canyon Springs High School in Moreno Valley before moving back to Los Angeles in 1993. He attended El Camino College. At about this time, he converted to Islam and joined the Nation of Islam.

Career

Skee-Lo's debut album I Wish was released in 1995, which he first started working on in 1993. The album was a huge success. One of the singles, "Top of the Stairs", was featured in the ending credits as well as the soundtrack to the 1995 film Money Train. He quietly "retired" from rapping five months after the album's release because of a dispute with label Sunshine Records. Skee-Lo claims Sunshine Records took all the credit from the album's success, and he did not make a single cent from it. "So I refused to shoot any more videos, promote or record music. I'm not their slave. I wasn't working for free." After many years, he eventually won the rights against the label in court.

Skee-Lo recorded a cover of the Schoolhouse Rock! song "The Tale of Mr. Morton", which taught sentence structure (subject, verb and predicate). The song appears on the 1996 compilation album, Schoolhouse Rock! Rocks.[7]

In 1996, Skee-Lo became a VJ for both MTV's The Beach House and The Grind.

He co-wrote "I'll Be Your Everything" by boy band Youngstown. The song is featured on the 1999 Inspector Gadget movie soundtrack.

He returned to the music scene in 2000 with a new single I Can't Stop, which would be the titular track on his second album released in 2001.[8]

In January 2010, Skee-Lo returned from another musical hiatus with the EP Overdose where he collaborated with record producer Michael DeBarge.

In 2011 he wrote "Burnin' Up" as part of the soundtrack of the 2013 horror movie Killer Holiday from Lionsgate Entertainment. MTV produced a music video directed by Marty Thomas that was filmed at actor Howie Mandel's house, which was rented by his son to MTV without Mandel's knowledge.[9] It was released under his own indie label, Skeelo Musik.

Skee-Lo made a guest appearance on a track "Now You See My Life" with former Hollywood Undead rapper Deuce from Deuce's album Nine Lives in 2012.

He released his third album, Fresh Ideas, on his own label Skeelo Musik, via iTunes on November 13, 2012. It appeared in stores July 9, 2013.[10]

In 2024, after an 11-year break, he released a new single "Slow Down" independently on Bandcamp.[11]

Personal life

He and his wife, Stacy Ambrose, reside in Los Angeles. He has five children.[12]

Discography

Studio albums

Title! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:21em;"
Album detailsPeak chart positionsCertifications
US
[13]
US
R&B
[14]
I Wish 53 37
I Can't Stop
  • Released: 2001
  • Label: Epark Music Production
Fresh Ideas
  • Released: November 13, 2012
  • Label: Skeelo Musik
"—" denotes items which were not released in that country or failed to chart.

Singles

Title! scope="col" rowspan="2"
YearPeak chart positionsCertificationsAlbum
US
[16]
US
R&B
[17]
US
Rap

[18]
AUS
[19]
UK
[20]
"I Wish"199513 33 8 74 15

Gold

I Wish
"Top of the Stairs"73 38
"Holdin' On"1996
"Superman"
"I Can't Stop"2000I Can't Stop
"At the Mall"2001
"Bounce Back"
"I Love LA"2012Fresh Ideas
"Vibe Is Right"2013
"—" denotes items which were not released in that country or failed to chart.

Music videos

YearVideoDirector
1995"I Wish"Marty Thomas
1995"Top of the Stairs"Marty Thomas
1996"Holdin' On"Marty Thomas
2001"At The Mall"Marty Thomas
2011"Burnin' Up"Marty Thomas
2013"Vibe Is Right"Henry Zavala
2015"Raw"Stacy Ambrose & Antoine X

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Pee-Lo . Music.kngine.com . 2012-04-25 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120321143920/http://www.music.kngine.com/artist.ashx?id=AA%3A1120800 . March 21, 2012 .
  2. Web site: Steve Huey. Skee-Lo. AllMusic. March 20, 2022.
  3. Web site: O. Dave. Skee-Lo Interview. Round Trip With Dave O. 2013-01-03. dead. https://archive.today/20130216175317/http://roundtripwithdaveo.com/2011/10/skee-lo-interview/. 2013-02-16.
  4. Web site: Skee-Lo . jeffpearlman.com . Jeff Pearlman. 2013-02-06.
  5. Web site: Skee-Lo Wished He Was a Little Bit Taller. Then He Promptly Retired. LA Weekly. 2012-01-18.
  6. Web site: Five Best Songs From Skee-Lo's 'I Wish' Album. TheBoombox.com . 27 June 2015 .
  7. Web site: Skee-Lo Raps 'The Tale of Mr. Morton' . Soundcheck.wnyc.org . 2013-02-07 . 2016-01-19.
  8. Web site: Skee-Lo – I Can't Stop. Discogs. 2001.
  9. Web site: When Howie Mandel's Son Rented Out the House for a Music Video Shoot. 2012-05-24.
  10. Web site: In Stores. September 10, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130823081220/http://www.wegotfreshideas.com/ . August 23, 2013 . Musicmogul Entertainment . wegotfreshideas.com.
  11. Web site: "SLOW DOWN" single (EP), is an unofficial Hip-Hop Public Service Announcement.. Twitter. 2024.
  12. Web site: Hanging Out With Skee-Lo, Who's Now Kind of a Baller. LA Weekly. 2013-08-08.
  13. Skee Lo – Chart History: Billboard 200. Billboard. March 11, 2021.
  14. Skee Lo – Chart History: Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Billboard. March 11, 2021.
  15. Web site: Gold & Platinum: Skee-Lo. Recording Industry Association of America. March 11, 2021.
  16. Skee-Lo – Chart History: Billboard Hot 100. Billboard. March 11, 2021.
  17. Skee-Lo – Chart History: Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Billboard. March 11, 2021.
  18. Skee-Lo – Chart History: Hot Rap Songs. Billboard. March 11, 2021.
  19. 255.
  20. Web site: SKEE-LO full Official Chart History. Official Charts Company. March 11, 2021.
  21. United Kingdom. Skee-Lo. October 22, 2022.