I WISH was nominated for a 1996 Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. The single "I Wish" was nominated for Best Rap Solo Performance.
"I wish I was a little bit taller/I wish I had a girl, I would call her/I wish I had a brand new car, so far all I got is this hatchback/and everywhere I go I get laughed at..." So it goes for smooth rapper Skee-Lo. This is a guy who's not afraid to admit his faults, or his lack of material possessions. He sets himself apart from the rest of the hip-hop pack by telling it like it really is. In other words, not everybody can be a Mack Daddy. Some of us, like our friend Skee-Lo, are not exactly up to our ears in cash and women. We wish we were different. We wish we were smarter, or bigger, or more handsome, more pretty, just MORE! Skee-Lo wishes too, and that may be a big part of his success.
Musically, he's from the "smooth-is-cool" school. The background tracks are mostly disco samples, or bits and pieces of R&B hooks from the past. Simple keyboard lines weave around mellow, cruise-control drum tracks. No rough vibes, no noise, no heavy trips. Just a good sense of humor, and a way with words. Sometimes we're not too sure where Skee-Lo stands. "Top Of The Stairs" is either a criticism, or a celebration of materialism. He bemoans the fact that "no one really cares about the guy at the bottom of the stairs," while he makes a grocery list of the fool's gold that waits at the top. And in "Come Back To Me," he seems to be admitting he's acted like a jerk, while in the same breath asking for his girl to come back. Strange, but that's Skee-Lo's world.
Q Magazine (3/96, p.103) - 3 Stars - Good - "...an irresistable, kooky partner-in-pop-rap with Coolio's Gangsta Paradise..."
New Musical Express (1/6/96, p.32) - 6 (out of 10) - "...more funny little fella than gangsta. This is Prankster Rap....Skee-Lo's ultrapop hip-hop is...a refreshingly cool shower after the hot-and-sweaty workout of most current rap..."
Recorded at Sunshine Studios, Hollywood, California.
Personnel: Skee-Lo (vocals, programming); Mike Underwood (guitar, keyboards, synthesizer, bass); Rod Jones (guitar, bass, programming); Andre Storey, Todd Tracey, Craig Sharmat (guitar, bass); Amos Delone (saxophone, keyboards, synthesizer); Kenny B. (keyboards, synthesizer); Archie Roundtree (programming); Hazze (scratches); Danielle LaMette, Kimberly Poullard, Phyllis Roundtree (background vocals); Funke, Trend.
This is the kind of album thats missing now days Gone are the days that an original rapper could come from the left field like this and release a good but diffrent kind of rap album. I miss cds like this and Coolios fantastic voyage and Gangstas Paridise kind of albums. This is a great cd and worth the money. I went and got this on tape shortly after it came out because of the single "I wish" go and get this if you miss the carefree party hip hop rap cds that dont suck Submitted by Travis Baldwin (LITTLE MERLIN CITY USA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! #11111) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
one of the best best rap cd around, total hip hop, i love this stuff. i wish skee would make a comeback myself, get this "this is why im hot" garbage off the radio and get some rap with a little substance to it. Submitted by shains (Wallingford, CT, USA) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
Still wishin' for Skee-lo to come back This album is a classic. I got the cassette brand new when it came out. I was 8 years old. I still remember almost every verse and I haven't listened to it in like 5 years cuz I lost the casette. I loved "I wish", but the song I liked the most was "Crenshaw". This cd is a most have for anybody that whats some good classic rap from the west coast. Submitted by mcobb53538 (Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
Classic!!! 10 songs out of 12 are good. Tight album!! Submitted by skee-lo (E.B.) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
This guy should be on the mainstream The title track rox and the rest of the album is good! Buy it! Submitted by JFK (TWOO) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
This is the kind of album thats missing now days
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