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Skee-Lo

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Skee-Lo
Skee-Lo performing at the 2010 Seattle Hempfest
Skee-Lo performing at the 2010 Seattle Hempfest
Background information
Birth nameAntoine Roundtree
Also known asTha Skee-lo
Born (1975-03-27) March 27, 1975 (age 49)[1]
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.[2]
OriginRiverside, California, U.S.[2]
GenresHip hop
Occupations
  • Rapper
  • Record producer
Years active1994–2013, 2024
LabelsSkeelo Musik LLC, Scotti Brothers

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

[edit]

Born in Chicago, Illinois, Roundtree and his family subsequently relocated to Poughkeepsie, New York before then moving to Riverside, California when he was nine.[6] He first started rapping in 1983.[4]

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.[5]

Career

[edit]

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.[5] "So I refused to shoot any more videos, promote or record music. I'm not their slave. I wasn't working for free."[5] 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.[citation needed]

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.[5] 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

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

Discography

[edit]

Studio albums

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List of studio albums, with selected chart positions and certifications
Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
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

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List of singles, with selected chart positions and certifications, showing year released and album name
Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album
US
[16] 		US
R&B
[17] 		US
Rap
[18] 		AUS
[19] 		UK
[20]
"I Wish" 1995 13 33 8 74 15 I Wish
"Top of the Stairs" —[A] 73 — — 38
"Holdin' On" 1996 — — — — —
"Superman" — — — — —
"I Can't Stop" 2000 — — — — — I Can't Stop
"At the Mall" 2001 — — — — —
"Bounce Back" — — — — —
"I Love LA" 2012 — — — — — Fresh Ideas
"Vibe Is Right" 2013 — — — — —
"—" denotes items which were not released in that country or failed to chart.

Music videos

[edit]
Year Video Director
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

References

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  1. ^ "Top of the Stairs" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number 12 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart.[22]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Skee-Lo.
  1. ^ "Pee-Lo". Music.kngine.com. Archived from the original on March 21, 2012. Retrieved 2012-04-25.
  2. ^ a b Steve Huey. "Skee-Lo". AllMusic. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  3. ^ O, Dave. "Skee-Lo Interview". Round Trip With Dave O. Archived from the original on 2013-02-16. Retrieved 2013-01-03.
  4. ^ a b "Skee-Lo". jeffpearlman.com. Jeff Pearlman. 2013-02-06.
  5. ^ a b c d e "Skee-Lo Wished He Was a Little Bit Taller. Then He Promptly Retired". LA Weekly. 2012-01-18.
  6. ^ a b "Five Best Songs From Skee-Lo's 'I Wish' Album". TheBoombox.com. 27 June 2015.
  7. ^ "Skee-Lo Raps 'The Tale of Mr. Morton'". Soundcheck.wnyc.org. 2013-02-07. Retrieved 2016-01-19.
  8. ^ "Skee-Lo – I Can't Stop". Discogs. 2001.
  9. ^ "When Howie Mandel's Son Rented Out the House for a Music Video Shoot". 2012-05-24.
  10. ^ "In Stores". wegotfreshideas.com. Musicmogul Entertainment. Archived from the original on August 23, 2013. Retrieved September 10, 2013.
  11. ^ ""SLOW DOWN" single (EP), is an unofficial Hip-Hop Public Service Announcement". Twitter. 2024.
  12. ^ "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. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  14. ^ "Skee Lo – Chart History: Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  15. ^ a b "Gold & Platinum: Skee-Lo". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  16. ^ "Skee-Lo – Chart History: Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  17. ^ "Skee-Lo – Chart History: Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  18. ^ "Skee-Lo – Chart History: Hot Rap Songs". Billboard. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  19. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 255.
  20. ^ "SKEE-LO | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  21. ^ "British certifications – Skee-Lo". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved October 22, 2022. Type Skee-Lo in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  22. ^ "Skee-Lo Chart History: Bubbling Under Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
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