Tribute to Steve Skinner

In the middle of the year 2000, a person that was like a brother to me left this earth. He was one of the few people that I had full trust in and had respect for. Most of the people who knew him felt the same, as many other people claimed him as a brother and a son as well. He was a tight MC with infinite freestyle skills and an ear for good loops to rhyme on (he spotted loops early on that famous producers went on to record later). He was great and creative artist who was in the midst of creating his own universe. He was my favorite person to play Street Fighter against (he was Ken, I was Ryu). But most of all, he was the brother that I wasn't lucky enough to be born with, but the brother I was blessed enough to meet.

All of us who cared about Steve, a.k.a. Short, are going to create a site in his honor that will include his art, rhymes, and his favorite stuff. We're also going to put up some of our favorite memories about Steve. One of mine will be about that time he freestyled for like a half-hour straight (NO JOKE) and me and this other cat had to switch beat boxing because we were getting tired out. So if you knew Steve and have some stuff to contribute, e-mail me at primeop@mailcity.com and make sure that you give me your name/nickname and what not.

I'd also like to extend my love out to Steve's family, who I haven't seen in awhile. I have a bad habit of trying to "heal up" in solitude when anything bad happens. Benny, I still got those gifts that I bought for Steve that I'm giving to you. Eric York, one of these days, I gotta meet up with you on a day that I'm NOT going to work in 5 minutes:) Anyway, everybody take care.

James