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In this week’s episode of “Drink Champs,” NORE and DJ EFN were once again joined by respected rapper and ghostwriter Mad Skillz.

As a young boy born in Detroit, Michigan but raised in Richmond, Virginia, Skillz began soaking up the art of hip hop. Artists like Run-DMC and Rakim set the bar high for performance and skill in a way that caught Skillz’s eye. He sharpened his sword by entering freestyle competitions until he landed on the radar of artists like Q-Tip and eventually signed a major record deal with Atlantic Records.

He released his debut album, From what???, In 1996, he began to forge his own path as a mainstream solo artist, but he embraced collaboration and began working with artists from his home state such as Timbaland, the late Magoo, and Missy Elliott. As the years went by and with such a strong writing style, Skillz began ghostwriting for a variety of artists, cementing this with the daring song “Ghost Writer.” Known as one of the best lyricists in rap, Skillz has continued to earn his respect as an artist, producer, and writer with an impact that has spanned decades.

In his second appearance on the show, Skillz weighed in on some notable headlines in 2024, the current state of music, the cultural shift in his hometown, and more. Find nine takeaways from the conversation below. And watch the full episode here.

1. On J. Cole’s “apology” for insulting Kendrick Lamar

When Kendrick Lamar goaded Drake and J. Cole during a guest verse on “Like That,” Cole returned fire with the now-deleted “7 Minute Drill.” At Dreamville Fest last April, the North Carolina rapper walked back his gesture. And here’s Skillz sharing his thoughts on the moment. “I watched the video and I didn’t get an apology. That’s the first thing. The headline was wild,” Skillz began, before expressing his belief that Cole’s hesitation stemmed from his real-life relationship with Kendrick. “What people need to understand is that when you have friends in this game, it’s a little different… if you’re my friend, I’m not going to put anything public just to take advantage of you.”

2. On the phrase “something in the water”

Outside of Virginia, the phrase “Something in the Water” is known to many as the festival that Pharrell Williams started years ago. With that in mind, NORE asked Skillz if he was the first to coin the title, to which the guest replied, “Listen, we all say that. But I may have been the first to say it publicly. Muthaf**kas take my ideas like sh*t. But when it happens in my hometown, I don’t freak out.” He then gave a glimpse of what Pharrell has planned for the future. “He has another film in the works, kind of a proper biopic. It’s called Atlantis. I hope I’m not giving it away. And I know he’s introducing The Lego Movie at Something In The Water this year. It’s in October, so I’m looking forward to that.”

3. Put Virginia on the map

Skillz wants and deserves his flowers for the impact he had on Virginia’s music scene. According to him, he’s the one who opened the door so others could eventually come through. “I always tell people, I was the first (to make it out of Virginia). So it’s almost like I look at rappers today and people are like, ‘Oh, I put my neighborhood in the spotlight, I put my city in the spotlight.’ But when I look back, I’m like, ‘Damn, I put an entire state in the spotlight.’ Because it really wasn’t anyone else from Virginia. I was the first person you ever heard of that was from VA. So for me, it’s like I’m staking a claim on it. I don’t want motherfuckers to forget that. It was me.”

4. About the inspiration from Missy Elliott

Skillz is a sought-after name when it comes to writing songs for others. His inspiration to get into ghostwriting came from a specific moment when he saw Missy Elliott pull up to a flex party in a Lamborghini with “purple piping on the seats” before she began releasing solo music as an artist. He recalled, “Petey Pablo and I saw that shit at the same time. You’d have thought we saw a ghost when the car pulled up. It was like, n**gas could have that?” He memorized that and the rest is history.

5. The current state of music

Understanding the vast differences between the music industry when he started and now, Skillz shared his thoughts on the modern era of music. “Songs are like two minutes long. Because people’s attention spans are so short. It’s like the TikTok era.” He continued, “I often tell these kids, ‘I know what you’re thinking. You think you’re hot because you have this number of TikTok numbers or a million views.’ You can fake the views. You can fake the followers. You can fake the likes. But you can’t fake that people care… The records have to get through. If they don’t get through, keep making records.”

6. About famous artists from Virginia

To this day, Skillz still performs for his home state. During this interview, he signed a number of acts that everyone should be on their radar. “There’s a guy named Noah-O. He does a lot in town… There’s a guy named Michael Millions. He’s a good engineer and a great MC. Radio B. Those are a couple of guys from my town that have staked their claim,” he said. “And they’re lyricists. They value bars and that connection. It’s not just, ‘Oh, I have a catchy hook.’ They’re some guys that are still trying to keep the lyricism thing alive, and I appreciate that as an MC.”

7. To the “Rap Up”

Here, Skillz talked about the origin of his famous year-in-review. “The ‘Rap Up’ was a creation that started and people picked it up and made their own versions of it,” he began. “But the whole thing started with Stretch and Bobbito. I did a Stretch and Bobbito freestyle in 1993, connecting things together like that.” He continued, “Now we’re in 2024 and I almost look at it like this: How many motherfuckers did something in 1993 and can still do it in 2024? (Michael) Jordan can’t jump from the free throw line anymore. That shit doesn’t happen. Shaq (O’Neal) can’t post up in the zone like he used to. When those decisions come (now), for me, it’s because I was able to do it.” He also explained that he stopped doing the series because he felt stagnant and wanted to freshen up his creative output.

8. On the creation of JAY-Z’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame montage

When JAY-Z was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2021, Skillz played a big role in the honor. “That video montage with all the celebrities, I wrote word for word,” he said. Skillz then spoke about the praise he received for his execution. (After the ceremony) “JAY tweets — and he doesn’t even use Twitter like that — he said, ‘Yo, whoever did that video package, I’m going to cry in the car. That was incredible,'” Skillz recalled, before revealing that JAY-Z sent him a personal text of appreciation. “For Hov to say, ‘Yo, what you did was brilliant, was incredible.’ That stuck with me. It’s not every day you get texts from Hov. So, to me, that moment (in the) Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is forever.”

9. About reconnecting with DJ Jazzy Jeff

Despite building their careers side by side, Mad Skillz and DJ Jazzy Jeff eventually parted ways. When Skillz was last on “Drink Champs,” he spoke to the producer for the first time in 10 years. Now, NORE asked if there had been any updates on the situation, to which Skillz replied, “We talk a lot. I went to his house and we did a DJ set together. Four turntables, two by two. He does a stream on his platform. And I went up there and hung out with him. And it was just great to see him, man. That’s the buddy. I love that guy… I filled out two passes. I saw the world screw Jazzy Jeff. He’s a super cool dude. I love him. That’s my brother.”