This is a split white label 12" by Skitzo and S.O.S.. I'll come back around to S.O.S., because they're interesting, too. But for now I want to focus on the A-side. For one thing, it's why I bought this record. This record came out in '95, give or take, and I can't remember now if I spotted it at Beat St Records, or maybe Sound of Market in Philly. But the whole reason I picked it up in the first place is because I thought it was a new release by Tony da Skitzo. But as soon as brought it home and put it on the turntable, I heard that it was definitely not. In fact, I have no idea who it actually is. At least I was in a Hip-Hop-specific store, so I didn't wind up with a punk rock 12" or something.
Now, S.O.S. I know for certain is a Brooklyn group, better known as Science of Sound. No great detective skills on my part, they make their name pretty clear in the song. They had a four-song 12" in 1995, and A Tribe Called Quest was on one of the songs; Phife was on another. There was an unreleased full-length album that was leaked around the internet, which HHV eventually gave a proper release in 2020. Their song here, "No Diggety" is okay, but not their best. It has a sappy sung R&B hook, and it's one of the four songs on their official 12", so if you're interested in them, there's no need to mess with this white label, just get the proper 4 tracker (or, now, the whole album). I checked "No Diggety" on both releases, and this is not a rare alternate remix or anything.
So back to the two Skitzo songs. These definitely sound east coast, and actually, it didn't make a very good impression, so I didn't play it much for many years. But going back to it more recently, I appreciate it more, especially the first song. And now, paying close attention to the lyrics ("meet me at the corner of Utica and Atlantic"), I can fairly confidently surmise that they're also from Brooklyn. I use the word "they" because it sounds like two guys, although it's possible Skitzo is one guy with an uncredited guest. As you can see above, there are no credits of any kind on the label except the main artist and song titles.
So who are these guys? No, they're definitely not the Skitzofreniks. I have a bunch of their records and you can easily tell the difference. Discogs links their listing to an MC named Skitzo who did a guest verse on a 2009 Latin Gangsta Funk album by a west coast artist named JKnuckles, but I find that hard to believe. Googling around, I stumbled on another rapper named Skitzo who had a record out in 1995, but he's from Atlanta and it's clearly not him either.
I actually talked to the Written On Your Psyche guys over Youtube (back when they had private messages, which YT has tragically gone and erased all trace of... but hey, it was worth it to get Google+, right?), and I asked if the Skitzo who appeared on a couple of their songs made this record. They actually said yes, but I think there was some miscommunication, because comparing the Poet tracks that Skitzo is on doesn't sound like this 12" at all. Plus, I think that guy's white, and they're throwing the N word around pretty freely on this single. Not that I've never heard a white MC throw it around... but no. I'd be really surprised to be assured this is the same Skitzo. Very different styles.
The Skitzo here is definitely not on the underground, lyrical, backpacker or battle rap kind of tip. This is street stuff. The first and best song, "Livin' Life On da Edge" is all about dealing dope and street life. It's got a really cool track, though, with a main sample sound I can barely describe. It's maybe sort of like something DJ Spinna would put out in that era, but harder and more grating. Like someone slowed down and looped a car alarm or something, but then with super deep bass notes and a real subtle, almost west coast keyboard sound behind it. It actually sounds really cool, and some of the writing on this song is actually pretty interesting, too: "and we back to my buildin', steppin' over children 'cause these public housing bitches make babies by the billions. We walk into my crib, it's like another world: 52 inch screen on plush carpet colored pearl."
The second song has some nice production, too. It's got great horns mixed with big drums, chunky piano notes and almost a DITC vibe going on. But it has a shout chorus that doesn't work too great. Worse still, though, are the lyrics. "Need da Gees" is just what it sounds like, about wanting to get paid. But it's not just the cliche subject matter that holds it back; there's a gimmick, where they also say they "need the cheese" and just make non-stop Kraft/ Velveeta puns through the whole song. If you don't follow the lyrics, it's a dope song. But when you listen closer, it's pretty corny. "Livin' Life," on the other hand, works on both tiers, and now that I can see this as more than just the "not Tony da Skitzo" record I bought by mistake, I realize this Skitzo's alright.
But who is/ are they? The only other clue I have is that the run-out groove says "Tommy." Was this released as radio/ DJ service for some acts Tommy Boy was planning to release? Or maybe S.O.S.'s DJ Beetle's real first name is Tommy and he did the beats for both groups? Who knows? These are just shots in the dark. Maybe this 12" is just a total bootleg made by a random college kid named Tommy. But the fact that both groups on this 12" are from Brooklyn makes me wonder if they have more of a connection, leading to them being on a split 12" together. If anybody has any ideas, please leave a comment below.
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