Lyrical bars, a toolbox of flows, and that New York hustle from deep within the city that never sleeps – New York City hip-hop is as hot as it’s been in over 20 years.
But this article isn’t about Biggie. It isn’t about Nas. It’s not even about Jay-Z.
I’m talking about Washington Heights native, Lord Sko. At 21, Sko is carving out his place in NYC hip-hop with sharp lyricism and a sound rooted in classic New York boom-bap.
Since releasing his first album in 2022 at the age of 17, he’s earned growing attention from platforms and fanbases tapped into the next wave of the city’s rap scene.
(21-year-old, Washington Heights hip-hop artist, Lord Sko)
This past Friday, he linked up with veteran producer Statik Selektah to release his latest single, “Hangman.”
The music video on Sko’s YouTube page is one of his most polished yet. From performance to production, his evolution as a well-rounded artist is clear — video to video, song to song — with “Hangman” as the latest example.
“I wanted to show people something a little more serious and conceptual,” Sko said. “Even behind the scenes, one of the most fun parts of the process was helping patch and edit it all together to tell the story I intended it to tell.”
“Growth and evolution,” he says, “are essential for any artist.” In this music video, Sko serves as both the featured performer and the director.
“I feel like I have my standard run-of-the-mill videos with my homies smoking and drinking, and those can be very cool and stylish, but that is in some ways what a lot of people expect from me,” Sko said. “I feel like finding a balance between the two is important. This song had much less emphasis on the performance of the song for the camera, and more so letting the shots themselves translate the emotions of the song.”
(Sko in the “Hangman” music video via YouTube)
Working with Statik, who’s collaborated with some of the biggest names in hip-hop, fits naturally for the young yet already seasoned rapper, but it also meant he had to adjust to a different pace and level of precision.
“His work ethic is definitely something I had to adjust to,” Sko said. “He does everything very quickly, not in a rushing way, but in a ‘he’s done this a million times’ way.”
He continued, “It was something I had to adjust to the flow of as a young artist and make sure all my ducks were in a row.”
(Lord Sko with Statik Selektah)
I asked Sko what the people should expect from him next. “I’d say people should expect more greatness and growth. We’re just getting started.”
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“Hangman” is available on all streaming platforms. Click here to watch the music video.
That’s HIS hustle.
This is OUR hustle.
What’s YOUR hustle?
Have you been following the rise of Lord Sko? Let us know on @HeymanHustleTV! We’d love to know your thoughts!
