Silkski

Silkski Biography

Jerome Albert Evans Jr., better known by his stage name Silkski is a Brooklyn, New York native. He is a PYN, Wutang Mgmt., Da Gutta Ent., Bungalo, Street Scholar, Universal Music Group artist, of ODB’s Brooklyn Zu, Wu-family. People may see Silkski as a wild, grimey, funny, inventive or extreme artist; who is an awareness lyricist / rapper, talented music producer, and street story teller. Silkski has a multitude of names to match his personalities; The Don of All Donz, Silk Corleone, Crook, Big Rock, Tiger Eye Red, Prince Romeo, Tha Drunken Tiger, and as a youth Gangsta Boogie. Silkski has been at the top of the hip hop world since the mid-80’s when he was breaking with the Rock Steady Crew in his hometown of New York City. Now he calls Protect-Ya-Neck Records, a subsidiary of the Wu Tang family, home. “The son of a singer and a music rep, Silkski says he has music in his blood. When your father is a R&B and doo wop singer and your mother is in public relations, you naturally grow up with a feel for the industry. But, even though Silkski’s family is so well connected in the music world, it is not what got him his start; just the opposite, really. “She (Silkski’s mom) tried to keep me in the nice area”, said Silkski, “but I went the other way.”” (Scene Magazine, 2003) Silkski enjoyed the grimey life and cringed away from the luxuries his mother provided. He adopted all of the elements of hip hop in its early stages (b-boy, d-jaying, graffiti tagging, and emceeing), rebelling against his parent's R&B, disco, and Doo Wop music. This rebelliousness led to one of the most defining moments in Silkski’s life, his mom turned him over to the state. “I felt like no one cared,” said Silkski. But the group home he was put in was in some ways a blessing; it showed him that there were people who did want him to succeed. The next few months consisted of jumping between the streets of New York and the group home (Mount Lorreto) “Mission of the Immaculate Virgin” in Staten Island. Eventually, Silkski left the group home and moved in with his cousin who lived in the roughest area of Jamaica Queens. While in Jamaica Queens, Silkski along with others contributed to the negativity of Queens inner city streets. Although he lived in a grimey area, he stood out with his extreme tagging graffiti techniques, and style of dancing. After moving from his cousin's apartment, Silkski landed on the streets again. “I told this shelter that I was a "teen" alcoholic so I could get a place to stay,” said Silkski. (Scene Magazine, 2003) After several months in the shelter, Silkski moved in with a friend in Harlem and took his dancing to the next level. His move to Harlem was a great opportunity for Silkski; it was then that he hooked up with famed breaker, Larry Love of the Zulu Nation. He then took his first stage name, “Gangsta Boogie.” This was the mid-eighties when Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five was the hottest thing in hip hop. Silkski was right there breaking and tagging with some of the biggest names in the hip hop world. “Even though I was a baby compared to Grand Master Flash, I was still there from the start,” said Silkski. “I knew everybody from the gutter to the top”. (Scene Magazine, 2003) Silkski was eventually on the streets again and looking for any place to lay his head. Larry Love hooked him up with the owner of one of the biggest hip hop clubs in New York, Harlem World, and Silkski moved into an empty room above the club. “It was great” he said, “I was breakin’ on the dance floor all the time, even when the club was closed.” (Scene Magazine, 2003) This became Silkski’s start in the big time. One day when he was practicing his breaking, Kurtis Blow came in to set up for a show later that night. “I was like , ‘Kurtis, check me out’ and I would just electric boogie,” said Silkski. (Scene Magazine, 2003) That night Silkski was on stage with Kurtis and afterward started touring with him. After the tour, Silkski landed in jail and later ended up going to Los Angeles, California where he continued to b-boy and eventually caught eye of the local up- and -coming artist. While in California, Silkski cut his first demo as a producer and rapper with a song called “Crab Rappers,” and joined Ice-T’s group, Rhyme Syndicate. Silkski did a lot of producing and made a name for himself as an innovator by doing gigs for the Bloods & Crips albums, and a song on the soundtrack “Copycat”. He even signed with Death Row Records for a while as a producer under Char Jones before Tupac was killed. Silkski was put on and made official to the legacy of the infamous Wu-family in 1995, touring the world and writing, rappin and producing with brotha- ODB-(rip), member and co-founder of the "Wutang Clan", and Brooklyn Zu, which include: songs on ODB’s “Nigga Please” album, also ODB’s “The Trials and Tribulations of Russel Jones” album, and ODB’s remix single:”Dog- Sh-t”, as well as ghost writing, and (Silkski’s) own hit single:”No Money”, which led an allstar cast in the video, including some of the most infamous Rapp legends and movie stars to this day, which include, “ODB (“Wu-tang- Clan”)(rip), “Kurtis Blow”(The Breaks), “Dana- Dane”(Cinderfella Dana Dane), “Flavor Flav” (Vh1’s: Flavor of love) , “Raheem” and “Scorpio”(The Furious 5), “Buddah Monk”(Brooklyn Zu), “Michael Wright” (The 5 Heartbeats, and “Sugarhill” starring: Wesley Snipes), and “Steve Van Zandt”, (Little Steven) ”Bruce- Springsteen” - (E-Streetband) and from HBO’s original hit drama series (The Supranos). Also Silkski has appeared on Vh1 “Inside out, ODB on Parole”, “The Disciples Of The 36 Chambers”(dvd) concert from ODB’s last major Wutang concert July, 17, 04’ before his untimely passing, and following that, “Rock the Bells” movie documentary of the same concert now on (dvd), and just recently appeared in the new movie “The Wutang Story”, and “Dirty, One Word Can Change The World” not to mention Silkski on BET’s “Access Granted” wildin out with “Ghostface” and “Rza” from Ghostface featuring Missy Elliot “Tush” video, as well as appearing on numerous other Wu-related media events. During a long and industrious career, Silkski was presented by God Son Entertainment; performing during the Urban Networks Magazine Music Summit when he was noticed by Mr. Robert (Leo) Rodgers, a long time 20 year plus music executive and VP of Bungalo Records, which is a part of the Universal Music Group Distribution Organization. Silkski’s first single through Bungalo Records is featuring the legendary Cappadonna of the Wu-tang Clan entitled “Sista Love” which is the latest edition, to the Silkski catalog. His up coming album: “Chamber Of The Drunken Fists”, is expected to be released by summer of 2010, along with his mixtape: “Silkski The Archives-(Keep It Wu-Brooklyn Zu- 4Ever)”