Skibadee & DJ Probe | Drum & Bass 1998 | Kool FM 94.5 (Pirate Radio) | Sun 29th Mar 1998

Artwork by Take Me Back Pirate Radio Archives. Rest In Power Skiba! Celebrating his legacy here on this platform. This set was recorded on a Super Sunday 29th March 1998. Skibadee began his rise to the fame around 1993, firstly getting noticed by DJ Ash-A-Tack and getting booked for Thunder & Joy in 1994, he was becoming the ravers favourite. It was there he struck a partnership with DJ Wildchild who got him on to Kool FM and the duo started doing shows to together in 1995. Skiba elevated his career and developed his style. Growing from strength to strength. He came up under the wing of the late and great MC Stevie Hyper D. In the 90s Kool FM became a playground for the best MCs already showcasing the likes of MC Navigator, MC Moose, MC 5ive-0, MC Det, The Ragga Twins, MC Stevie Hyper D, MC Co Gee and MC Remadee.
1996 was a pivotal year for Skiba, not only was the Jungle sound shifting but the role of the MC commanded more skills and gained respect. MCs were rhyming at greater speeds and were continuously writing lyrics. All in all it was now a different game and the landscape of the scene had changed. In the years that followed Skibadee was getting booked for all the big Jungle raves like One Nation, Club Telepathy, Jungle Fever, Kool Skool '96 (where Skiba first met MC Stormin (RIP)), Pure Science, Desire, Best Of British, Accelerated Culture, Heat, Designer Label Ball, Thunder & Joy, Breakin' Science, Innovation, Bass Odyssey, & many others.
The likes of Shabba D and Shockin' B had left Weekend Rush FM 92.3 to join Kool FM and their presence was felt. Skibadee forged a partnership with them calling themselves the SASAS. Meanwhile his link up with MC Det was also turning heads and so the duo recorded and released their first UK Hip Hop Album 2x Times Freestyle with singles "Downdiggy", "Slowmo" and "New Style Avengers (1998). The success of these two profile MCs shot them to the top. With the sudden death of Hyper D there was now a vacuum left for competing MCs to challenge for the MC crown. Skiba raised his game, writing catchy lyrics and increasing his speed. He was now one of the most devastating MCs on the mic in DNB and was idolised by other sub-genre MCs to the DNB scene like UK Garage, Grime and Dubstep. Inspiring the likes of MC Stormin, Harry Shotta, D Double E, Skepta, Durrty Goodz, Ghetts, Lethal B & others.
In "Pow 2011" Ghetts even mentions Skiba in a lyric 2:26 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzU5Q4uI
Jungle underwent a transformation to dark techie drums & bass. MCs had now adapted their styles to work with this sound. A new breed of MCs were emerging and DNB was taking off internationally.
Skibadee would join forces with DJ Ruffstuff, Funsta MC & Harry Shotta to form The UNCZ (The Uncontrolabelz) which was the precursor for the SaSaSaS. Also running rave night "MC Convention" @The Stratford Rex, with Shabba D under the name 'Highly Blessed'.
In 2002, he set up Platinum Performers. He on to achieve UK chart success and international recognition with his vocal version of "Twist Em Out" by Dillinja, in 2003. Things were growing from strength to strength. Skibadee was now touring the world. With the digitisation of music and the rapid accessibility of it through the internet DNB MCs were now becoming an international phenomenon and their fans stretch far and wide. With scores of DNB fans all over the globe from Russia, Brazil, Japan, Australia, Belgium, France Germany to USA. There was a growing appetite for double time MCing although the DNB sound was taking different directions.
In 2008 & 2009 Skibadee won best Lyrical MC and best "Hype MC" in the UK Drum & Bass awards. 2010 was his third year in a row as the best "Crowd Hyper MC" along with the prestigious "Stevie Hyper D Lifetime Achievement Award". During the 2010s we saw the formation of the SaSaSaS (Skibadee, Harry Shotta, Shabba D, Stormin MC, DJ Phantasy, Macky Gee) with releases like Anthem (2016), "Rampage Anthem" (2017), "Where The Drumz At" (2018), "MaaaaD" (2018), "Skip To Da Beat" (2018), "Run This Shit" (2018), "River Monster (2018), "Phenomenon" (2019), "Rampage Anthem VIP" (2019) and many other tracks. Skibadee and Harry Shotta were shooting crazy rap videos in Helicopters SaSaSaS - "The Chopper Freestyle" and selling tickets out for festivals like "Westfest" and "Rampage", Super Sonix", "Let It Roll Festival", "Reading Festival", "Made Festival" (Birmingham, UK), "Tomorrowland" (Belgium), "Dreambeach Villaricos Festival" (Cuevas del Almanzora, Almería, Spain) "Pirate Station Moscow". Also releasing Mix CDs with SaSaSaS - Viral Damage (The Mix), and, SaSaSaS - The Catalyst.
Skibadee continued to consistently produced tracks as a solo artist with releases: Spaow Ft. Skibadee ‎– Nokia 3310 (2018), Critical Impact Ft. Skibadee - Stompa (2018), Critical Impact Ft. Skibadee ‎– Bulletproof Vest / Mr. Smith (2019), Phantasy X MC Skibadee ‎– Sick F#%k (2019).
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