@SkippWhitman – Downtown [Video]

Skipp Whitman has released his new music video for the single, “Downtown” (with cuts by Statik Selektah), from his upcoming album ‘PIECE‘ which is due out later this month.

“Downtown” was written, composed, produced, & performed by Skipp Whitman with cuts by Statik Selektah. It was shot in LA, directed, & edited by Imani Pina featuring dancer, Imani Nakia, over a Green Screen, the footage of which was laid over B roll of the NYC & Brooklyn Streets.

About Skipp Whitman:
Influenced by Tribe Called Quest, and Buena Vista Social Club, and Electric Light Orchestra, and Jay Z, and Chicago. Skipp Whitman lives in Los Angeles, and is currently preparing to release his 5th studio album, ‘PIECE‘. Previous releases include ‘Skipp City’ (featuring the single “FAMOUS” with a video directed by John Colombo, which reached #2 on national college rap charts), ‘5AM’ (featuring “It Sucks Being Broke“, with video directed by Shawn Ashley Collins which is featured on MTV.com), and ‘Whitman Can’t Jump’, which has appearances by Niles Mason (AfroJack, David Guetta) & Statik Selektah.

Since releasing his first project, Skipp has shared stages with Kanye West, KRS ONE, Guru, Talib Kweli, Kool G Rap, Cassidy, and many more in cities from Boston to New York to Montreal to Los Angeles (headlining The Whiskey, and enjoying a short residency at the infamous Rainbow Room). He was a top 10 national finalist in Scion’s “The Prospect” competition, and when referring to Skipp, OkayPlayer was quoted as saying “the kid can rap“.

Skipp started writing lyrics at the age of 12. First, copying lyrics down from ‘Illmatic‘, and ‘Low End Theory‘. Soon, developing his own style .. and later recording. Skipp remembers. “In high school, when my friends were playing sports, I went home, and spent a lot of time alone with a Gemini sampler and a notepad“. Initially just a lyricist, with no outside production catching his ear, he learned how to make beats and still produces all of his own work to this day. In 2012, he ditched his sampler, and learned keys & bass to produce his first sample free album – ‘5AM’.

Originally from Brookline, MA, Skipp was born to two artist parents (painter, musician), and from a young age interned at his father’s studio on Newbury street in Boston, a studio formerly owned by The Cars called Syncro Sound. Skipp said, “I never thought that doing music for a living was out of reach, because as an intern I saw it happening every day. It’s what I was around.”