Skyzoo & The Other Guys – The Mind of a Saint [LP]

The Mind of a Saint, the most recent album by Skyzoo and the production team The Other Guys, is a conceptual work that centers on the character of Franklin Saint – the protagonist of the acclaimed FX series Snowfall. The album presents Skyzoo‘s interpretations of Saint’s life and his rise to power during the crack cocaine epidemic of the 1980s via a sequence of narrative tracks. Drawing upon the rich tradition of conceptual hip-hop albums, Skyzoo and The Other Guys take the listener on a journey through some of Franklin’s experiences, offering an intense look into his life and struggles as he attempts to build an empire from the ground up.

The album opens with “Eminent Domain,” a jazzy, head-nod track that provides a glimpse into Saint’s aspirations to leave his mark on the world and free himself from the confines of a 9-to-5 life. Skyzoo’s unique lyrical style, combined with the beautifully layered production of The Other Guys, helps to convey the drive of a young man who’s determined to find success in this life. Like so many other classic opening tracks, “Eminent Domain” immediately grabs the listener’s attention and sets a high bar for the rest of the album. The album continues with “Views From The Valley,” which finds Skyzoo digging a little deeper into Saint’s background and experiences before his rise to power. We learn about his exposure to the more prosperous side of life and how it affects his perspective and, ultimately, the decisions he makes. Using old-school soul samples, The Other Guys add a touch of poignancy and nostalgia to the track, which is fitting given its focus on the experiences that molded the character’s early life. “Panthers & Powder” is another solid track that finds the team exploring the influence that the pro-black radicalism of the 70s had on Franklin’s life and how he was shaped by the politics of that era. Sky‘s lyrics are as sharp as ever and he thoroughly captures the paradoxical nature of Saint’s life and his arguably skewed belief that the crack game can deliver on the Black Panther‘s promise of power and independence.

https://open.spotify.com/track/1jSLoCmB5GdJXE3WFfEJZX?si=cf8c0dbf91ac4170

That same sympathetic but critical tone is also evident in tracks like “Brick by Brick,” “Bodies,” “Purity,” and “Apologies in Order,” all of which explore the contradictions of Saint’s life and his love/hate relationship with the drug game. In particular, “Bodies” is a powerful and hard-hitting number that explores how achieving new levels of success in the game also brought new levels of violence, death, and ruthlessness into Saint’s life. It is also an excellent example of Skyzoo‘s ability to write lyrics that are both poetic and evocative while also communicating complex ideas in ways that make them easy to understand.

Throughout The Mind of a Saint, the musical trio still manages to inject elements that are relatively lighter and more upbeat in between the more emotionally invested moments. There is an ambitious and infectious energy that seeps through on tracks like “The Balancing Act,” “100 to One,” and “Straight Drop” that allows listeners to understand exactly why Saint can’t seem to stay away from a life that continues to prove fatal for so many others.

Across the board, The Mind of a Saint is an amazing album that is well worth a listen. Skyzoo and The Other Guys have managed to create something that is both unique and universal, managing to convey their message in a way that will appeal to listeners who have never been exposed to the bittersweet reality of the drug game as well as those who live it every day. The production is cinematic. The lyrics are powerful and world-building. And the complete product is something special – a street album that paints the whole picture of a complex character and the world he lives in, rather than just glorifying violence or glamorizing drug dealing. It’s a magnificent piece of art that will appeal to anyone who loves vivid storytelling and is looking for something with substance and depth.

You can listen to (and buy) The Mind of a Saint via the links listed below as well as catch up on the latest music and news from Skyzoo and The Other Guys by making sure that you’re connected to them via the social links listed below.

Stream & buy Skyzoo & The Other Guys’ music on…
( Amazon | Apple_Music | Bandcamp | Deezer | Spotify | Tidal | YouTube_Music )

https://open.spotify.com/album/69xKJvae3fQJT7cDcIgCLq?si=999397112f91402a

Connect with Skyzoo on…
( Facebook | Instagram | Official Site | Soundcloud | Twitter | YouTube )

Connect with The Other Guys on…
( Facebook | Instagram | Official Site | Soundcloud | Twitter | YouTube )