Is it just me or are skits a complete waste of time. Most of them are completely toe-curling, and really spoil albums.

And why is only rappers that seem to feel the need to do them - you don't get James Hetfield or Tori Amos acting like they're on a Radio 4 comedy show between tracks do you?

I can count the skits I've heard and liked in single figures - am I alone in this?

Skits are pointless most of the time, and tend not to be all that funny after the first listen. I suppose there's a few exceptions though...

"D-D-T" on the second Jurassic Five album. This may not count, though, just because it's a short freestyle by Kool Keith.

And there's another one on that album with a little kid saying he wanted to be on the album that's kinda funny.

Most of the time though, yeah, lame.

Yeah, I certainly don't have the harsh distaste you guys seem to have towards skits. I don't necessarily mind them but I don't hate them either.

I believe it's a freedom for the artist to liberally express themselves. More recently, I enjoy the serious, personal skits that are interwoven into some of the albums by The Roots and the comical, jovial ones on Kanye West's few albums.

I remember listening to De La soul's skits and loving them and ever since then—maybe because of them—I find myself interested in the skits, wanting to know what they meant, what purpose they had, etc. Wu-Tang Clan also had a special way of rendering their humor into their skits, all part of RZA's method.

I enjoy skits usually, and some of them are really entertaining.

I would certainly never consider them for placement on a "best songs" list, though.

I don't think that skits could work in any other genre except for hip-hop, but, if done well, they can really catapult an album from good to great. Skits are generally a nice break in between tracks to catch your breath and allows the artist the opportunity to set the mood for an album. I find myself using skits or very short tracks in my mixtapes frequently in order to produce the same qualities...

In summation, skits are a good thing.

quote:

Originally posted by Mikey Rocks:
I don't think that skits could work in any other genre except for hip-hop, but, if done well, they can really catapult an album from good to great. Skits are generally a nice break in between tracks to catch your breath and allows the artist the opportunity to set the mood for an album. I find myself using skits or very short tracks in my mixtapes frequently in order to produce the same qualities...

In summation, skits are a good thing.

Well put, Mikey.

Though I think I agree with you on the subject, I'm not sure that skits can only work exclusively in hip-hop. It would be interesting to hear some rock, punk, indie, pop, or electronic artists attempt to use skits in a similar fashion as you would find them on a hip-hop record. Skits seem tricky, to be overly general, but can also help an album if used properly.

The College Dropout is pretty much the reason why skits shouldn't exist.

quote:

Originally posted by Lawrence_Of_Suburbia:
The College Dropout is pretty much the reason why skits shouldn't exist.

Yeah, but Late Registration is the counter-argument in support of skits.

A skit can work in rock as well:
some that come to mind are on the Queens of the Stone Age Songs for the Deaf and even Radiohead's OK Computer (even though it's basically its own track)

quote:

Originally posted by youmustlearn:
A skit can work in rock as well:
some that come to mind are on the Queens of the Stone Age Songs for the Deaf and even Radiohead's OK Computer (even though it's basically its own track)

I approve of these examples.

quote:

"D-D-T" on the second Jurassic Five album. This may not count, though, just because it's a short freestyle by Kool Keith.

Kool Keith's actual skits, from his own albums, are funny, too. The ones on the Dr. Octagon and Dr. Dooom albums especially. The ones on Sex Style are just porno excerpts.

quote:

Originally posted by FragileKidA:
Wu-Tang Clan also had a special way of rendering their humor into their skits, all part of RZA's method.

oh yeah, almost forgot about Method Man saying he'd smash someone's nuts in a dresser drawer. That one's still kinda funny in a disturbing way.

Stankonia minus some of the skits would have improved an already ridiculous album.