Skyzoo has also released a plethora of non-commercial mixtapes including Corner Store Classic and The Great Debater throughout his career,[1] and has worked with artists such as Jill Scott, Wale, Lloyd Banks, Tyrese, Dr. Dre, Raheem Devaughn, Black Thought, Jadakiss, Talib Kweli, Spike Lee, John Legend, and others.

Skyzoo has headlined or co-headlined often-yearly tours throughout Europe, the United Kingdom, Africa, Australia, and Asia, and he owns and operates the independent record label First Generation Rich.

Skyzoo was born Gregory Skyler Taylor on December 24, 1982, in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, New York City.

[6] Skyzoo grew up listening to hip hop artists such as Big Daddy Kane, N.W.A, Kid 'n Play,[7] EPMD, Eric B.

[9] In 2002 Skyzoo began releasing his own mixtapes throughout New York,[10] and he soon encountered the North Carolina rap crew the Justus League, collaborating on several projects.

[12] An encounter with Justus League rapper Chaundon[4] led to Skyzoo meeting producer 9th Wonder in 2005,[8] and the two started a long-term collaboration.

[17] The project also lead to the 2007 vinyl release of the DJ Premier produced singles "Get It Done" b/w "Click", both featuring fellow Brooklyn rapper and frequent collaborator Torae.

[22] In 2007, he stated that he had a sophomore studio album ready, called The Salvation, but was waiting for a major record deal before releasing it.

Hosted by DJ Drama and Statik Selektah, the project included guest vocals from frequent collaborator Wale, Maino, Talib Kweli, Reks, Young Chris and others.

[25] Through Duck Down Records, his debut LP The Salvation was released on September 29, 2009[24] with the singles "The Beautiful Decay", "Popularity", "Easy To Fly", and "My Interpretation."

[26] Instead of bringing in a large number of guest artists, Skyzoo handles most of the vocals himself, explaining the "album isn't exactly the way I planned it out at 9-years-old, but it tells my story.

[34] The short documentaries were shot throughout New York City and showed six different characters, such as a single mother and a young drug dealer, each representing a different emotion displayed on the album.

The video was directed by Tee Smif of the production company KCCC and shows a teenage drug dealer attempting to change his lifestyle, and the highs and subsequent lows he faces.

[41] Released on October 5, 2010, Skyzoo's collaborative EP with Illmind titled Live from the Tape Deck[42] was a free-form showcase of his lyricism.

[43] Unlike Skyzoo's debut album The Salvation, there largely aren't deeply personal themes in Live from the Tape Deck.

The project was sponsored by the Jordan Brand, and featured the singles "The Definitive Prayer", "Test Drive", "Atypical", and "Written In The Drums".

[49] The project, 16 songs in total, contains almost all original production (excluding the N.E.R.D sampled "Inside Of Clouds" instrumental on "Could've Struck The Lotto")[50] from producers such as Illmind, 9th Wonder, Swiff D, Best Kept Secret, Oh No, and others.

[53] The album features Jill Scott, Freeway, Raheem Devaughn, and Talib Kweli, and includes production by Illmind, 9th Wonder, Black Milk, and others.

"[59] According to Skyzoo, the idea for the EP came to him via a tweet from a fan asking him to consider remaking Jay-Z's debut, in a manner similar to how Elzhi recreated the Nas album Illmatic.

[61] In 2013 Skyzoo completed his contractual obligations with Duck Down Records and in 2014 created his own label imprint: First Generation Rich, Inc (commonly referred to as "FGR").

[citation needed] At the request of fans over the years,[62] Skyzoo and frequent collaborator Torae began working on the joint album Barrel Brothers.

[67] The album includes production by Illmind, Thelonious Martin, Jahlil Beats, MarcNfinit, Apollo Brown, DJ Prince, and others, and also features cover art commissioned by comic book illustrator Chris B.

[67] Music For My Friends was prematurely leaked on file sharing sites on the morning of June 17, 2015, prompting Skyzoo to release the digital versions of the album early.

"[71] On June 27, 2015, Skyzoo threw an album release concert in conjunction with popular hip hop website Okayplayer at the Blue Note jazz club in NYC.

[3] Buffalo Wild Wings, NBA Shoot Around, Rockstar Games' Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned, HBO's Entourage, and 2K Sports.

[74] The fifteen-track album contained multiple features from the likes of Patty Crash, Joell Ortiz, Conway, Westside Gunn, and Stalley.

[7] A self-professed fan of the HBO crime drama The Wire, he frequently references the characters and plotlines in his music, and has cited show creator David Simon as one of his biggest idols as a writer.

[81] Also a fan of jazz, Skyzoo has stated that Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Horace Silver, and Wayne Shorter as his favorite artists in the genre.

[72] An avid basketball fan, Skyzoo at times guest blogs for the online version of Slam magazine with a column named "Chain Link Champions.