Just like NBA superstar Tim Duncan, Skanks The Rap Martyr was born on the U.S Virgin Island of St. Croix. By the age of one, Skanks was brought to Crown Heights, Brooklyn where he was raised. It was during these years that Skanks began to have a passion for the music business. His big brother Goldz was a local DJ and up and coming producer. When Skanks was growing up, he came across artists such as Das Efx, DJ Klark Kent, Mos Def, Talib Kweli and many more working right out of his basement in a studio his brother built, but at the age of 11, no one was willing to give a young Skanks a chance.

Then one day while getting kicked out of the studio as usual, young Skanks dropped his rhyme book and when the older guys read what he wrote, they were more than impressed. The next thing you know, young MC Row, which was Skanks first rap name, was the main artist working out of the studio. It was during this time that Skanks caught the attention of hip hop legend MC Lyte who was starting her Duke Da Moon management at the time with her partners Lin-Q and Makeeba, saw the young artist as a good move for the up and coming company. Skanks started opening up for MC Lyte all over the U.S under the name Problem Child, a name he was given by Flipmode squad’s Rampage after he saw him perform live in N.Y.C at age 13. Due to Lyte being a superstar, she was too busy to put her star power behind Skanks and the other artists on the roster. The company split up eventually forcing Skanks to go the indie route starting LaCosa Nostrand and Anarchy Records.

It was during this time that Skanks got a call from Klark Kent to come up to a studio so he could see how much the Problem Child grew, but he had a session with Columbia Records artist at the time 50 Cent. Skanks and 50 had a little lyrical sparring session that ended with 50 telling him he was nice. If that was not enough to be confident about, Busta Rhymes met Skanks and his LCN co founder Elgee after listening to their CD and said he was a fan of the penmanship. Skanks received regular airplay on New York radio station Hot 97 thanks to morning show hosts Star and Buck Wild. Skanks has recently released mix CDs including “Back From The Future” featuring the hit single King Of The Streets feat. reggae superstar Anthony B. and “The Flowfessional” featuring The Morning Paper feat. Ras Droppa about the issues that are destroying the world and has been getting good feed back from people all over the world. Skanks has also recently released his DVD “LCN TV Vol. 2” documenting his recent tour experiences with artists like Young Jeezy, Lil Boosie, Gucci Mane, Ace Hood and others
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