Al Skratch talks Resiliency, The Music Industry and Investing in Oneself

On a pretty hot day in Washington Square Park I met up with Al Skratch to talk about his journey through the music industry, life, loss, family and resiliency. We also talked about Al’s new project called G.O.B. (Get on Board) with Blahzay Blah, his early Ill Al Skratch days, collaborations with Brian McKnight, Michael Jackson, loving your craft, investing in oneself, travel, no expectations and other life lessons.

Keep Up with Al Skratch on Social

1. Instagram
2. Facebook
3. Website

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Show Notes

1. Ill Al Skratch
2. Big Ill 
3. G.O.B. (Get On Board)
4. Washington Square Park
5. Letting go of expectations
6. Haiti
7. La Gonâve
8. Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn
9. Harlem
10. Washington Heights
11. The Sugarhill Gang (Rappers)
12. The Sugarhill Gang – Rapper’s Delight (Video)
13. Earth, Wind & Fire (Band)
14. Kool & the Gang (Band)
15. Whitney Houston (Singer)
16. Rap is a pattern of rhythm
17. Native Tongues
18. Public Enemy
19. KRS-One
20. Dres (rapper)
21. Showbiz and A.G. (Hip Hop Duo)
22. Diggin’ in the Crates Crew (Hip Hop Collective)
23. So how many members were there in a group?
24. The Sixth Man
25. Ill Al Skratch – Where My Homiez? (Come Around My Way)
26. Run DMC
27. Just-Ice (Rapper)
28. Cold Crush Brothers (Hip Hop Group)
29. Cold Crush Brothers – The Weekend (Video)
30. Funky 4 + 1
31. Funky 4+1 / That’s The Joint (original mix)
32. D’Agostino Supermarkets
33. Easy Mo Bee (Producer)
34. Ill Al Scratch – Chill With That (Easy Mo Bee instrumental)
35. Kool DJ Red Alert
36. WBLS (107.5 Radio Station)
37. The LG Experience (Producer)
38. When artist actually went to the studio together
39. Constructive Criticism
40. The Points (From Panther Soundtrack)
41. Various Artists- The Points (Panther Soundtrack) (1995 Track)
42. Leaders of the New School (Rappers)
43. Leaders Of The New School – Case Of The P.T.A. (Video)
44. The melodic structure
45. Michael Jackson ft. Ill Al Skratch; They Dont Care About Us 
46. Say Less… (New York Said Has a Hat for That Sentiment)- Shout out to Juan.
47. Ill Al Skratch – I’ll Take Her ft. Brian McKnight (Video)
48. Don’t Shut Down On A Player . Ill Al Scratch (New Jersey Drive Vol 1) (HD)
49. Bishop Don Magic Juan
50. Ill Al Skratch – Don’t Shut Down On A Player (1995) (Video)
51. Rule Number 1 is self-preservation.
52. Your mind can take you so many places.
53. Strong black mothers
54. Being grounded
55. Being the best
56. Throwback New York Said Episode– Daniel Rush Patton talks Being in a Coma, that EMS Life and Lessons Learned
57. The best show you ever did?
58. House of Blues
59. Prospect Park, Brooklyn 
60. Junior’s
61. Advice you would give to someone who wants to be in the music industry? (Serious Artist Only)
62. Keep writing or producing whatever it is that you do on a daily basis.
63. Invest in yourself. (i.e. Time)
64. Align yourself with resources.
65. Be serious and diligent in practicing your craft.
66. Copyright and protect your art.
67. Become your worst critic.
68. Sun Rocking
69. Blahzay Blah (Hip Hop Artist)
70. Sun Rocking Feat G.O.B. (AL SKRATCH & BLAHZAY BLAH)
71. You put out good energy and it comes back to you.
72. Have some personal projects that are not around paper.
73. Funny how the Universe works
74. The Art & Science of Respect: A Memoir by James Prince
75. Focus on the family.
76. Being a man of your word.
77. Biggest lesson you’ve learned?
78. You just have to be resilient. You have to be flexible. The tree metaphor.
79. James Brown
80. Michael Jackson
81. Appreciation of family-family first before everything.
82. The cycle of life, the journey.
83. “The complexities of New York, that is what I love about it…” Al Skratch Quote
84. Craig Mack

Our prayers go out to our guest Al Skratch and his family for their losses.

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This episode is sponsored by Gorilla Coffee.