Skee 64oz – The Struggle The Hustle The Hate

Album info

In the annals of late-’90s Hip Hop, few albums capture the essence of the street struggle as vividly as Skee 64oz’s “The Struggle The Hustle The Hate.” Released in 1999 under the label Ace High Records, the album offers a raw, unfiltered dive into the world of Gangsta Rap. Toby Rios, known by his stage name Skee 64oz, was a rapper from Sacramento, California, who tragically passed away in March 2007. His legacy, however, lives on through this timeless album.

From the onset, with “Intro. Pain Additive,” it’s clear that Skee 64oz is taking listeners on a gritty, emotional journey. The 2-minute, 37-second track lays the groundwork, immediately immersing the audience into his lived experiences and setting the tone for what’s to come. With songs like “C.O.D” featuring Gangsta Dre and backed by Stacy’s vocals, the album portrays the harsh realities that come with living a life bounded by struggle and ambition.

The album is as musically diverse as it is thematically intense. “Consequences” featuring Marvaless tells a cautionary tale against a backdrop of hypnotic beats. On “Judge The Real,” Kek Tha Sneek makes a guest appearance, adding yet another layer of complexity to the narrative. Multiple tracks like “Ride” and “Blues Brothas” involve an ensemble cast of backing vocalists and featured artists, such as Gangsta Dre and Young Roe, contributing to an overall sense of community, albeit one born out of hardships.

Technically, the album is a masterwork, featuring engineering by Jun-Ya and Skee 64oz himself. The mixing was done by an array of talents including Crump, Gangsta Dre, and Jun-Ya, ensuring each track holds its unique sonic texture while fitting into the album’s broader narrative. Produced by a collaborative team, including Adrian Steel, Firg, Low Key, and Mac Willis, the soundscape of the album captures the tumultuous energy of the streets, encapsulating the essence of the struggle, hustle, and hate it aims to portray.

Perhaps one of the album’s most striking features is its inclusivity of multiple bonus tracks like “Just The Two,” “Drastic Situations,” and “Floss Mode,” enriching the listening experience and offering additional layers of storytelling. The album culminates with “Outro. The Struggle, The Hustle, The Hate,” which in just 2 minutes manages to encapsulate the thematic elements discussed throughout the record, almost as if summarizing a long, arduous journey.

It’s worth noting that Skee 64oz’s untimely passing adds an additional layer of depth and tragedy to the album. The tracks serve not just as a window into the world he portrayed, but also as an inadvertent epitaph, preserving the ethos of an artist taken too soon. “The Struggle The Hustle The Hate” stands as a gritty, realistic portrayal of life in the streets of late-’90s Sacramento—a timeless testament to the artistry and raw talent of Skee 64oz, and an essential entry for anyone seeking to understand the power and poignancy of Gangsta Rap.