Billboard’s Hip-Hop/R&B Fresh Picks – October 30, 2023
“Cincinnati rapper Sade Johnson, better known as “Skylar Blatt” is one of my favorite female up-and-coming artists. Her story is so raw and genuine, that it’s not hard not to fall in love with her aura.” – Lyrical Lemonade
“Unbridled, unbreakable, and undeniable bars” – 24Hip-Hop
Emerging from a rough upbringing to become her city’s most promising talent, Cincinnati native Skylar Blatt is ready to take over the Midwest and beyond. Today, the ILWT/Saint Ka$h/Aristasignee dropped the acoustic version of her Chris Brown collab, “Wake Up.” Following the track’s meteoric success with over 5.9M YouTube views and 10.7M Spotify streams, Blatt wanted to offer up a stripped down rendition for fans to add to their summer soundtracks.
On top of a clean guitar performance, Blatt showcases her ability to deliver no matter the BPM. Tapping into her melodic instincts, she weaves her inspirational bars into an irresistible rhythm that only adds to the acoustic vibe. You can hear the smile in Skylar’s voice as she rhymes, expressing gratitude for her god-given talent and finding comfort in the journey she’s building.
In regards to the original track, the collaboration came about organically: Chris became familiar with Skylar after he saw her perform her song “F*ck Fame” on From The Block and posted the clip on his Instagram. After Skylar reached out to thank him, the two developed a friendship and connected when Chris came through Ohio, where they promised that they would work together on a song. That song became “Wake Up,” and the two joined forces in Breezy’s neighborhood in Los Angeles to film the video.
“Wake Up” is only the first step in Skylar’s rise from the Queen City to the top of the rap game. Raised by a single mother as one of six, Skylar turned to hip-hop to escape the troubles of her youth, developing a style derived from the best East Coast and Midwest rappers. She first gained attention with freestyles she posted on her Instagram, eventually gaining an early co-sign from Meek Mill, and a glowing profile from Lyrical Lemonade. In 2022, Skylar started collaborating with some of the finest rappers in the midwest, connecting with Babyface Ray and fellow Cincinnati rapper Midwest Milly for “Exactly,” racking up over 800k YT views, and teaming with Icewear Vezzo for the sinister “God Forbid.” A lifelong Bengals fan, she teamed with fellow Ohioan Doe Boy to craft “BENGALS (SUPER BOWL),” an anthem meant to cheer on Joe Burrow and company as they played in Super Bowl LVI. In October 2023, Skylar shared her mixtape Blatt SZN, home to “God Forbid” and ten other Cincy slappers. The tape won her a fan in Lola Brooke, who hopped on a remix to her song “F*ck Fame.” Before “Wake Up,” Skylar released her single “Laughin To Tha Bank,” a hard-hitting anthem that is already beginning to impact local radio in Cincinnati.
Now, as the inaugural signee to Saint Ka$h Records, the record label founded by Kendell “Sav” Freeman, Skylar is looking to become the next Midwest rapper to break things open. With more music on the way, the Queen City queen is ready to defy the odds and take over Summer 2024. Watch this space–the Sky is the limit.
Stream “Wake Up” (Acoustic): https://skylarblatt.lnk.to/WakeUpAcoustic
Watch “Wake Up” ft. Chris Brown: http://SkylarBlatt.lnk.to/WakeUpVideo
Stream “Wake Up” ft. Chris Brown: https://skylarblatt.lnk.to/WakeUp
Photo credit: Shawn Hanna
Please contact Michelle or Annjie for more info.
When a lane doesn’t exist, Skylar Blatt will create one. The Cincinnati-born rapper has always thought beyond the confines of her circumstances and her city. She spits raw truth about the struggle, holding nothing back as she recollects trials, tribulations, and triumphs via her music. Generating millions of streams independently and earning the endorsement of everyone from Lyrical Lemonade to Meek Mill, her hunger has no comparison on a series of releases for Arista and more to come.
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“Wake Up” (Acoustic): https://skylarblatt.lnk.to/WakeUpAcoustic
“Wake Up” ft. Chris Brown: http://SkylarBlatt.lnk.to/WakeUp / http://SkylarBlatt.lnk.to/WakeUpVideo
“Laughin To Tha Bank”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtOZcRYk5QA