As a skit is called an interlude (intermezzo) in the music. In most cases, the skit is a piece of music that is either in the middle of the songs of an album or even interrupts it. Skits are mainly used in hip-hop, rap or R’n’B and dub, but can also be found on mixtapes. Such skits serve the self-representation of the artist, can supplement songs thematically, follow on an album usually a style and often end with a point.
The term can be derived from English, whereby skit can be translated with parodistic or satirical sketch, but also as a mocking poem. The translation thus shows what is at stake: namely, a kind of sketch, that is, a scene that follows a simple action and is mostly comedic. Most skits are primarily but not exhilarating, but communicate a statement.
This can either be politically motivated, serve only the self-presentation, against other artists, as well as promote an upcoming or fixed event, label or the like. Let’s take a look at a skit on a sampler of the hip-hop label Aggro Berlin.
The above example is the second track of the sampler AggroSageage No. 3, which includes several artists who are signed to the label (Sido, Bushido, B-Tight and Fler). The example shows a dialogue between the rappers Fler and B-Tight, which are apparently in a noble restaurant [Bonzengeschäft]. They are asked if they have already voted.
The scene is underlined by classical music, and conversations are heard in the background. The scene escalates, as Fler is said that the establishment is inappropriate because they are not one of these bonzes (rich, influential people) and convinces B-Tight. In the end, the two seem to stagger and point to their origin: Aggro Berlin – not “Schwuchtel Berlin”.
The skit combines all the characteristics of this kind of interlude: it serves the self-representation of the artists, has an audible effect, is subject to music, is based on a very simple action and ends in a pointed way.
Origins of the ski
The beginnings of the ski are in hip-hop. Such an interlude is probably the first feature of the US hip-hop group De La Soul, which has existed since 1988.
The three rappers Kelvin Mercer, David J. Jolicœur and Vincent Mason, together with their producer Prince Paul, pioneered this field. For example, the first track, the intro of the album 3 Feet High and Rising (1989), can be viewed, in which the rappers almost imagine what sounds like a book. So it is a skit, which is underlined with discreet music.
Short overview: The most important thing about the ski at a glance
As a skit, the audio-book-like, partly satirical as well as parodistic, interlude in a song is called. Typically this form of interruption is mainly in hip-hop, rap, R’n’B and dub. It is used for self-presentation, for amusement or for proclaiming a statement.
As a pioneer, the group De La Soul can be considered, who already in 1989 their album 3 Feet High and Rising with numerous skits spiced and thus solved the compilation purposefully.