WYXR Stereo Sessions: Tom Skeemask

Released in 1998 on Relativity and Mo Cheda Records, 2 Wild For The World stands as a defining document of Memphis rap’s late-’90s underground. Presented and produced by DJ Squeeky, the album pairs Tom Skeemask’s raw, uncompromising delivery with production that bridges the funk-forward sensibility of 8Ball & MJG and the darker, hypnotic textures running parallel to the rise of Three 6 Mafia.

That balance of live, soulful musicianship and synthesized sequencing gives the record its distinctive weight, situating it between street-level realism and atmospheric menace. Heard today, 2 Wild For The World not only captures a pivotal moment in Memphis rap’s evolution, but also anticipates the sounds and moods that would later be recontextualized through phonk and other modern reinterpretations of the city’s underground legacy.