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00:00Welcome to New York Got Game.
00:16Alright, Knicks fans, welcome back to New York Got Game.
00:18Joining us now is one of Brooklyn's finest.
00:21He is a master storyteller, lyrical architect, diehard Knicks fan through and through.
00:27He's got a brand new EP dropping this Friday, December 5th.
00:30It's called Views of a Lifetime.
00:32And just like the title suggests, we're about to tap into his perspective on this team, this city, and his new project.
00:39Straight out of Bed-Stuy, do or die, the one and only, my guy, Sky Zoo joins me now.
00:45Sky, what's going on, man?
00:46Yeah, yeah. What's the deal, man?
00:48Not much, man. I'm good.
00:50Just, hey, Knicks have been looking good.
00:5319 games, they've been looking pretty good so far.
00:55I know you're more happy about that.
00:57I know you've got to be happy about the start to the season.
01:00Yeah, absolutely.
01:01You know, when you make such a drastic change, like we did over the summer, coaching change and everything like that,
01:07obviously the culture is going to change and the locker room could potentially change.
01:11But knowing that those things did not, you know, that's always great.
01:15Like, I'm always going to remember, as much as I love us, I'm always going to remember little moments where I'm like, that could come back to bite us, right?
01:23Like, there was a Bulls game early in the season.
01:26Yeah.
01:26And I'm like, that could come back to bite us.
01:28We should have won that.
01:29There was an Orlando game, two Orlando games.
01:32That could come back to bite.
01:32Because then you get to the point in April when there's a difference between 48 wins and, you know, 58 wins or something like that.
01:40And you're like, those were the games.
01:43You know what I mean?
01:43It was those little guys.
01:44It's not losing to OKC.
01:46It's not losing to, you know, one of these powerhouse teams.
01:50It's losing to a Chicago who gets stomped by 30 the next night in Boston or something.
01:56You know what I mean?
01:56Like, it's like, oh, those are the nights, you know.
01:59So those little hiccups.
02:00I got like four games that I've already seen.
02:03I'm like, we should have won that one.
02:04But to your point, you know, we do look good.
02:09We do look like the threat that people wanted us to be.
02:12And I think as the season goes on and we continue to shake off those changes, I'm not going to call them growing pains because that would feel disrespectful to Mike Brown.
02:19But I would say the changes, we should be all right.
02:23Yeah.
02:23I mean, look, 13-9 to start the season.
02:26It's 13-6.
02:28I don't want to put too many losses on the Knicks here.
02:3013-6 to start the season.
02:33Don't want to do that.
02:33But, Scott, before we get into the music, I guess, how would you describe your view?
02:38You did a little bit of this, of the Knicks start to the season so far.
02:42What's, I guess, what has stood out to you from the jump in this season when you look at this Knicks team?
02:46Well, just those moments, like I said, but also, too, the fact that the continuity of the locker room from last season was so strong that something as catastrophic as a coaching change.
03:00We had Tibbs in there for, what, four or five years or whatever it was.
03:03At least it felt like four or five years.
03:05The coaching change didn't shake that, right?
03:08The roster stayed the same for the most part.
03:10We upped the bench a good bit.
03:11But when a coaching change happens, man, a lot of things kind of shake.
03:16We've seen it over the years with any and every team.
03:19And that didn't happen with us.
03:21So that's a testament to the bond and the relationship that the players have in that locker room, which speaks volumes.
03:26If you didn't know it before, like if you didn't know it last year based on how they was moving, here's the proof now.
03:32That no matter who comes in, no matter what changes are made, no matter what program or regime we got to adjust to, we're still locked in.
03:40We're still here.
03:41And that is monumental.
03:44So that's been a big part of our saving grace.
03:47Somebody like a Josh Hart, who has always literally been the heart of the city and wore that on his sleeve since he got here.
03:53Yeah, I'm cool going to the bench.
03:54Let's go.
03:55Like that, those types of things, you know, are priceless.
03:59You know, those types of moments of camaraderie and respect for the team and for winning, that stuff is priceless.
04:06And it goes into those 13 wins, like you said, which should have been like 17, but, you know, it goes to them 13 wins.
04:12Yeah, yeah, yeah.
04:12We always want more.
04:14We always feel like they should have had more.
04:16Green New Yorker, man.
04:17Yeah, it's the losses that keep you up at night.
04:19So once you're thinking about it late in the season, like, man, we could have had a little bit more.
04:23But listen, winning 13 out of your first 19, you know, not too shabby there.
04:29Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'll take that.
04:31I'll take that.
04:31Yeah, you'll sign for any time.
04:33From your vantage point, as a lifelong Knicks fan, right, which, you know, you've been on the show with me multiple times.
04:39Everybody knows that about you.
04:40What feels different to you about this group compared to last year's squad?
04:46Because you talked about the continuity that they had, even though they changed the coach.
04:50Well, what feels different about this group that maybe has you saying, huh, okay, they can do something?
04:55I think they know the expectations that are on them.
04:58You know, a lot of times players like to not openly say it, not admit it, not, you know, put that on their jacket, you know, for lack of a better term.
05:07But it feels like they know it, like this is the year we got to win it.
05:13If we don't do it this year, it could get bad because there's not too many excuses that are left on the table.
05:20I'm not saying that they ever signed up for excuses, but there were reasons.
05:23There were reasons in the past.
05:24This year with, you know, Boston being where they are as far as Tatum, Indiana with Halliburton and, you know, Miles Turner leaving and, you know, Dame leaving Milwaukee and Giannis, you know, Milwaukee just being Giannis and Giannis and friends, right?
05:39Like, it's, the window is there.
05:43I mean, perfect example is Detroit.
05:45Detroit is taking advantage of that full steam ahead.
05:48I mean, they've won like 100 games in a row.
05:50Like, so, you know, it's, that's a perfect example and that's not a team that anyone thought would be ready yet, right?
05:57They pushed us to the brink last year in the first round, but everybody say, yo, they're going to need another two or three years and maybe some veteran presence in that locker room to really take that next step.
06:06But they're in the right direction.
06:08They blew past that direction.
06:09You know, these guys at the top of the East, no one saw that coming.
06:12With the roster that they have, no one saw that.
06:15So they're playing with confidence and a chip on their shoulder, you know, and those are two deadly combinations.
06:20When it comes to winning, you know, those, those go hand in hand.
06:23Confidence and a chip on your shoulder, David and Goliath, man, anything could happen.
06:27So we're seeing that.
06:28We're seeing the Detroit's know what's at stake.
06:31The Orlando's know what's at stake.
06:33The lane is wide open.
06:33And I hope the Knicks see that as well.
06:36And going back to your question of what feels different, it feels like they do see that.
06:41Sometimes when they play, you see that sense of urgency on them because they know, yeah, every game counts because this is the year to get that parade on 33rd and 7th, man.
06:49Because next year, Tatum's coming back with a vengeance.
06:51Hallie is coming back with a vengeance.
06:53And all these guys, this is the year to take advantage of these moments.
06:56Yeah.
06:57And listen, a lot of Knicks fans felt that.
06:59You could feel that this season.
07:00I was talking to Chuck D before the start of the season about this, and he was telling me that, too.
07:04You could feel that this year, right?
07:05The most anticipated Knicks season in 30 years.
07:09And you could definitely feel it.
07:10But I felt like now was the perfect time to talk to you and me knowing you as a Knicks fan because you talked about Brown.
07:17You talked about the switch coming from Tibbs.
07:19But what's your level of belief in Mike Brown's system now that we've seen about a month of a sample size with him coaching?
07:25And how would you define this Knicks team's identity right now?
07:30When you look at Mike Brown and what he's doing, how are you feeling about it?
07:33What's the identity of this Knicks team right now?
07:37I like his system.
07:38I like that he's been able to come in right away and not have to ease his way into the role.
07:43You know, you see him on the bench.
07:45I think it was maybe the first, second game, yelling at players and really getting after it.
07:49And as somebody who's, you know, a new coach to this team, he's not a new coach in the league.
07:53He's been around forever.
07:54But a new coach to this team, to this city, and this group of players to come in and day one, you know, the new teacher is yelling at the students as if he's been in the school for 10, 15 years.
08:04That's amazing.
08:05And them taking that and them being good with that and there being no issues of anything as far as tension or anything.
08:11That's amazing.
08:12So it shows that he's not afraid of the moment.
08:15He's not afraid of the light.
08:17You're going to need that in this city.
08:18You know, on top of that, offensively, you know, we're seeing the ball move.
08:25We're seeing speed, which is what we wanted, which is what everyone talked about during the Tibbs regime.
08:30Like, yo, we got to get faster.
08:31We got to get modern when it comes to offense.
08:33We got to do all those things.
08:34Of course, everyone's going to compare the defense because Tibbs was a defensive wizard.
08:38I think using that bench more has been great.
08:41I do think we need more on the bench.
08:43We were very excited at the beginning of the year, well, over the summer, rather, of what the bench would be.
08:49Love the Clarkson addition and all that.
08:51But I think outside of Clarkson, I think we do need a little bit more.
08:56And I feel like they probably would address it at the trade deadline in February.
09:01I think the bench does need a little more of a boost.
09:04It can't just be all on Jordan Clarkson, at least on paper.
09:08You know, McBride is dope.
09:10He's going to do his thing.
09:10Josh Hart coming off the bench is dope.
09:13He's going to do his thing.
09:14I still like Hart better as a starter because he provides that grit and being able to get after it on rebounds and not needing the ball.
09:21But then the guys coming off the bench, everyone off the bench has to be able to provide an offensive spark because now it's the bench and we may have to run up the numbers and help pad the lead that the starters got or fill in the blanks that the starters may not have had tonight.
09:35So there's a little bit more of a weighty responsibility on the bench, believe it or not.
09:39So I like Josh Hart better in the starting lineup because defensively he's needed, energy-wise he's needed, but we don't need you offensively as much in that starting lineup because you got Brunson, you got McHale, you got Towns, you got OG even who can give you 25.
09:53But now the bench guys that we're really looking for you to give us 15, 20 tonight if you can, that's a different responsibility to put on Josh Hart as well as being the rebound guy and the defensive guy and the energy guy and going to the stands for the loose ball guy.
10:07And, you know, I like him better in the starting lineup, but I love that he was willing to go to the bench.
10:12I think they do need to address at least one more piece.
10:15Malcolm Brogdon was that piece and then, you know, he tapped out for whatever reason at the beginning of the season.
10:20And that was a blow.
10:21A lot of people forget about that moment, but that was a big blow.
10:24You know, he was looked at, man, this guy might give us 14 points and six assists a night and lead this bench and God forbid JB get a tweak in his ankle or something.
10:33So we know we're good and, you know, that was a big blow.
10:36It got swept under the rug really fast, but let's not forget that that happened.
10:40So I think they do need to address one more piece off the bench that can be a reliable ball handler and a reliable scorer, preferably at the point position during, you know, the trade deadline or something to be able to get that in there.
10:55But we look good.
10:56Offensively, we look good.
10:58Defensively, it's not what it was last year.
11:01But I hate the comparison with Brown and Tibbs, like let him get his time to do what he has to do.
11:06But time is ticking because the city is ready.
11:09And last year we was right there, you know, so it's it's a conundrum for him.
11:14Yeah, yeah, yeah.
11:14No, people are people are anxious about it.
11:18You said so.
11:19It's going to kind of go to where I was going to go next with you.
11:21But you just brought up the fact that you think they need a little bit more off the bench.
11:25And one of the things every time I'm talking to fans, some people feel like they need another big.
11:29Some people feel like they need another wing.
11:31Some people feel like you.
11:32They need another backup point guard.
11:35The other day I was talking with my colleague, Stefan Bondi, and he said to me, look, the Knicks are still what he's hearing is the Knicks are definitely still looking for another backup point guard.
11:43Let me ask you this.
11:44Are you a believer in Tyler Kolek as that guy?
11:48Do you think he has time to earn that spot before we get to the trade deadline or you're kind of like, nah, they need a more a veteran presence.
11:56They need to fill this right now.
11:58I'm a believer in him down the road and that's nothing against him.
12:03Got you.
12:03It's just the time is now.
12:06So having room to grow and needing time to grow would be great in an ideal situation.
12:12This isn't really an ideal situation because of the way everything ended last year.
12:16So it's go time.
12:18And the way everything panned out with certain players being off of rosters because of injuries, because of bad luck, because of, you know, whatever it may be, the time is now.
12:29So I do like Kolek, but I know he's not who we should go to right off the bench after JB because it is about right now.
12:39You know, if this was three years ago, four years ago and expectations were a little different.
12:44Absolutely.
12:45I think you could have that room to stretch out, you know, and do all of that.
12:48But I don't think you can ask that of him right now.
12:52I think they need to make a play of some sort.
12:55I don't mean a 36-year-old veteran, but somebody in that good 27 to 30 range.
13:02I don't know who that is.
13:03I'd have to look at, you know, hoops hype or something like that.
13:06But, you know, somebody who can come in off the bench and get busy right away at the point guard position who scores and facilitates, you know, that's preferably ideally what it'll be.
13:18Just like you said, Stefan Bondi noted, you know, that is where my attention would go.
13:23If I'm Leon Rose in World Wide West, that's where my attention would go.
13:27Who do we have that can handle the rock, putting it in the rim and putting it on the floor, throwing it up ahead, creating the offense, creating that moment after JB sits down and gets a rest or God forbid he tweaks something or whatever it is.
13:43And I like McBride a lot, you know, but I think you need that super reliable guy who we know can score and pass the rock and has the experience.
13:52You know, not a Kyle Lowry, not somebody who's been here a couple of decades, but, you know, somebody who has that experience behind him.
14:01I'm trying to think of somebody on the fly, but somebody who would have that.
14:05A Brogdon was a nice, nice situation.
14:07It made a lot of sense.
14:08I don't know the story behind it.
14:10You know, that's a story for another time, but it made a lot of sense.
14:13You know, I was excited.
14:15We all were.
14:16Like, yo, we got Brogdon, you know, and it fell through.
14:19But, you know, it is what it is.
14:21I got a couple of names for you, and it's funny because I talked to Steph about this before.
14:25Jose Alvarado from New Orleans.
14:27How do you feel about him?
14:28Yep.
14:28He would be great.
14:29The only thing is the veteran idea goes out the window with him because he is younger.
14:36But he would be great.
14:37Brooklyn guy, like you said, I like that a lot.
14:39He would be a dope name.
14:41I'm not mad at that.
14:42It just doesn't check the veteran box.
14:43But I just want to be careful with that.
14:45I don't mean veteran as in somebody who got drafted in, you know, in 99, you know what
14:50I mean?
14:50Like, you know, it's just a nice window.
14:53Somebody about 27 years old or something.
14:55Yeah.
14:56That's like somebody around JB age and Julius Randall age who obviously is not here.
15:00But, you know, like cat age and all that.
15:02That's what I mean.
15:03I got you.
15:03He's kind of close to that range.
15:06There was another name I had that Stephan Bondi had tossed at me before.
15:09I don't know why it's escaping me.
15:10But the market is limited.
15:12But it'll open up.
15:13It'll definitely open up as we get closer.
15:15Now, you just mentioned Josh Hart and him going to the bench.
15:19And Mike Brown, he recently tweaked the starting lineup, right?
15:22He kept Josh Hart and Deuce McBride.
15:23They've started the last four games, I believe, while bringing Mitchell Robinson back off the
15:28bench.
15:29What did you think of that move?
15:30And if the Knicks are smaller with that lineup, this obviously now with OG out.
15:34But do you like that move?
15:35And do you think that's something that Mike Brown should stick with?
15:38You really like Josh Hart starting, but do you like that lineup where you got Josh Hart
15:42in there or Deuce in there?
15:44Do you think that's better for this Knicks team?
15:46I'm old school.
15:47I'm not a fan of small basketball in the starting lineup.
15:51But I think it's game to game.
15:54You know, there are certain teams where it makes sense to run a small lineup and just run
15:58them out the gym.
16:00And then there's certain teams where you have to play big.
16:02You know, your Orlandos and all those guys where you have to play big.
16:05So, you know, I think it depends on the night-to-night basis.
16:08And that's where having this type of roster makes so much sense.
16:11And it's so advantageous because you have guys who don't have that ego, who would be
16:17okay.
16:17Mitchell Robinson, all right, cool.
16:18No problem.
16:20Josh Hart, all right, cool.
16:21No problem.
16:21You know, you have guys that are cool with that.
16:23And that's huge because I don't know of a lot of people who are like that.
16:27So that is where that comes in at.
16:30And like I said, I'm old school, you know, my favorite point guard, you know, growing
16:34up and still is Penny Hardaway, six, seven, you know, I'm, I'm that guy, like, yo, give
16:38me everybody tall.
16:39But, you know, in certain situations, it does make sense to go with a small lineup.
16:45And then tomorrow night, everybody may need to be six, 11 and better, you know, so it,
16:50it depends on who we playing that night.
16:53I think that's how you have to look at it.
16:54And that's what a great coach does.
16:56Yeah.
16:56And I think that Mike Brown has shown to have the versatility sky where he will mix and
17:02match depending on the opponent.
17:03And that's something I do like.
17:04I think that's the way you got to approach it, right?
17:06Depending on who you're playing, you want to mix.
17:08That's what the regular season is for too.
17:09That's something I've always been saying.
17:11This is what this time is for.
17:12So when you have certain matchups in the playoffs, you have the ability, guys have already played
17:17these minutes together.
17:18Okay.
17:18We know what it's like with this lineup.
17:20Okay.
17:20We know what it's like with this lineup.
17:21And I think that flexibility is good for the Knicks.
17:24Now with Jalen Brunson, there's some early MVP chatter around him again, especially after
17:29what he did in the Bucs win that we saw the other night from a fan's perspective.
17:35Do you think that he deserves this MVP chatter that we've been seeing from him?
17:41And do you think there should be maybe more respect put on Brunson's name for playing at
17:45an MVP level?
17:46What do you think about the way Brunson has played to start the season?
17:50Well, his jersey says New York across the chest and blue and orange lettuce.
17:54So I'm always going to say yeah to that, without a doubt.
17:56I'm always going to say yeah to any MVP chatter with somebody wearing our jersey.
18:00So that's a given regard.
18:02They can score two points a night.
18:03If they get an MVP chatter wearing that jersey, I'm all for it.
18:07But no, Brunson has obviously once again proven who he is, who he's always going to be.
18:12And it's always going to be about putting respect on his name.
18:16No matter how much respect he's getting, it's always going to be about him getting more because
18:20we know he plays with that chip.
18:22We know he's been doubted and, you know, forgotten about and called undersized and everything since
18:27he was 12 years old.
18:28And you can see that in the way he plays.
18:30You can see it even in the way he does his interviews.
18:32The energy he gives is like he always has a chip.
18:36He always seems like something's going on, you know, and that's just a testament to him
18:41always having to fight and get it out the mud, as we like to say.
18:44Him getting those chants, he's dropping 30 or so a night and pulling us through.
18:49And it's to the point where, you know, anytime he throws up anything in the lane in the mid
18:53range, you are expecting it to drop.
18:55And when you become that type of player, heavy is the head that wears the crown.
18:59But man, it's a beautiful, shiny crown, you know, like every time he gets in that lane,
19:04it's kind of like Dame Lillard.
19:05Anytime Dame will get in there, you're like, that's going to drop.
19:08Anytime JB gets in that lane, gets to that spot, mid range, especially a floater, you're
19:15banking that to drop.
19:16And if it doesn't drop, it's like, wait a minute, why are pigs flying, right?
19:19Like it feels like that.
19:21So when you become that kind of guy, you know, the sky's the limit, man.
19:25It's yours.
19:26Yeah, no, heavy is the crown.
19:28Now he's a, he's a king of New York right now, playing like that.
19:30Absolutely.
19:31For sure.
19:32No doubt about that.
19:33Now you mentioned your guy, Josh Hart, Mike Brown, the other day, he called him quote wild
19:37card mode.
19:38I like that.
19:38He's, he said he throws the game into a blender with his energy.
19:42What do you make of the impact that he's having right now, especially since returning
19:46to the starting lineup?
19:47Because a lot of Knicks fans last year in the playoffs, some of them were out on Josh Hart
19:52and listen, he, he had some up and down moments, but right now he's shooting the ball
19:56well from downtown.
19:58He's rebounding well and he looks confident back in this starting lineup.
20:01What do you make of what we've been seeing from him this year?
20:04It goes to what I said.
20:05He, he has to start because like I said, it, it seems like as a starter, your, your vest
20:13is heavier.
20:14Your responsibility is heavier and it's true, but coming off that bench, you need instant
20:19offense.
20:20That's any team in the league coming off that bench.
20:21You need instant offense, but if you're a starter as Josh Hart, you know, on any other
20:26team and you're starting to go out and you're expected to get 25 at night.
20:29That's one thing.
20:30But on this team with JB, McHale, OG, Kat, you don't, we don't need that from you, but
20:39you can still have the freedom and flexibility, right?
20:41Like they're going to leave you open because they're afraid of JB.
20:45They're afraid of Kat.
20:46They're afraid of McHale.
20:47They know if, if, if OG get in there, it's a wrap it for, so they're going to leave you
20:52open and you can get the three ball going again and you can get to the hole again and you can
20:56play more free than, all right, it's on me and Clarkson to run these numbers up in the
21:02next seven minutes.
21:03That's a different responsibility.
21:05And growing up, everyone wants to start because if you start, you're the man, but coming off
21:09that bench, that's a different responsibility, you know?
21:11So I, that's why I think he's so much more successful, even though he's not the 25 a night
21:17scorer and superstar scorer, whatever you want to call it, he's so much more successful
21:21in that starting lineup because his responsibility is a lot different than the other two guards
21:28who start and their responsibilities.
21:30His responsibility is a lot different in that starting lineup.
21:33But when you go to the bench, it's like, you got to really, we need you to go out there
21:38and hit five shots in a row, bro.
21:40And that's not his game.
21:41But if he can just be the lunch pail guy to clean up and be the best offense, the best
21:47rebounding guard in the league, right?
21:49Like continuing to be that guy that we've known, that's from him being in the starting
21:54lineup and having so many weapons at his disposal, there's more room for him to just fly freely,
21:59you know?
22:00So he's, he has to start.
22:01He got to start, no doubt.
22:03Yeah.
22:03I'm really intrigued when OG comes back as to what Mike Brown does.
22:06Does he keep in starting lineup?
22:08Because he's playing so well right now.
22:09And you know what, I heard you say all that, Sky, and when you look at him, he's playing
22:13really confident right now.
22:14Even how he's letting the three fly, we know he had the injury with his finger, but he's
22:18just looking a lot more confident.
22:21It's a different responsibility off that bench because we got to run these numbers up now.
22:26Either we're in a hole and we're being brought in because we're in a hole, or we're being
22:30brought in because our guys need a rest and they ran the numbers up, but now we can't
22:33let that lead slip away, right?
22:35So it's a different responsibility.
22:37And Clarkson is great for that.
22:40He's somebody who's been a starter his life and been, his whole life and been a bucket
22:43his whole life, but also became a bench guy and learned how to really flourish in that
22:47position.
22:48But a heart, that's, that's not for him, you know, to have to run up a bunch of numbers
22:53overnight.
22:54So for him to be on our starting team, not any other roster starting lineup, but for our
23:00starting lineup, makes a lot of sense for him.
23:02Anywhere else you might say, no, he's better suited for the bench.
23:05But with this starting five, he makes perfect sense as a starter.
23:09I've been saying that for years.
23:10I'm a big Josh Hart fan.
23:12Yeah.
23:12And he knows, he knows his role and he does so many little things to me that contributes
23:16to winning for sure.
23:18So when you look at this Knick team, Sky, what's your view of the Knicks ceiling this
23:23season?
23:23Does this feel like another 50 win type run or does this feel like something bigger?
23:28Because you talked about the pressure that is on this team this season, right?
23:32And the players being aware of that pressure.
23:34But what's your view of this team?
23:36Like, what do you think they can do?
23:37What's the ceiling for this Knicks squad?
23:39It has to be a 50 win minimum because you're going to compare everything to Tibbs, right?
23:45You're going to say, okay, Tibbs got us almost to the mountaintop and then you get rid of
23:50him.
23:51Anything that gets done to you has to eclipse that.
23:53It can't even match it because if it matches it, it's like, well, we could have just kept
23:56that guy, right?
23:57So like, you know, it has to eclipse it.
24:00So that's why the coaching search was so vicious because it's like, whoever it is is going to
24:06have to work cut out for them.
24:07It cannot go backwards and it can't be lateral.
24:10Like, it has to go up.
24:12So they've got to eclipse 50 wins.
24:15They have to get to the NBA finals in order for the coaching change to be a success.
24:21And I hate that for Mike Brown because that leaves very little room to grow and figure
24:26things out and get acclimated and get comfortable in your seat.
24:30But that's why they paid him what they paid him.
24:32You know, the Knicks have to go to the finals.
24:35I'm of the belief that they got to win it all because the East is wide open as we're seeing
24:40with Detroit.
24:41And once you're in the finals, anything can happen.
24:44You got seven chances.
24:45Anything can happen.
24:46You know, you could play against, you know, the 96 Bulls, seven games, Madison Square Garden,
24:5319,000 people screaming in abundance.
24:56Anything can happen.
24:57You're putting more pressure on the Knicks.
25:01Listen, their checks are pretty for real.
25:04They know the pressure they got.
25:05Facts.
25:05Facts.
25:06You're right about that.
25:07They got all the pressure.
25:08And that's what the money's for.
25:10You're 100% right about that.
25:12And it's out of love.
25:13The pressure is out of love.
25:14Yeah, of course.
25:15The pressure to make diamonds.
25:15Of course.
25:16Pressure makes diamonds.
25:17You're right about that.
25:18It's out of love.
25:18The fans want it so bad.
25:20We know this as native New Yorkers.
25:22The fans want it so bad.
25:23That's why the pressure is there.
25:25And it's been so long since they've seen this team win.
25:27So, listen, I say this all the time.
25:31If you're a Knicks fan, you got to like this pressure.
25:33You have to like these moments.
25:34You have to love it when the garden is rocking in the spring.
25:38And, you know, you want to win.
25:40Because, look, you've seen it.
25:41I've got to tell you.
25:42You remember the – this is – we're talking six, seven years ago.
25:4518 win seasons.
25:47You know, you remember what that's like.
25:49So, you don't want to go back there.
25:50You don't want to go back there.
25:52Yeah, absolutely.
25:52You want this.
25:53And, you know, there's a feeling of expectation that existed in 92, 93, 94.
26:02Those years where the Knicks were a top three team in the East always for a good four, five years, six years in a row.
26:08You know, so it was expected.
26:10It was like the good teams in the league are the Bulls, the Knicks, Sonics, the Suns.
26:14You know, like that was what it was.
26:16Orlando, they were my bro, Penny's era.
26:18But you knew who the top guys were.
26:20And there were years where the Knicks were in that every year.
26:24And it was early and mid-90s.
26:26Yeah, it was like, yeah, the Knicks are great.
26:28And so what?
26:29What is wet?
26:30Like that's the expectation.
26:31So when you get back to that, that's a great place to be in.
26:35But it does come with the pressure.
26:36And I think that is where the Knicks are.
26:38It's like, yeah, the Knicks are great.
26:40Absolutely.
26:41We expect them to be great.
26:42When you get to that point, if you're a Dolan, that's what you've been asking for.
26:46That's what you've been paying for, literally, right, is to get to that place.
26:50So I think they are at that place where it's like, yeah, the Knicks are great.
26:53That's why I point out those Chicago losses and those Orlando losses.
26:58Like those are teams you're supposed to smack those guys.
27:00Like you lose to OKC, you lose to red-hot Luka Lakers, cool.
27:06You can expect and respect that.
27:08Even if Giannis can go for 50 and lead his friends by himself, cool.
27:14But, you know, when the Bulls is coming to town and running you out the room,
27:18those are the ones that haunt you.
27:19You could say, well, it's just one game.
27:21But those are the ones that haunt you late March, early April.
27:24Yeah.
27:24No, the pressure is there.
27:25But this is what makes this season so fun.
27:28All right, let's talk about some of the music.
27:30Let's shift to your new EP, Views of a Lifetime.
27:33Love the title.
27:34When I saw you release the title and the track list and all that,
27:38I thought about this.
27:39I was like, Sky always has projects that has a concept.
27:42And so is there one for this EP?
27:45And what is the title, Views of a Lifetime?
27:48What does that represent for you?
27:50Yeah, there's absolutely a concept.
27:52You know, with me, every single one is going to be conceptual in some regard.
27:56And with this one, the idea is, okay, we're coming off of Keep Me Company,
28:01which was my last album, which was all about growth.
28:03So now that you've settled into this mode of growth,
28:06now you're looking back on what you grew from, right?
28:09You're looking back on what you grew out of and the changes that you made
28:13and some of the things that stayed the same or kind of adapted
28:16or whatever it may be from that growth.
28:18And you're looking back on that lifetime.
28:22You're looking back on that page that you just turned
28:24and everything that you expected on it, everything that you achieved,
28:29the goals that you didn't achieve and that you're trying to make sense of,
28:34the things that were out of your control,
28:36that you thought were in your control but didn't know what you were up against.
28:39And it's just a lot of realization of wondering and realizing
28:43what was, what is, and what to expect will be
28:48now that you've grown and made these changes.
28:51So you're just looking back, views of a lifetime.
28:53So on the project, you know, I talk a lot about the things I expected
28:57getting into the rap game, you know, almost 20 years ago,
29:02you know, which it doesn't feel like it, it doesn't seem like it.
29:04But, you know, my first retail project was an EP back in 2006.
29:09So I'm 19 years in the game.
29:11So I talk a lot about the things I expected, the dreams that I had,
29:17some of them fulfilled and some of them not being so.
29:20Some of that was out of choice.
29:21If I said, hey, I have this goal, I want to go here.
29:24And then you realize what it takes to go there,
29:27your morals kick in and you're like, well, I'm not going to be able to go there
29:30because what I have to do to go there, I'm not with that.
29:33So I have to pivot.
29:33And then you've got to look back and be like, well, was the pivot worth it?
29:37Am I good?
29:38Yeah, I'm good.
29:38But, dad, that would have been nice to fulfill that dream, you know.
29:41So that's what it's about.
29:42It's about looking back and realizing what did and did not happen.
29:47So I speak on those things a lot on this project.
29:49A lot of the expectations I had coming up, getting into the game,
29:53and then where those things shifted and changed that,
29:55and some of them stayed the same and some of them didn't.
29:58So I listened to you just say that, and I was thinking about personally,
30:02because you and I have been doing what we do pretty much the same amount of time,
30:061920, you've been doing this in sports journalism, you've been doing this in hip-hop.
30:12And I think about myself looking back at things in my career
30:15and the expectations you have when you're younger about how things will go in your career.
30:19When you're looking back and then putting this into this project,
30:21did you find this therapeutic in any way for you to do so?
30:26Did it help you in any way and just, you know?
30:29Yeah, at times.
30:30At times, for sure.
30:32I have a record on here called The Soloist, produced by the other guys.
30:35And it just comes from you get in, you have these visions of what it's going to be.
30:42Certain people wind up in your world, on your journey.
30:46Those people aren't with you on that journey anymore,
30:48but they're still running around on their own journeys and different things happen.
30:51And sometimes you sit back and you're like, it might be better to be a soloist.
30:56Like, I became a soloist by default, and maybe that wasn't a bad thing.
31:01So it's those types of moments.
31:02Those are the therapeutic moments.
31:04Like, The Soloist, I have another record called Half Bloom, where I talk about that.
31:08I'm saying, hey, man, we've done all this, but we're only a half bloom.
31:12And I say we, meaning myself and the fans and the listeners and supporters.
31:16Like, we're all in one.
31:17I'm looking at y'all, y'all looking at me.
31:19We expect certain things of one another from the musician to the fan.
31:26But we're only at Half Bloom.
31:27It's been 19 years, but we haven't even really bloomed all the way yet.
31:32There's still so much more to go.
31:33There's still so much more to grow.
31:36And that's what the record Half Bloom is about.
31:38So those two records in particular were on the therapeutic side, like you said.
31:43But it's also a very raw album.
31:46You know, my music is always very jazzy.
31:48This one is no different, but it's not as much on the jazz side as you may be used to.
31:56It's more raw production-wise.
31:58It's still straight up hip-hop, New York.
32:00You know, don't look for me to go trap or drill.
32:03That's not happening.
32:04But when I say it's a little less jazzy, people may be like, whoa.
32:07You know, it's still 100% jazzy.
32:10You know, my man Sean Taylor is still playing on records with that muted, harmony, muted trumpet.
32:14But it's more raw, right?
32:17Like I've got Conductor Williams on a beat, which everyone loves Conductor right now and everything that he's doing.
32:22And he's doing marvelous things for hip-hop.
32:24But, you know, his stuff is gritty and raw.
32:26You know, my man Camouflage Monk from Griselda is on it.
32:29Gritty and raw.
32:30My man Twommie is on it.
32:31Gritty and raw.
32:32You know, so those things are, you know, on the project.
32:37Thelonious Martin, another raw, gritty producer from Chicago.
32:40So it's more raw production-wise.
32:44And sonically, it's a little more raw and a little more outside, in front of the store.
32:51You know, cold weather, Newport soft pack, gritty hip-hop production-wise.
32:57But then I'm still going to sneak the jazz in there, you know.
32:59So it makes sense.
33:01Trust me, when you hear it, you're going to love it.
33:03It's still what you want from a Sky's Who album.
33:07But I'm never going to be the same.
33:09I'm just going to have resemblance of who I am, always.
33:13No, that makes sense.
33:15And I, for people, I'm excited to hear the project.
33:18I got to hear one of the tracks.
33:20Sky was kind enough to let me hear the Sky's Light track early.
33:24It's what everybody thinks it is.
33:26We're dropping this the day that it drops.
33:27So you'll get to hear it, too.
33:29Check that out when you hear it.
33:30That's the first thing.
33:31Really good one.
33:32But you kind of made me go to this, because you're talking about your music.
33:35You said, you know, your music has always been rooted in New York.
33:38I would say the culture, the community, the grind.
33:40So, and you know, we both are big jazz fans and love that sound and hip-hop.
33:44But I got to ask you this.
33:46I don't think I've ever asked you this question before.
33:47How much does being a Knicks fan shape your perspective as a musical artist?
33:52Does it have any impact at all whatsoever?
33:54Just everything you've watched with the Knicks, everything you've seen around the Knicks,
33:58the joys, the heartaches, the heartbreaks, does that affect you as an artist at all,
34:04any kind of way?
34:04It does subconsciously and in a literal sense, right?
34:10Like, it's not like when I'm making records, I'm thinking about the Knicks, unless it's
34:14a Knick record, like blue and orange, everything.
34:16But, you know, I think the grit representing the city.
34:21My thing with the Knicks was always our team representing the city, you know, and that
34:27changes over different rosters and eras of the Knicks, right?
34:31Like, of course, the early mid-90s Knicks with, you know, Ewing and Mace and Oakley and
34:36Starks, that was such a representation of New York, right?
34:40And then you go to Marbury and, you know, Crawford, and that was such a great representation
34:45of New York.
34:45Playground style ball and everything.
34:47You know, and then you fast forward to the Mellow Arrow, my bro Mellow and Amari and
34:52Tyson and Shump and JR, like, that was super New York.
34:56Like, those were New York guys, you know?
34:58You could see them at Greenhouse later that night.
35:01Like, those were super New York guys, right?
35:03So, it's always about the team reflecting and representing the city.
35:07And the way that plays into me and my music is I'm always going to represent New York.
35:12I don't care where I live.
35:13I don't care where I'm writing and recording.
35:15I can be like the woo and be recording in the Bahamas, you know, on purple tape.
35:21It doesn't matter.
35:22It's going to be New York City.
35:24You're going to think I recorded it in somebody's basement, you know, on Nostra Nav.
35:27You know, it's going to be New York.
35:29And I don't have to be sitting in New York to give you that because I've been a New Yorker
35:36for 42 and a half years and that's not going to change.
35:39So, it can't get too much more New York.
35:42I don't ever have to step foot in New York again and you would still be like, yo, that
35:46guy's from New York 100% just from how he walked in the store, you know?
35:50So, the music giving you that same feeling is the win for me.
35:54Yeah.
35:55No, it is the win.
35:56I think that's always been there for you in your music.
35:59And I think something, Sky, fans, when they talk about your music, and I would agree with
36:03this.
36:04We were talking about this before we started recording just about some of my favorite
36:08albums of yours.
36:09And we have very similar and what you think are the same.
36:11But your music, you know, just in terms of your writing and your pen, it plays like cinema.
36:16So, I'll ask this.
36:17If this EP is sort of another set of views, right, which is part of your title, what do
36:24you hope that listeners see when they hear it?
36:26And, like, what's the one thing or message slash mission that you want them to walk away
36:31with from this project?
36:33I would say that regardless of the change in the views, right, like the way seeing things
36:42and, okay, the goal was this, and it turned into that, just knowing who and what I did
36:47it for.
36:48And, you know, I have a line, I have a record called Love Day, and I said, it's another one
36:54of my favorite records on the project.
36:55And one of the opening lines, I said, I put culture over money.
37:01I put strangers over me.
37:03And that's one of my favorite lines I've ever written in my career.
37:06If I had to pick 20 lines in my career, that's one of them.
37:10You know, I put culture over money.
37:11I put strangers over me.
37:13Think about the idea of putting strangers over you.
37:16And what I mean by that is, I know if I go this way, I can make hundreds of millions of
37:23dollars.
37:24But I'm choosing to go this way and represent people who I don't even know, strangers,
37:30right?
37:30And put the best music forward and the best message and carry that baton and put that
37:34flag on and put that hat on and go out for strangers.
37:39You know, I put the culture over money.
37:41I put strangers over me.
37:43And when you can honestly do that and sleep good at night, that speaks so much about your
37:48character.
37:48And I'm not trying to pat myself on the back, but it speaks so much.
37:51So I want people to really understand that.
37:54And when they hear moments like that on this project, really realize that that's what's
38:00been done over the past 19 years and beyond.
38:02And it's like, wow, it's sacrifice.
38:05You know, it's like, wow, he really, really did that for us.
38:08And he doesn't even know us.
38:09We know him from the music, but he doesn't know us.
38:12We're thousands of people, hundreds of thousands of people all over the world.
38:16We don't know.
38:17You know, he doesn't know us, but we know him.
38:18So really understanding the gravity of that.
38:23Ah, that's not, that's a, that's a, that's a really dope and powerful, powerful message.
38:28I'm sure.
38:28Do you have a favorite song on the album?
38:31I know it's hard.
38:32It's hard.
38:32Like, it's hard picking your favorite album.
38:33Yeah, it's tough.
38:35I would say Love Day is up there for sure.
38:39Half Bloom, the soloist, Sky's Life, produced by my man DJ Manipulator.
38:43You know, that was me spinning and putting my take on Nas' Life, of course.
38:47Um, so, you know, a classic that we all love from, you know, 99.
38:52And I was just like, something I had an idea of for a while.
38:56And, uh, it was about finding the right moment, the right beat, the right time.
39:00And I was like, yeah, let's do it.
39:01You know, Sky's Life.
39:02Uh, so, you know, that, um, man, there's so many, man.
39:07Um, oh man, The Wager, produced by my man Cartoon.
39:11Uh, he, that, that record, there's so many, man.
39:14Yeah.
39:15There's nine records.
39:16Nine tracks.
39:16You know, Joe Jackson, nine kids, love them all, you know.
39:20Yeah, it's tough, man.
39:22I'm, I'm excited to, to hear the record, um, fully.
39:26I have heard one track off of it.
39:28It's dope.
39:28You know, I always love your projects.
39:29I guess the last thing before we get out of here, I got to ask you is,
39:32you talked about how the Knicks, they pretty much got to win it all.
39:36Are you willing to, on here on NewYork.game, are you willing to make your prediction?
39:41Are the Knicks, Sky, going to win it all this year?
39:44Is this the year, you know what I mean, I, we already, you and I have talked about this
39:47before.
39:48I know you will be here if there's a parade.
39:50We will be at the parade.
39:51Oh, yeah.
39:52We will see each other.
39:52We've talked about this before, but is this the year, Sky, we get to see each other at the
39:56parade and rock out?
39:59You'll see me in June.
40:01Ooh.
40:02You'll see me in June, baby.
40:03I'm riding.
40:04I'm riding.
40:04Oh, man, this is the second person on the show to make the prediction that the Knicks
40:08are going to take it all the way this year.
40:10Sky, you did it, man.
40:12Views of a Lifetime, that's the new EP that is out on December 5th.
40:17Go support that.
40:17Get some physical copies, too.
40:19Sky, you putting that on vinyl, right?
40:20It's going to come out on vinyl?
40:21Oh, yeah.
40:22The vinyl will be out in January.
40:23Digital now, vinyl in January, so absolutely, it'll be everywhere.
40:27But this Friday, December 5th, Views of a Lifetime.
40:30Right now, Sky's Light, produced by DJ Manipulator.
40:34Go grab it right now.
40:35Go turn it up.
40:36Play it 100 times.
40:38Run through it.
40:39Memorize it.
40:39Enjoy it.
40:40Whatever it is, man.
40:41Let's do it for us, for the culture, for hip-hop, for lyricism, and for the city.
40:45Yeah, Sky's going to be doing all.
40:46Sky will have a lot more coming up, including tours, all that stuff coming out soon, Sky.
40:51You know I got to get a copy of that on vinyl, for sure.
40:53Oh, yeah.
40:54Will, I always appreciate you, brother, for coming through, talking music, hip-hop, Knicks.
40:58Whenever you get to come on, I get to do my two favorite things.
41:00He's going to talk hip-hop and basketball.
41:02Doesn't pretty do that.
41:03Doesn't get better than that, man.
41:04We appreciate you.
41:06That is the great Sky Zoo.
41:07As I said, please check out his new EP, Dropping this Friday, December 5th, Views of a Lifetime.
41:13It's going to be a good one.
41:15That is Sky Zoo.
41:16I'm Dexter Hamill.
41:17We'll catch you next time on NewYork.Gam.
41:19And thanks for watching NewYork.Gam.
41:25Boom shakalaka.
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