Lil Skies is back and better than ever.

The Chambersburg, Pennsylvania rapper boasts one of the most loyal fanbases, with music being his saving grace. Skies exploded onto the scene with his breakout singles “I,” “Nowadays” and “Red Roses” — all of which did ground-breaking numbers on both streaming and YouTube.

Now, after a brief hiatus where Lil Skies focused on being a father and being completely present in his son’s life, Lil Skies returns with his newest body of work titled out ur body, reminding fans that he’s completely independent and ready to drop new music consistently.

The project sees Lil Skies in his most introspective state, taking listeners on a ride through his mind and personal growth both personally and professionally.

AllHipHop spoke with Lil Skies about fatherhood, out ur body, his face tats, studio essentials and more.

AllHipHop: How are you feeling? 

Lil Skies: S### I’m good. I’m just chillin’, spending time with my son all day. I’ve been chillin’, family time.

AllHipHop: How old is he? 

Lil Skies: Four, he’ll be five this year. 

AllHipHop: They grow so fast. 

Lil Skies: Yeah, it’s crazy. I ain’t gon’ lie, it’s crazy.

AllHipHop: How’s fatherhood been? 

Lil Skies: It’s cool. I like it. I enjoy it, a little bit more music probably. 

AllHipHop: What’s the biggest lesson you learned in fatherhood?

Lil Skies: I never thought of that one, that’s a good question. For me, I know that it’s time. Me being there in person, that counts more than the money. That’s the biggest thing for me, because I can’t get that back. The money wherever, that’s gonna be what it’s gon’ be. I can’t let that determine my happiness, and for my son too. So I try to be on that type of time, hands on with it. I’ve been like that since I had him, since he was born. It’s natural at this point, it’s part of my life.

AllHipHop: Were you ready for it?

Lil Skies: Yeah, it happens. What’re you going to do? A lot of people have babies, I don’t think a lot of people plan it. I ain’t gonna say my s### was planned, but it happens. That’s life. I’m thankful because at the end of the day, I don’t want to be an old ass pops. I still want to be able to do stuff with my son when he gets a certain age, hang out with him. Face tats looking crazy at 50.

AllHipHop: What’s your favorite thing to do with him?

Lil Skies: Be with him. He likes to play games, so I take him to the arcade a lot. That’s what we do.

AllHipHop: You get to be a big kid. 

Lil Skies: Yeah, for sure. That’s his thing, I do whatever he loves. Whatever he loves, I’m supporting it. No matter what it is. 

AllHipHop: You just dropped your album Out Ur Body, first release in how long?

Lil Skies: What was it, two years? A year? I don’t really read my comments on Instagram. I just post and get off, go about my day. My team, everybody tells me: “Skies, you need to post more.” I try. Maybe I’m too organic for this industry s###, but that’s just me. I’m not gonna sell myself short and make myself do the most because of what other people say. I really don’t care. I’m to the point, people have talked about me and said so much about me.

Out Ur Body music is just me. It’s about me and my life, me being honest even if they don’t like it. It’s if I like it. I’ve been doing other s### for everybody for so long, including the fans. What about me? That was more so my personal s###. This what I’m rocking with right now. This is what I’ma drop. Just turned independent, why not? I’ma keep dropping, that’s just a taste. I’ma keep dropping new music.

AllHipHop: Being independent must be the most liberating feeling though.

Lil Skies: Yeah, definitely was a process. I definitely went through some s###, it’s not easy. I was signed to a label so it’s a lot of paperwork, lawyers. Back and forth, all this. But it’s done. Luckily when I got in with the label, I got in and I did good. My s### was selling, I was doing good. I had to pay back all this f###### bread, that’s the blessing of it. But it’s all learned. I’m still learning. A lot of people look at me like I have the answers to this s###. I really don’t, I’m learning like everybody else. I’m young still too, I’m still trying to figure it out. 

AllHipHop: It’s beautiful because you got real fans and that’s such a blessing. 

Lil Skies: Yeah. Luckily, I came into the game with a little fanbase. Thank God for that. Once I got that push behind me, it was go time. I didn’t even realize, I tell people that all the time. I look back on my life, I didn’t really celebrate my accomplishments. I was working working working. I remember I’d get plaques, I wouldn’t even hang them up. I wouldn’t even look at them. I just go about my day, do something else. What’s next? It was always what’s next for me? Now, I’m more so on a time celebrating even my little wins. Because damn, I know that that s### mattered too.

AllHipHop: I was watching the “Thousands” music video, what face tat did you get?

Lil Skies: I got this red line, battle scar. 

AllHipHop: How many face tats you got now?

Lil Skies: I don’t know, I never counted. My whole face, however many that is.

AllHipHop: You got the most meaningful one? Is it your son?

Lil Skies: Yeah for sure, definitely. Probably my pops, too. Got one for my Pop and grandfather. People be thinking I got this for Pop Smoke. My grandfather’s name, we call him Pop. I was the one who gave him that name.

AllHipHop: How proud is your family? 

Lil Skies: They’re proud. I think so. I hope so. We all hope so right? I think everybody’s proud. I still got a ways to go. I did a lot, but it’s still the beginning in a way. I don’t know how to explain it, it’s a weird feeling. I’m at a weird stage. 

AllHipHop: Three things you need in the studio at all times?

Lil Skies: In the studio, definitely my smoke. I gotta be having a good day. I’m not recording if I’m mad and s###. If I’m not feeling it, I’m not gon’ do it. I gotta be feeling it for sure. It’s a feeling, I can’t explain it. It has to be good energy. It has to be a good day. It depends. 

AllHipHop: You don’t need nothing else? No snacks?

Lil Skies: Probably water. What do I be having in the studio? Food wise, fruit or we might order something. It depends. When I record in my hometown, it’s not much you can get. We eat at gas stations late night. We don’t have certain s### stay open long, you gotta catch them during the day. Unless you got food at the crib.

AllHipHop: You’re back performing. What’s your favorite song to perform in a set?

Lil Skies: Right now, probably “Rage.” I like performing “Rage.“ That’s my favorite right now. That one be fun, because they be getting turnt to that.

AllHipHop: They be doing mosh pits? 

Lil Skies: Hell yeah. It be dope. That’s when I be knowing alright, this s### real. Some people live on this internet s###, then in reality it’s a whole nother story. That’s a lot of people.

AllHipHop: When is Life of a Dark Rose 2 coming out?

I’m being honest, I’m not fully decided if I want to even do part two. 

AllHipHop: Damn, the fans are asking.

Lil Skies: I’ll do it, but I haven’t decided yet if I want to. Because I don’t know if I’m in that same phase of my life. I’m not sure. It’s been so long too. Damn, if I was gonna come with it, I should’ve came with it. At the same time, I might do it. I’m at the point where I’m setting my own expectations. I’ll please my fans too, but at the same time, I’ve been through much s### in the industry. It’s gotta be real. But if it’s not real genuine or organic, I’m not doing it. Period, I just don’t want to. That’s how I feel, because I don’t see no point. That’s just my head, how I think. I don’t know how everybody else’s. Me, that’s how I’m in my head. I don’t really talk too much. I’ll say something in interviews here and here to give them somewhere where I’m at in my head. But other than that, I’m kinda hush.

AllHipHop: Any advice for up and coming artists?

Lil Skies: Everybody’s wave is different. I can tell you something, but that’s not going to work for everyone. It’s the same thing everybody says to people: “Oh yeah, keep going. You gotta stay down. You gotta be strong.” I be having to tell myself this s###. I gotta tell myself to keep going on. From what I see nowadays, obviously the internet and all that is winning. If you’re posting on the internet and doing your little videos, staying consistent, a lot of people like that is winning.

That’s what I tell people because that’s how I personally feel. You gotta keep going in this s###, because there will be times you feel like what am I doing this for? Times you not feeling it, but gotta keep going and fighting through it. Make sure it’s something that you want. It comes with a lot, for sure. That’s anything in life.

AllHipHop: What’s your favorite song you ever made? 

Lil Skies: That’s a good one. I really don’t know honestly. I like “Highs and Lows” a lot. It was showing the reality of my life on a song. I like “Fidget,” it was just a good time. It was fun making that. I had all my bros with me in one house. We had a studio set up downstairs and upstairs, recording every day. That one, we were up. 5 in the morning, yo I want to record. I did that full song in 15 minutes. It was fun, the process of making it.

AllHipHop: Anything else we can look forward to?

Lil Skies: I’m going to drop some videos. I shot two, I’m not sure which one I’ma drop yet. I’m waiting for the footage. I got some other stuff, I won’t say too much. But videos and new music, that’s pretty much what I’m on right now. Dropping the song with the video on all platforms type s###. I want to drop drop drop drop. Shooting videos, because that’s how I came in. I gotta get back to my original recipe. Showing my face more. I don’t like it too much, but I know what I gotta go. I know what the s### is. It’s cool.

AllHipHop: Your videos are lit.

Lil Skies: I guess so yeah. We make something out of nothing, for real.