Joey Bada$$ has gone from curiosity to up-and-comer to veritable star: This spring, his B4.DA.$$ debuted at #5 on Billboard, affirming his rise through New York’s rap ranks that began with 1999, his 2012 mixtape that mined the underground’s classic canon for beats and inspiration. With his Pro Era crew similarly well-positioned (did you catch Kirk Knight on tour with Mick Jenkins), Bada$$ has broadened his reach, taking aim at important topics like the uprising in Baltimore that takes issue with police brutality and systemic racism at large. Now, with its 'InFocus' series, SKEE TV aims to get to the center of what makes the young MC tick.

"It's dope, you know," Joey says of his hand-on approach to his own creative process. "I'm growing up, and I'm a young boss, you know. I make the decisions." Joey goes on to repeat the maxim, "With great power comes great responsibility" and stress the importance of having a role in every facet of his image, down to the direction and editing of his videos. In contrast to major labels, Joey posits he and his crew's appeal as that of the do-it-yourself outsider. "The best way to put it, how Pro Era came together, is 'Like attracts Like,'" he says. "We just had a natural passion and love for music."

SKEE TV, presided over by DJ Skee himself, airs  at 10:30 p.m. EST every Thursday.

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