The Philadelphia rapper who released the 1985 single “P.S.K. What Does It Mean?” was Schoolly D.
Released on his independent Schoolly D Records label, the song takes its title from “Park Side Killas,” the Philadelphia street group associated with Schoolly D. Its stark subject matter, drum-machine-driven beat, and descriptions of street life helped make it a landmark in the development of hardcore and gangsta rap.
The record’s influence reached well beyond Philadelphia. Ice-T has said that hearing “P.S.K.” helped inspire his 1986 track “6 in the Mornin’,” a major early West Coast gangsta-rap recording. The song also influenced artists including Eazy-E and Public Enemy.
A common mix-up is confusing the song’s performer with Ice-T, because Ice-T’s later record is often discussed alongside it. “P.S.K.” predates that song and is specifically credited to Schoolly D. The track’s distinctive rhythm was made with a Roland TR-909 drum machine, an unusual detail for a foundational rap recording.