MIKE‘s burning desire? Rap like he’s living out his last days. Revered for his work alongside Earl Sweatshirt, Alchemist, Wiki, Tony Seltzer and more, the New York City wordsmith is a lyrical wunderkind that continues to uplift contemporary hip-hop to new heights.
Citing Earl (who he describes as his “favorite rapper”), Sade, Skepta, Tyler, The Creator and MF Doom (covering he and Madlib’s underground hit ‘All Caps’ as his first song) as major influences, MIKE’s come a long way since sharing Belgium Butter on Bandcamp in 2015. Living in Jersey, Philly and London for a stretch of time, MIKE’s well-traveled, channeling these experiences growing up and living in different cities through a grimy yet calculated aesthetic. Holding his pen to higher stature, you’re getting more out of music when you’re listening to MIKE.
Touting a catalog packed with double-digit albums — his most recent being the acclaimed Burning Desire and Pinball with Seltzer —- the 25-year-old rapper’s drawled, intoxicating monotone and upper echelon wordplay feed the souls of fans (new and old) listening intently. He’s a natural born storyteller. In the background of every verse lies his affinity for beats, as his producer alias ‘dj blackpower’ rears its head on solo MIKE records and dedicated beat tapes alike (his latest being Dr. Grabba). There’s much more to MIKE than meets the eye — always thinking about the next project, next song or next verse he looks to gift the world.
Teasing Pinball 2 with Seltzer, new music with the producer collective Surf Gang and another solo album on the way, MIKE sat down with OGM Hakeem Rowe to speak on Burning Desire and Pinball, his relationship with Earl Sweatshirt, touring, his influences, new music and more in our latest Our Generation Music exclusive interview.
Watch Mike’s interview below!