Mike Bless Interview (December 2009) | Interview By:
Javon
When times are the toughest you have to find a reason to smile. There’s a brighter day ahead
and until the sun peaks out from behind the clouds you can use music to get you through the
lowest of lows and blast it triumphantly on the highest of highs. Slip-N-Slide Records artist
Mike Bless is crafting feel good music that bumps in the clubs and the ride and he is spreading
his word one show at a time.
Dubcnn caught up with Mike Bless to learn about how he plans on spreading his upbeat message
and how he intends to unleash the ‘inner stripper’ in women near and far with his single Do
It Like This. Besides being a talented up-and-coming artist Mike is also about giving back.
Go to www.doitlikethis.net
to learn how you and a guest can be flown out to Miami, FL. I like
the way he things and I’m pretty sure you’ll like the way he makes your head nod and your body move.
As always, email your comments and questions to javon@Dubcnn.com.
Enjoy.
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Dubcnn Exclusive – Mike Bless
By: Javon Adams
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Dubcnn: Alright this is Javon sitting here with Mike Bless from Slip-N-Slide Records.
How are you doing this evening man?
I’m just coolin’ man. What’s goin’ on with you family?
Dubcnn: I’m just trying to keep it moving and stay focused. So, I was looking forward
to talking to you. After going over your bio and listening to you music I definitely
wanted to chop it up with you and ask you a couple of questions. Now, in your bio you
talked about kind of being tired of the same old sound and how you are a breath of fresh air.
With the way that radio stations and listeners tend to gravitate to what’s already popular and
easily accessible, how do you plan to become not only a regional sensation but a national
success? What’s your plan?
I think the main thing that people have in common is that we like to have fun. I think
my music is fun. I don’t care if you’re in Europe, Africa or wherever because we all go
through hard times. And vacation from that through music and having a good time…and that’s
what my music brings.
I do club music but I also do music that has a lot of content. I can touch on (many) bases
with the crowd and relate on certain current issues but my main ingredient would have to be
fun though man.
Dubcnn: Ok. Now from the research that I did on you I see that you have been doing music
for a little while. When it comes to creating a project was it difficult to get into the
mindset of not just creating individual songs but a cohesive project? Was that difficult
or was that easy for you?
It was easy man because…I think Michael Jackson may have touched on the fact that you
have to feel music. For me, I look at people like R. Kelly and LL Cool J. They have hung
around for a long time and they conform and adjusted to the sounds because it made people
feel good. Sometimes artists may feed to much into the formula with some of that but I
think…with me, I do whatever feels good. I can put music to any track so the main thing
is just doing what feels good. Its not hard for me at all, man.
Dubcnn: Cool. Now, I want to talk about your single Do It Like This in just a second
but you mentioned R. Kelly. And R. Kelly is known for doing a lot of writing for other
artists. I know that you have done some ghostwriting and written for other artists. You’ve
written for major label artists and things like that…so how did that come about? And when
you’re writing a song for somebody else what is the approach you take when you go about that?
Well, I’m very versatile as an artist so (when you’re writing for other artists) you
have to remain in character, you know? Certain artists have different images and they are
trying to stay in that lane. You have to remember the lane that this person is in and
they message they are trying to get across and the topic. Basically you just have to
become that artist. Well, not necessarily become them but you have to understand the
message they are trying to relate. Like, Jeezy aint’ gonna be talking about falling in
love a certain way. He’s got to maintain that street credibility. That’s just an example,
know what I’m sayin’?
Dubcnn: Gotcha. Speaking of songs, your song Do It Like This is your single. I listened
to it and its one of those up tempo club-type tracks. When people listen to it what can they
expect to hear? What were you trying to get across when you wrote that song?
Like we talked about earlier, I definitely wanted to try to…it’s definitely a fun
record. The concept behind it is that I wanted to touch more than just the strip club.
I wanted to touch all women. And I believe, in my opinion and you might agree, that all
women in this world have an ‘inner stripper’, you know what I’m sayin’?
Dubcnn: *Laughs*
You know what I’m sayin? The superhero. Like Beyonce has Sasha Fierce or that other
woman so…it was basically saying you don’t have to be a stripper but if you were a
stripper how would you do it? And when that record comes on in the club I try to bring
that ‘inner stripper’ or ‘inner superhero’ out of every woman. That’s what I’m trying
to bring out with this record. So far, from what I’m seeing, it’s working. A lot of
females, once they hear the concept, can relate to what I’m trying to get across. It’s
definitely working out man.
Dubcnn: That’s nice man. *laughs* When I go to the clubs, and I don’t go as often
as I used to but the ones that start acting like they’re in the strip club do that
when a certain song comes on. So, I feel ya.
Yeah, you gotta give everybody something…not everybody is going to sell drugs so
you gotta have something for the fellas and the ‘inner hustler’. Not every woman is
going to work at a strip club but they gotta have their…and I know from experience
that women have another side, you know what I mean? And I personally bring that side
out of them, you know what I’m sayin’?
Dubcnn: Gotcha. Now you’re signed to Slip-N-Slide Records and your album is coming
out next year. What’s the name of your album?
Its going to be called The Opening Act
Dubcnn: Talk about your expectations for this project. And in between now and when
it comes out what are you doing to keep the lights on, so to speak? Is it songwriting
that helps to keep your pockets full? Does that also help keep you relevant and fresh?
So talk about the projects and what your doing to stay busy in the meantime.
The main thing I’m trying to get across on the album is…it’s my first album so I
just want to have a good first impression. I’m just trying to touch base with some of
the strong producers in the game. Before I put the album out I want to have at least
two good, strong singles out there. Because right now, the way the game is, records
are selling the way they used to so we don’t want to move too fast and just throw it
out there. There are a lot of artists in the world in the game that have great records
that nobody’s ever heard because they went about it the wrong way. So we aren’t trying
to rush the record. We want to make sure we let them know who Mike Bless is first.
As far as me getting money, of course I’m writing and I’m also doing features but the main
thing is doing shows. I’m actually on the road right now. I’m in a suite right now in
Jacksonville. We’re getting ready to do something tonight and tomorrow I have a show out
in Orlando. So we stay on the road man. I’m trying to get money but the main thing is
building that foundation. Because the way the single is doing right now it looks like
its going to be something fierce in 2010. We plan on doing a lot of shows overseas and
all over America man. And it’s moving at a nice pace right now.
Dubcnn: I want you to let people know how they can stay up to date on Mike Bless but
you touched on being on the road. People always look at the glamorous side of music in
Hip Hop, Rock or whatever it is. What is the hardest thing about being on the road and
doing shows? Is there a flip side to it or is it really all its cut up to be with the
glamour or is there a hard side as well?
Man, its crazy. There’s a super hard side. For one, you have to stay healthy and
keep your metabolism and immune system up. I’m tired right now. I’m actually laying
in my bed right now and resting for later on tonight. So you have to stay in shape.
Another thing is that when you’re on the road people have to understand that you’re
dealing with different promoters in different cities and that you don’t know these
people. There’s a lot of shady business. And you also have to remember that times
are hard and unfortunately when you’re walking around and people see you with the
jewels on…they see you making money and they try to play games so you have to be on
deck and ready for that. And we’re on deck for that too, so…there’s so many sides to
it and it’s not all about the glamour.
There’s the traveling and not being able to have time to do what other people do…like
I’m definitely single right now because I’m on the move and don’t really have time to
be in that type of relationship. A lot of things you have to sacrifice if you really
want it. But I’m not complaining because it is a blessing and not everybody is on the
road right now and in demand to do shows. So I’ll never complain. Well, I ain’t gonna
like, we all complain because we’re all people but at the end of the day I always thank
God and ask him to forgive me for the little things that I do complain about.
But it is a shady game. The industry is shadier than the dope game because in the streets
you handle things in the street and keep it movin’ but in this game right here you have
paperwork…and its just a shady game but if you love it you have to go through that because
you also have the great days, the up days. The up days outweigh the bad to me. I don’t care
what you do, you could be a doctor and you’ll have bad days. And that’s how I look at
because this is what I wanna do. I love doing it and I wouldn’t do anything else in the world.
As far as staying in contact with me, I’m up on that twitter. It took a lot and my manager had
to put his hands around my neck because I’m really not big on having everybody all in my business,
you know what I’m sayin’? But go to
www.twitter.com/mikebless. I’m definitely on
facebook. I’m there all the time.
www.facebook.com/mikebless.
Or www.myspace.com/mikeblessus.
Oh, and another thing I wanted to mention about contacting me is that we are doing a contest.
We are giving away 2 plane tickets to Miami, Fl. We’re gonna have a little vacation man with
two Mike Bless fans. Go to www.doitlikethis.net
and you’ll get all the detals. Basically its you just dance in front of the camera to the song
(Do It Like This) and there’s a short form to fill out and we’ll get you registered. We’re gonna
vote at the end of December and whoever wins I’m going to fly down with a guest. You can bring
your girlfriend and we can go on a double date.
Dubcnn: I like that. That’s a cool concept. Thanks for taking a few minutes of your time
man. Keep us posted on what you have going on, especially as you get closer to the release of
the album. Good luck. Stay focused and stay in shape.
Definitely. And I just want to say to everybody out there. I don’t care what you do…if you
want to be a veterinarian or whatever…you might encounter some rough roads in life but you gotta
keep driving . You gonna have potholes and you might even get a flat tire but just change that
thing up and keep going man. Everyday you wake up is God giving you another chance. God bless
everybody and lets keep it movin.
