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Huge thanks to Mikkey for taking time out to answer the
questions fans wanted to know!
(Interview was done by phone in December of 2004)
Questions Asked By :
Mauzip
Mikkey dropped an exclusive shoutout:
Here
Mikkey also spit an exclusive verse:
Here
FULL INTERVIEW IN AUDIO:
HERE
dubcnn.com: First off, for the people that
don’t really know you: Who are you and where are you from?
My name is Mikkey. I’m originally from Chicago, Illinois. Born and
raised on the Southside, one of the toughest neighbourhoods, called
the Round 100 Section of Chicago. So that’s who I am. I started out
with Kanye West; we were in a production company together. I was the
first one signed to Conman Productions in 2000. In 2001 I inked a
deal with Cash Money Records and I just got out of that deal this
year. I just featured on about 14 internationally released albums on
Cash Money Records, but due to creative differences I had to part
ways.
dubcnn.com: I heard the diss track you made towards Baby.
What can you tell about that whole thing? What do you have against
Baby exactly?
It’s just his lack of vision and as far as dealing with me…
basically I seen him so into this really because of greed, not allow
other people around him to give with what they’re really supposed to
get. Whether it’s me, whether it’s Juvenile, whether it’s B.G.… you
know, it’s like he wants to basically rape you monetarily and you
need to give up all of your rights in order for him to put you out
and promote your album. We came here, we ready to see eye to eye. He
made a lot of promises. You know I helped him: I wrote so many raps
for him and other Cash Money artists and he was basically just
sucking up my energy and basically using me. And then I saw him put
out another act that was on Cash Money Records from Chicago [, Boo &
Gotti]. They came after me, but he put them out before me and he
didn’t put a dime behind they record as far as promotion and
marketing and they flopped. I didn’t wanna be in the same boat at
all. And it was just sad to see his selfishness because he wanted so
much to be a star, to be what Lil Wayne and Juvenile was. He wanted
to be a star on the record side, instead of just being a business
man. And that’s what got him the money and the millions in the first
places: putting Juvenile, B.G. and the Hot Boys out before him and
letting them do what they do and that’s what put Cash Money on the
map. Instead, he wants to take a little bit of fame that he has as a
CEO and parlay that into being a rapper, which he has no talent for
doing. Instead of letting people like me to really do that. That’s
my beef with Baby and Slim. Because Slim really helped let Baby do
what he wants to do and just be tyrannical and being a tyrant and a
dictator as far as the label is concerned. So I had to jump ship.
dubcnn.com: What about Slim? How do you feel about him?
They played good cop, bad cop. I feel the same way I feel about Baby
as I feel about Slim because Slim allows his younger brother and his
people to do what they wanna do. And he… you know… not a Birdman
they put, they projected that to go 3 million and he couldn’t even
go platinum. Then everybody is running, scrambling for cover. Then
all of a sudden he wants to put Mikkey out, but no, you could’ve put
Mikkey out before like you promised. Like when I got there you told
me that you wasn’t even trying to be a rapper. That was something
you thrust into because you didn’t have another act and you was
gonna put all that marketing strength in your machine behind me. And
then all of a sudden I get there you really want me to help you
write raps. You listen to my raps, listen to my songs and then have
me write you raps and then you wanna go out and be me. But I
couldn’t go for that.
dubcnn.com: How would you describe your experience in the
industry so far?
I went from the best of times, to working with Kanye West and we
really had a good time creating and we made some great music. That’s
the music that actually got me signed. Secured Cash Money cause I
had other deals on the table. Then I went to the situation to Cash
Money what gave me a really negative taste about the industry, but
now since I came back to Chicago I was all working with NO ID, the
one that taught Kanye how to produce and started working back with
Kanye. I just really got a second win and a second life and I know
that I’m bout to do big things in this industry and help to push
Chicago where it’s supposed to be in the hip hop scene in the
States.
dubcnn.com: Do you think you’ve grown as an artist and as a
song writer while you were on Cash Money?
Yeah, because Cash Money music was really not my style of music.
What it did it allowed me to grow as an artist on to another region,
another country. Down south, New Orleans and see what was making
those people move and made those people tick and they just added so
much to me as an artist and season me so much. When I was writing
for Baby or another Cash Money artist or working on my own songs or
in the club or working with Mannie Fresh, a producer who I love and
I still have a relationship with. It raised me up so much as an
artist and I really thank God because it was a wonderful learning
experience.
dubcnn.com: How would you describe your own sound?
My own sound is… I would describe it as Militant Street Wisdom. It’s
intelligent and that’s the wisdom element of it. It’s prophetical in
some aspects. It’s based on scriptures that you might read, you know
the Bible. I’m really deep into the Bible, but then it’s really
street at the same time. I really deal with the atmosphere that I
came up in and the environment that I came up in and those are the
people that I speak to, the “have-nots”. I try to be the voice to
those who don’t have a voice; the voice of the voices. That’s really
what my thing does. And then there’s a militant aspect of it. I have
a political side, similar to maybe Ice Cube or Tupac Shakur. So I
have a political side too. And it’s just a point of me putting all 3
of those genres together. So that’s really my music. It’s Militant
Street Wisdom. That’s what I call it. Militant Street Wisdom.
dubcnn.com: Now about your new situation… What record company
are you with nowadays?
I started my own record company, called Uncrowned City
Entertainment. Right now we’re doing the ground work on my project
and I sign other Chicago acts. I signed 5 other Chicago acts. We
looking; we got some deals on the table to do joint ventures with
some major labels like Universal, Def Jam, Sony, Interscope and so
we’re just trying to see our best options to be in the best
situation to get the music the voice that it needs and the machine
behind it that it needs to do what it needs to do.
dubcnn.com: You have a new mixtape out. Tell us about the
mixtape.
The new mixtape is called C.R.A.C.K. It’s called C.R.A.C.K. Part 2.
C.R.A.C.K. is not talking about the drug, it means Creating Riches
Amongst Crooks And Killers.
dubcnn.com: Do you have any guests on the mixtape?
I got so many guests… from Kanye West to… basically I tried to keep
it Chicago. The last mixtape I had everybody from Lil Wayne to
everybody on C.R.A.C.K. Part 1, but on C.R.A.C.K. Part 2 I tried to
keep it Chicago. So upcoming artists like Bumpy Johnson, my sister
Miss Criss -that was also signed to Cash Money with me, the hottest
female in Chicago bout to take over the game-, and I got some of my
other artists that I signed, Da G & Da Rock, Alert & K.T., Famous
and Traye D.
dubcnn.com: What else do you have planned for the future? Are
you also recording a solo album?
Yeah, I’m in the studio right now. Working with NO ID, Kanye West
and Mannie Fresh on my solo album. I got about 40 solo songs already
in the can and I left 50 songs that I can’t even use over at Cash
Money. Making songs to me is like… I been to boot camp when I was
with Kanye West and now making songs is second hand, so we make hits
every day.
dubcnn.com: When do you think that album should be coming
out?
Look for me coming at the end of the summer. At the end of the
summer, maybe around September. My solo album should be coming out
on a major international distributor. The mixtape is gonna be all
over the internet, all over the web. Just look it up, it’s called
C.R.A.C.K. Part 2 Ready Rock. That’s what we calling it C.R.A.C.K.
Part 2 Ready Rock. So just look it up, Mikkey, M-I-K-K-E-Y.
dubcnn.com: You can’t use any songs you recorded on Cash
Money, can you?
No, I can’t, but I got some songs I’ma leak out and just give away.
I can’t actually put em on a record. I’m gonna leak some out and
just let the people have em for free.
dubcnn.com: Where are we gonna be able to hear those songs?
We got a website that’s in construction right now,
UncrownedCityEntertainment.com. Also you can buy all my cd’s at
http://www.cdbaby.com/mikkey/ and you can check out my whole
collection.
dubcnn.com: What’s your sister Miss Criss doing?
She’s doing the same thing as I am. She’s working on a solo album
right now. She’s been off the table with several major deals,
although she signed to my label right now, but we’re looking for a
joint venture and we’re gonna put her out. She’s gonna come out
after I do.
dubcnn.com: There’s a website, babyxmusic.com. What is Baby X
exactly?
Baby X is like a compilation that we do with all the artists that we
are dealing with and I signed to Uncrowned City. That’s our baby.
It’s everybody in the chance to shine, so that’s what Baby X is… a
compilation.
dubcnn.com: There’s also an album out, I saw, it’s called
Witness The Birth. What can you tell about that album?
Man, you gotta go get it and check it out. It’s got about 22
scorching tracks, hot tracks. I tell the story about Cash Money, I
tell the story about me and Kanye West. I really pour my whole life
out on the microphone for everybody to hear.
dubcnn.com: How do you think the future of Baby X looks like?
I think it looks strong. It’s Uncrowned City Entertainment grows.
It’s Mikkey grows. That’s how Baby X grows exponentially just like
that. So we starting this movement from the ground up here in
Chicago and we’re gonna take it to the whole world.
dubcnn.com: Let’s talk about you again… are you gonna do some
touring?
Yeah, we will. We’re setting up some heavy touring this summer to
promote my single. It’s called La La. We’re gonna be doing some real
heavy touring this summer, man. You can check the internet and all
of those websites where you will be able to see my tour dates.
dubcnn.com: Are there any artists that you would like to work
with in the future that you haven’t worked with yet?
Yeah, I would like to really work with Laurynn Hill. That’s like my
dream. To me she’s like the Bob Marley of our generation. Stevie
Wonder combined and… she’s my favourite artist. I would really love
to work with her.
dubcnn.com: Do you have any upcoming collabos or guest
appearances happening?
Yeah, me and Kanye are about to work on some new stuff, so you guys
look out for that.
dubcnn.com: On new Kanye West albums and on your own albums?
Yeah, Kanye West is working on his next album that’s gonna come out
soon. I should be featured on there, he’s gonna be featured on mine.
dubcnn.com: You worked with TQ lately on the Vudu Remix of
Right On, his single…
…Yeah, he was on Cash Money as well. He left for the same similar
reasons as me and me and him… we collaborate so well, he’s gonna be
featured on my album and I’ma be featured on his next release.
dubcnn.com: Because TQ seems to mention you sometimes in
interviews also.
Oh, man that’s wonderful. He’s underappreciated here in the States.
Very underappreciated and underrated. He’s one of the top artists of
our time in R&B, right up there with Usher.
dubcnn.com: Who’s the producer you feel has brought the best
out of you and why?
I will have to say NO ID. He has such great ideas. Him and Kanye
have ideas in their minds. They have concepts that really draft
records and that’s what it is all about.
dubcnn.com: What about Mannie Fresh?
Mannie Fresh is at the same level. Between NO ID, Kanye West and
Mannie Fresh… those are the producers that really make me wanna do
this music and I’ve just been blessed to work with the best.
dubcnn.com: What artists have influenced you as a writer and
as an artist?
I would have to say Tupac, Ice Cube, Nas, Big Daddy Kane… a lot of
the old skool… and even Jay-Z. I like Jay-Z. As an artist you get
influenced by everything around you. It’s up to you to look at other
people and be competitive and come up with your own art and that’s
what I’m doing. I’m trying to do original art.
dubcnn.com: If you could go back into time would you change
anything to the way your career has been going and would you do the
things differently?
Actually, I would do it the same way because I believe everybody is
the sum total of their experiences and everything has made me who I
am today and I wouldn’t change a thing.
dubcnn.com: Why should people go out and check you out?
Because Mikkey is something new, it’s something different, it’s
something refreshing and I guarantee you that you will regard me… if
you take a listen as one of the best MC’s to ever do it. Top 5
guaranteed. People on my side of town on their body they say I’m the
best. I’m not saying that I’m the best, but I’m the best in what I
do. Nobody can do Mikkey. At all.
dubcnn.com: These were basically all the questions that I
had. Do you have any last words before we finish up the interview?
Man, I just wanna say to everybody keep God first and check out the
new Ready Rock.
dubcnn.com: Okay, thanks for taking the time.
Alright, it’s all love.
Dubcnn.com Shoutout :
Here
Mikkey Dropped A Verse! Check That
Here
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Mikkey
