Antoine Reed (born December 24, 1987) is an American rapper better known by his stage name Sir Michael Rocks (or Mikey Rocks). He started his music career in 2005 as a member of the hip hop duo
The Cool Kids
The Cool Kids are an American hip hop duo composed of rappers Sir Michael Rocks and Chuck Inglish. The Cool Kids' music had been released primarily to the independent Chocolate Industries via their own label C.A.K.E. Recordings. Reed and Inger ...
, and later joined the groups
All City Chess Club
Wasalu Muhammad Jaco (born February 16, 1982), better known by his stage name Lupe Fiasco ( ), is an American rapper, singer, record producer, and entrepreneur. He rose to fame in 2006 following the success of his debut album, ''Lupe Fiasco's ...
, the "
super group
''Super Group'' is an album by the Japanese rock music, rock trio Shonen Knife. It was released in Japan on 7 November 2008, in the USA on 20 May 2009, and in the UK and Europe in 2010. The original Japanese CD issue was released as a mini-LP ca ...
" P.O.C. (Pulled Over by the Cops), and The Toothpick Clique.
The Cool Kids released their debut album ''
When Fish Ride Bicycles
''When Fish Ride Bicycles'' is the debut studio album by American hip hop duo The Cool Kids. Released on July 12, 2011 under Green Label Sound Records, this would also be their 2nd & final release under a major label. The album features the coll ...
'' in 2011, which features production by
The Neptunes
The Neptunes are an American songwriting and production duo composed of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, formed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in 1992. Williams often provides additional vocals on records and appears in the duo's music videos, ...
and artists such as
Ghostface Killah
Dennis Coles (born May 9, 1970), better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapper and a member of the hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the aftermath of ''Enter the Wu-Tang (36 C ...
. The album peaked at No. 76 on the
''Billboard'' 200, and No. 9 on
Top Rap Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a music chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales in the United States and is compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The chart debuted as Hot R&B LPs in the issue dated Jan ...
.
Starting in 2011 Rocks began releasing a number of free mixtapes, also contributing as a guest artist to tracks by
Mac Miller
Malcolm James McCormick (January 19, 1992 – September 7, 2018), known professionally as Mac Miller, was an American rapper and record producer. Miller began his career in Pittsburgh's hip hop scene in 2007, at the age of fifteen. In 2010, h ...
,
Dom Kennedy
Dominic Ross Hunn (born August 22, 1984), better known by his stage name Dom Kennedy, is an American rapper from Leimert Park, Los Angeles, California. Since 2008, Kennedy has released 5 independent mixtapes, most notably his 2010 critically accl ...
,
Jeremih
Jeremy Phillip Felton (born July 17, 1987), known professionally as Jeremih ( ), is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. In 2009, he signed a record deal with Def Jam Recordings. Jeremih's commercial debut single, "Birthday Sex", ...
,
Curren$y
Shante Scott Franklin (born April 4, 1981), better known by his stage name Currensy (often stylized as Curren$y), is an American rapper. In 2011, he founded the label Jet Life Recordings.
Music career
2002–2008: No Limit and Young Money ...
,
Freddie Gibbs
Fredrick Jamel Tipton (born June 14, 1982), better known by his stage name Freddie Gibbs, is an American rapper from Gary, Indiana. After initially being signed to Interscope Records in 2006, Gibbs recorded his debut studio album under the label ...
,
Ski Beatz
David Anthony Willis, known professionally as Ski Beatz, is an American record producer from Greensboro, North Carolina, mainly working in hip hop.
Biography
Discovered by DJ Clark Kent, Ski was originally known as "MC Will-Ski" in the late 19 ...
, and more. In April 2014 he contributed to the
Chuck Inglish
Evan Ingersoll (born October 7, 1984), better known by his stage name Chuck Inglish, is an American rapper, producer and songwriter most known for being part of the hip hop duo The Cool Kids with Sir Michael Rocks. His debut album ''Convertibles ...
album ''
Convertibles
A convertible or cabriolet () is a passenger car that can be driven with or without a roof in place. The methods of retracting and storing the roof vary among eras and manufacturers.
A convertible car's design allows an open-air driving expe ...
''.
His first commercial solo album, ''
Banco
Banco may refer to:
Places
* Banc (Barcelona Metro), also called Banco, a closed metro stop on the Barcelona metro
* Banco, Virginia, an unincorporated community
* Banco, West Virginia, an unincorporated community
* Banco National Park, a nation ...
'', was released on July 29, 2014, and features guest appearances by artists such as
Too $hort
Todd Anthony Shaw (born April 28, 1966), better known by the stage name Too Short (stylized as Too $hort), is an American rapper and record producer. He became famous in the West Coast hip hop scene in the late 1980s, with lyrics often based on ...
,
Mac Miller
Malcolm James McCormick (January 19, 1992 – September 7, 2018), known professionally as Mac Miller, was an American rapper and record producer. Miller began his career in Pittsburgh's hip hop scene in 2007, at the age of fifteen. In 2010, h ...
,
Twista
Carl Terrell Mitchell (born November 27, 1973), better known by his stage name Twista (formerly Tung Twista), is an American rapper and record producer. He is best known for his Chopper (rap), chopper style of rapping and for once holding the t ...
,
Iamsu
Sudan Ameer Williams (born November 16, 1989), better known by his stage name Iamsu! (stylized as IamSu! or IAMSU!), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is also a part of the production team The Invasion and lea ...
, and
Pouya
Kevin Pouya (born December 20, 1994), known mononymously as Pouya, is an American rapper from Miami, Florida. Considered as a pioneer of the early underground rap scene that began on SoundCloud in 2012, along with discovering the well known hi ...
.
Early life
Antoine "Mikey Rocks" Reed was born in 1987 in the Chicago suburb of
Matteson, Illinois
Matteson () is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 19,073 at the 2020 census. It is a suburb of Chicago.
History
The area encompassed by modern Matteson was settled in the late 1800s, primarily by people of Germa ...
, where he was raised. At a young age he listened to artists such as
Nas
Nas (born 1973) is the stage name of American rapper Nasir Jones.
Nas, NaS, or NAS may also refer to:
Aviation
* Nasair, a low-cost airline carrier and subsidiary based in Eritrea
* National Air Services, an airline in Saudi Arabia
** Nas Air ( ...
,
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
,
Slick Rick
Richard Martin Lloyd Walters (born January 14, 1965), better known as Slick Rick, is an English-American rapper and record producer.
He rose to prominence with Doug E. Fresh & the Get Fresh Crew in the mid-1980s. Their songs " The Show" and " ...
, and
Eric B. and Rakim
Eric B. & Rakim are an American hip hop duo formed on Long Island, New York, in 1986, composed of DJ Eric B. (born Eric Barrier) and MC Rakim (born William Michael Griffin Jr.). AllMusic wrote that "during rap's so-called golden age in the la ...
,
and he started rhyming at the age of ten.
Despite an interest in sports, academics, and graphic art, he has stated that even at age ten he knew he would go into hip hop. "I never had a backup plan or plan B. I've always known that this was what I was supposed to be doing. As far as time goes, I've put all my time into it."
As a teenager he began producing his own music, also working on rhymes
and making music with friends, including his future collaborators Tris J and Shorty K.
He attended
Rich South High School
Rich Township High School Fine Arts Campus, formerly known as, Rich South High School (RSHS) is a public four-year high school located in Richton Park, Illinois, a southern suburb of Chicago, in the United States. Rich Township's campus serves the ...
and
Walter Payton College Prep
Walter Payton College Preparatory High School (WPCP) is a public 4–year magnet high school located in the Old Town neighborhood on the near-north side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Opened in 2000, Payton is operated by the Chicago Public ...
in
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
.
Beyond music he had an early interest in
zoology
Zoology ()The pronunciation of zoology as is usually regarded as nonstandard, though it is not uncommon. is the branch of biology that studies the Animal, animal kingdom, including the anatomy, structure, embryology, evolution, Biological clas ...
, stating he would specializing in reptile and mammal studies if not rapping.
He began producing under the moniker Sir Michael Rocks, also going by Mikey Rocks.
Music career
The Cool Kids
2005–07: Founding
In mid-2005 Rocks was mostly working on music production, and doing some rapping as well.
He soon founded the hip hop duo
The Cool Kids
The Cool Kids are an American hip hop duo composed of rappers Sir Michael Rocks and Chuck Inglish. The Cool Kids' music had been released primarily to the independent Chocolate Industries via their own label C.A.K.E. Recordings. Reed and Inger ...
, when Rocks was still sixteen.
He met co-founder
Evan "Chuck Inglish" Ingersoll on
Myspace in 2005, after Rocks found a beat that Ingersoll had produced.
[ The two met to discuss terms of the beat's sale, and eventually ended up recording for two hours.] Stated Inglish, "One day we just met up--I came over to his house with some CDs, and that's all she wrote. We were both, like, searching for each other without searching for each other."[ They discovered common influences ( Outkast, ]Gorillaz
Gorillaz are an English virtual band formed in 1998 by musician Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett, from London. The band primarily consists of four fictional members: 2-D (vocals, keyboards), Murdoc Niccals (bass guitar), Noodle (guitar, ...
, and 1980s hip hop) and a shared sense of retro fashion.
Inspired by golden age hip hop
Golden age hip hop is a name given to mainstream hip hop music created from the mid-1980s to early-mid 1990s, particularly by artists and musicians originating from the New York metropolitan area. An outgrowth of the new school hip hop movement, ...
and artists like LL Cool J
James Todd Smith (born January 14, 1968), known professionally as LL Cool J (short for Ladies Love Cool James), is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He is one of the earliest rappers to achieve commercial success, along ...
and Eric B. & Rakim,[ they formed a production duo ]The Cool Kids
The Cool Kids are an American hip hop duo composed of rappers Sir Michael Rocks and Chuck Inglish. The Cool Kids' music had been released primarily to the independent Chocolate Industries via their own label C.A.K.E. Recordings. Reed and Inger ...
that year. The band stated they "originally were only going to make beats and produce for other artists." However, "Rocks himself rapped during a session and wound up as the temporary 'voice' of the Cool Kids", though the two soon began sharing vocal duties.
The group was soon booked by Josh Young of Flosstradamus
Flosstradamus is the stage name of American DJ and musician Curt Cameruci. From 2007 until 2016, Flosstradamus consisted of Cameruci and Josh Young from Chicago. The duo announced they would both be pursuing solo careers, with Cameruci to continu ...
for a DJ performance,[ where they encountered DJ ]Diplo
Thomas Wesley Pentz (born November 10, 1978), known professionally as Diplo, is an American DJ and music producer. He is the co-creator and lead member of the electronic dancehall music project Major Lazer, a member of the supergroup LSD with ...
. Diplo offered to release a mixtape
A mixtape (alternatively mix-tape, mix tape or mixed tape) is a compilation of music, typically from multiple sources, recorded onto a medium. With origins in the 1980s, the term normally describes a homemade compilation of music onto a cassette ...
of their unreleased tracks titled ''Totally Flossed Out'' on his label Mad Decent
Mad Decent is an American record label founded by Diplo. The label has helped introduce Brazilian baile funk and Angolan kuduro to clubs around the world. Recently, it has popularized moombahton, a genre of electronic dance music created by DJ ...
, though it was eventually released on C.A.K.E. Recordings in 2007 instead. Also in 2007 the group collaborated with Lil Wayne
Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman (rapper), ...
and DJ Benzi through the Internet on a track entitled "Gettin' It".
As of summer 2007 all of their material had been released solely on their MySpace page[—their recording contract with Chocolate Industries] and C.A.K.E. came after performances at the CMJ Music Festival and Pitchfork Music Festival
The Pitchfork Music Festival is an annual summer music festival organized by ''Pitchfork Media'' and held in Union Park in Chicago, Illinois. Starting in 2011, the festival announced a branch staged in Paris at Grande halle de la Villette. The fe ...
that July. They were listed in ''Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'''s Ten Artists to Watch in 2008. According to ''Rolling Stone'', "since "Black Mags" debuted, the Cool Kids have gone from an underground sensation in their native Chicago to the hottest ticket at New York's CMJ festival." In 2007 they opened for M.I.A. on her KALA Tour
The Kala Tour is a 2007 global M.I.A. (artist), M.I.A. concert tour performed in support of her studio album ''Kala (album), Kala'' (see 2007 in music).
Tour details
The tour features dates across Europe, North America, Canada and Asia. M.I.A ...
, and the band performed at the 2008 Rock the Bells
Rock the Bells was an annual hip-hop festival that originally took place in Southern California only, but has since toured throughout the world. The concert featured a line-up of high-profile alternative hip-hop artists, often headlined by a mor ...
hip hop festival.
2008–09: Touring, singles
In January 2008 the duo put up their very first for-profit single, selling the track online. Devoted to their love of BMX bikes, "Black Mags" led to a black and white music video, and was featured in a Rhapsody
Rhapsody may refer to:
* A work of epic poetry, or part of one, that is suitable for recitation at one time
** Rhapsode, a classical Greek professional performer of epic poetry
Computer software
* Rhapsody (online music service), an online m ...
TV commercial along with Sara Bareilles
Sara Beth Bareilles (, ; born December 7, 1979) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She has sold over three million albums and over 15 million singles in the United States. She has earned various awards and nominations including nin ...
. The group toured across Australia in February 2008 and also appeared at the Laneway Festival. The group also appeared at SUNY Purchase's Culture Shock event in April 2009. Their sophomore EP, ''The Bake Sale
''The Bake Sale'' is the critically acclaimed EP by American hip hop duo The Cool Kids.
Track listing
CD bonus tracks
Charts
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bake Sale
2008 EPs
The Cool Kids albums
Albums produced by Chuck Inglish
...
'', was their first commercially available disc, released in June 2008. As of 2008, an unofficial bootleg mixtape of their music, titled ''Totally Flossed Out'', was being circulated online.
In August 2008 The Cool Kids became the first hip hop group signed to the Green Label Sound imprint, a label backed by Mountain Dew
Mountain Dew, stylized as Mtn Dew, is a carbonated soft drink brand produced and owned by PepsiCo. The original formula was invented in 1940 by Tennessee beverage bottlers Barney and Ally Hartman. A revised formula was created by Bill Brid ...
and devoted only to singles. The duo was then endorsed by Mountain Dew for their single, "Delivery Man", to which commercials and the music video have aired on MTV2
MTV2 (formerly M2) is an American pay television Cable television, channel owned by the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global.
The channel launched initially as an all-music video service, once the original MTV had started to sh ...
. In 2008 they headlined the "NBA 2K Bounce Tour" along with Q-Tip.
Also in 2008, the group had a number of their singles featured in video games and television episodes. They were featured in the video games ''NBA Live 08
''NBA Live 08'' is the 2007 installment of the ''NBA Live'' series by EA Sports. It was released for the PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, Windows and PlayStation Portable. This is the first '' NBA'' video game to include all three n ...
'' and ''MLB 2K8
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
'' with the song "88", in ''Need for Speed Nitro
''Need for Speed: Nitro'' is a racing video game and the fourteenth title of the ''Need for Speed'' series. It was published by Electronic Arts for the Wii and Nintendo DS platforms. It is also one of only two games in the franchise to date (the ...
'', with The Bloody Beetroots
The Bloody Beetroots is an Italian electronic music project of musician and producer Bob Rifo (also Sir Bob Cornelius Rifo and SBCR, born Simone Cogo). Established in late 2006, the Bloody Beetroots were initially a duo consisting of Bob Rifo an ...
in the song "Awesome," and in the episode "The First Cut Is the Deepest" from HBO
Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...
's TV series ''Entourage
An entourage () is an informal group or band of people who are closely associated with a (usually) famous, notorious, or otherwise notable individual. The word can also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* L'entourage, French hip hop / rap collecti ...
'' with the song "Mikey Rocks". The group's song "Bassment Party" was featured in the September 21, 2008, episode of the HBO comedy ''Entourage
An entourage () is an informal group or band of people who are closely associated with a (usually) famous, notorious, or otherwise notable individual. The word can also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* L'entourage, French hip hop / rap collecti ...
''. They also recorded an original track, "2K Pennies", for the soundtrack of ''NBA 2K9
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United S ...
''.
2009–11: Albums
The group's second official mixtape, '' Gone Fishing'' was released on May 5, 2009. A new mixtape called '' Tacklebox'' came out on May 31, 2010. ''Tacklebox'' was assembled by the LA Leakers, and featured new singles and "leftovers" from ''When Fish Ride Bicycles
''When Fish Ride Bicycles'' is the debut studio album by American hip hop duo The Cool Kids. Released on July 12, 2011 under Green Label Sound Records, this would also be their 2nd & final release under a major label. The album features the coll ...
'', with freestyles from both members of The Cool Kids. The band also received an offer from the DJ A-Trak
Alain Macklovitch (born March 30, 1982), known by his stage name A-Trak, is a Canadian DJ, record producer, and record executive. He came to prominence in the late 2000s as an international club DJ and remix artist, known for incorporating highly ...
to sign to his Fool's Gold Records
Fool's Gold Records is an independent record label based in Brooklyn, New York, United States. The label is known for its annual series of Day Off concerts across the US and Canada.
History
Fool’s Gold Records was founded in 2005 by DJs A-Tr ...
label,[ which they did for one single in 2011,][ titled "Gold and a Pager."]
Their debut studio album, ''When Fish Ride Bicycles
''When Fish Ride Bicycles'' is the debut studio album by American hip hop duo The Cool Kids. Released on July 12, 2011 under Green Label Sound Records, this would also be their 2nd & final release under a major label. The album features the coll ...
'', was released July 12, 2011, on Green Label Sound. The album had originally been slated for release in 2009, only to be delayed by legal issues with Chocolate Industries. The album features production by The Neptunes
The Neptunes are an American songwriting and production duo composed of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, formed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in 1992. Williams often provides additional vocals on records and appears in the duo's music videos, ...
and also features artists such as Bun B
Bernard James Freeman (born March 19, 1973), known professionally as Bun B, is an American rapper. He is best known as one half of the southern rap duo UGK (UnderGround Kingz), a group he formed in 1987 alongside Pimp C. Aside from his work with ...
, Chip tha Ripper
Charles Jawanzaa Worth (born October 20, 1986), known by his stage names King Chip and Chip tha Ripper, is an American rapper from Cleveland, Ohio. He is notable for amassing several self-released mixtapes, as well as for his work with longtime a ...
, and Ghostface Killah
Dennis Coles (born May 9, 1970), better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapper and a member of the hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the aftermath of ''Enter the Wu-Tang (36 C ...
. The album peaked at No. 76 on the ''Billboard'' 200, and No. 9 on Top Rap Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a music chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales in the United States and is compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The chart debuted as Hot R&B LPs in the issue dated Jan ...
. The album's song "A Little Bit Cooler" was used in a "Most Valuable Puppets" commercial from Nike
Nike often refers to:
* Nike (mythology), a Greek goddess who personifies victory
* Nike, Inc., a major American producer of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment
Nike may also refer to:
People
* Nike (name), a surname and feminine give ...
with LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James Sr. (; born December 30, 1984) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "King James", he is widely considered one of the greatest pl ...
and Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bean Bryant ( ; August 23, 1978 – January 26, 2020) was an American professional basketball player. A shooting guard, he spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Widely r ...
entitled "Mrs. Lewis."
2010–11: New groups
The Cool Kids are members of the hip-hop collective All City Chess Club
Wasalu Muhammad Jaco (born February 16, 1982), better known by his stage name Lupe Fiasco ( ), is an American rapper, singer, record producer, and entrepreneur. He rose to fame in 2006 following the success of his debut album, ''Lupe Fiasco's ...
founded in 2010. Also in 2010, Mikey Rocks teamed up with Chuck Inglish, Gary, Indiana
Gary is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The city has been historically dominated by major industrial activity and is home to U.S. Steel's Gary Works, the largest steel mill complex in North America. Gary is located along the ...
's Freddie Gibbs
Fredrick Jamel Tipton (born June 14, 1982), better known by his stage name Freddie Gibbs, is an American rapper from Gary, Indiana. After initially being signed to Interscope Records in 2006, Gibbs recorded his debut studio album under the label ...
and Cleveland
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
's Chip tha Ripper
Charles Jawanzaa Worth (born October 20, 1986), known by his stage names King Chip and Chip tha Ripper, is an American rapper from Cleveland, Ohio. He is notable for amassing several self-released mixtapes, as well as for his work with longtime a ...
to form the "super group
''Super Group'' is an album by the Japanese rock music, rock trio Shonen Knife. It was released in Japan on 7 November 2008, in the USA on 20 May 2009, and in the UK and Europe in 2010. The original Japanese CD issue was released as a mini-LP ca ...
" P.O.C. (Pulled Over by the Cops). The crew had first worked together on the 2010 track "Oil Money" by Freddie Gibbs
Fredrick Jamel Tipton (born June 14, 1982), better known by his stage name Freddie Gibbs, is an American rapper from Gary, Indiana. After initially being signed to Interscope Records in 2006, Gibbs recorded his debut studio album under the label ...
, and kept working afterwards. Their first single, "Authority", was produced by Blended Babies and featured singer Nate Santos. Around 2011 Rocks co-founded The Toothpick Clique with his friends Tris J and Shorty K, collaborators from his teenage years. They were working on new material as of 2012.
2011–13: Solo mixtapes
In 2011 both Rocks and Inglish began working on solo material separate from The Cool Kids. However, they continued to help each other on their various projects and continued to tour together as the band. On March 14, 2011, Sir Michael Rocks released his debut solo album, the ''Rocks Report'' mixtape, which featured twenty five original songs and skits. Guest appearances include Like and Mibbs of Pac Div
Pacific Division, better known as Pac Div is an American rap quartet from Southern California. Formed by brothers Like and Mibbs, Pac Div started rapping together in high school. Originally an eleven-member crew, they shrank to three in 2005 ...
, Sir Charles, and Trademark Da Skydiver, with production by Ski Beatz
David Anthony Willis, known professionally as Ski Beatz, is an American record producer from Greensboro, North Carolina, mainly working in hip hop.
Biography
Discovered by DJ Clark Kent, Ski was originally known as "MC Will-Ski" in the late 19 ...
, Madlib
Otis Jackson Jr. (born October 24, 1973), known professionally as Madlib, is an American DJ, music producer, multi-instrumentalist, and rapper. He is widely known for his collaborations with MF DOOM (as Madvillain), J Dilla (as Jaylib), and Fr ...
, and others.
This mixtape was followed on October 2, 2011, by ''Premier Politics.'' The album features sixteen tracks with Rocks doing most of the writing on all. About the production process, Rocks stated "It didn't take too long because I'm a studio rat, so I'll be in the lab for 2 weeks straight, 10 hours a day, and just grind out non-stop." A number of different producers besides Rocks contributed, including the Alchemist
Alchemy (from Arabic: ''al-kīmiyā''; from Ancient Greek: χυμεία, ''khumeía'') is an ancient branch of natural philosophy, a philosophical and protoscience, protoscientific tradition that was historically practiced in Chinese alchemy, C ...
. He also released a collection of sweatshirts and T-shirts with the release of the ''Premier Politics'', promoting various independent designers.
On October 23, 2011, it was announced that Rocks joined forces with the independent label Jet Life Recordings
Shante Scott Franklin (born April 4, 1981), better known by his stage name Currensy (often stylized as Curren$y), is an American rapper. In 2011, he founded the label Jet Life Recordings.
Music career
2002–2008: No Limit and Young Mone ...
, a Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...
imprint owned by fellow rap artist Curren$y
Shante Scott Franklin (born April 4, 1981), better known by his stage name Currensy (often stylized as Curren$y), is an American rapper. In 2011, he founded the label Jet Life Recordings.
Music career
2002–2008: No Limit and Young Money ...
,[Varnie, Dian]
"Smoke DZA and Sir Michael Rocks Sign To Curren$y's Jet Life Recordings"
''AllHipHop.com'', October 27, 2011 who Rocks had first had befriended over Myspace around 2008. Rocks appeared as a featured artist on a number of the albums released by the label. In 2011, this included "1st Place" (featuring Currensy, Trademark Da Skydiver, Young Roddy
Roderick Brisco (born September 20, 1986), better known by his stage name Young Roddy (or simply Roddy), is an American hip hop recording artist signed to Jet Life Recordings and iHipHop Distribution.
Early life
Young Roddy was born and raised ...
& Mikey Rocks), which appeared on the album ''Jet World Order
Jet World Order is an album by rapper Curren$y and his Jet Life crew. It was released on November 29, 2011. The bonus track edition of the album includes a guest appearance from Big K.R.I.T. A bonus loud pack edition of the album was released on th ...
''. Rocks toured in late 2011 on the Smoker's Club Tour, which featured Curren$y, Method Man
Clifford Smith, Jr. (born March 2, 1971), better known by his stage name Method Man, is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He is known as a member of the East Coast hip hop collective Wu-Tang Clan. He is also half of t ...
, Smoke DZA
Sean Pompey (born February 8, 1984), better known by his stage name Smoke DZA, is an American rapper and songwriter.
Biography
1984–2007: Early life and career beginnings
Smoke DZA was born February 8, 1984 at Harlem Hospital in New York ...
and Big K.R.I.T.
Justin Lewis Scott (born August 26, 1986), better known by his stage name Big K.R.I.T. (a backronym for King Remembered in Time), is an American rapper and record producer. Born in Meridian, Mississippi, he started his musical career in 2005. Af ...
While working on solo material he also continued to work on music with The Cool Kids.
On April 6, 2012, he released the mixtape ''Premier Politics 1.5'', which included songs he'd originally intended for ''Premier Politics.'' Contributing producers and featured artists included Cardo
A cardo (plural ''cardines'') was a north–south street in Ancient Roman cities and military camps as an integral component of city planning. The cardo maximus, or most often the ''cardo'', was the main or central north–south-oriented street ...
, Tye Hill
John Tye Hill (born June 3, 1982) is an American former college and professional football cornerback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for five seasons. He played college football for Clemson University, and earned consensus All ...
, Brandun DeShay
Brandun DeShay (born May 10, 1990), stylized as brandUn DeShay, is an American rapper, songwriter and record producer from Chicago, Illinois. He produced for all of his releases. Aside from his solo career, DeShay was an early member of the Los ...
, Cookin' Soul
Cookin Soul is a Spanish producer-DJs duo known separately as Big Size and Zock. Producing work since around 2005, the two have developed a strong presence in the mixtape circuit in the US, according to ''El País''.
Critical response
''The Gu ...
, Like, his close friend Tris J, Shorty K, and Chuck Inglish
Evan Ingersoll (born October 7, 1984), better known by his stage name Chuck Inglish, is an American rapper, producer and songwriter most known for being part of the hip hop duo The Cool Kids with Sir Michael Rocks. His debut album ''Convertibles ...
. Stated ''Hot New Hip Hop, ''Sir Michael Rocks's future brightens with every new release, and ''Premier Politics 1.5'' certainly isn't an exception. It's a fitting addition to a solid catalogue."
His mixtape ''Lap of Lux'' was released on August 2, 2012. ''Lap of Lux'' feature appearances from Mac Miller
Malcolm James McCormick (January 19, 1992 – September 7, 2018), known professionally as Mac Miller, was an American rapper and record producer. Miller began his career in Pittsburgh's hip hop scene in 2007, at the age of fifteen. In 2010, h ...
, Rockie Fresh, and Casey Veggies
Casey Joseph Jones (born July 18, 1993), better known by his stage name Casey Veggies, is an American rapper and songwriter from Los Angeles, California. Since 2007, he has released five independent mixtapes under LA clothing and management comp ...
along with production from Hit-Boy
Chauncey Alexander Hollis Jr. (born May 21, 1987), better known by his stage name Hit-Boy, is an American record producer, rapper, singer, and songwriter. In May 2011, he had signed a two-year deal with Kanye West's GOOD Music production branch. ...
and Inglish. For the ''Lap of Lux'' track "Reservations" he collaborated with actress and singer Teyana Taylor
Teyana Me Shay Jacqueli Shumpert ( Taylor; born December 10, 1990) is an American singer, actress, dancer and choreographer. In 2005, she signed a record deal with Pharrell Williams' Star Trak Entertainment imprint. Afterwards, she choreographe ...
to shoot a music video, which later premiered on MTV
MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
in December 2012. He toured in the fall of 2012 with Mac Miller, and for the second part of the year toured with Pac Div
Pacific Division, better known as Pac Div is an American rap quartet from Southern California. Formed by brothers Like and Mibbs, Pac Div started rapping together in high school. Originally an eleven-member crew, they shrank to three in 2005 ...
. Rocks released an 8-track follow-up mixtape, ''Lap of Lux 1.5'', in December 2012, with producer Harry Fraud
Rory William Quigley (born January 26, 1987), known professionally as Harry Fraud, is an American record producer. Primarily a hip hop producer, Fraud began producing at an early age and began interning at a recording studio after graduating hig ...
also contributing.
Stated ''Hip Hop Vibe'' in February 2013, "Though he is overlooked in the wake of Chief Keef
Keith Farrelle Cozart (born August 15, 1995), better known by his stage name Chief Keef, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer. His music first became popular during his teen years in the early 2010s among high school s ...
, Rockie Fresh, and Lil Reese
Tavares Lamont Taylor (born January 6, 1993), known professionally as Lil Reese, is an American rapper from Chicago, Illinois. Hailing from Chicago's drill scene in the early 2010s, he is known for his collaborations with fellow rappers Chief ...
, it is highly likely that Sir Michael Rocks is Chicago's biggest newer artist. He performed at SXSW 2013 in Austin, having performed at the festival annually since 2007. As of February 2013 he was associated with but not signed to Jet Life Recordings, instead remaining independent. On May 30, 2013, he released the mixtape ''While You Wait...,'' a ten track project with guest appearances by artists such as Ab-Soul
Herbert Anthony Stevens IV (born February 23, 1987), better known by his stage name Ab-Soul, is an American rapper, singer and songwriter. Raised in Carson, California, he signed to indie record label Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) in 2007, where ...
, Mac Miller, and Larry Fisherman
Malcolm James McCormick (January 19, 1992 – September 7, 2018), known professionally as Mac Miller, was an American rapper and record producer. Miller began his career in Pittsburgh's hip hop scene in 2007, at the age of fifteen. In 2010, h ...
, who also contributed to production.
2013–14: ''Banco'', guest appearances
His debut album ''Banco
Banco may refer to:
Places
* Banc (Barcelona Metro), also called Banco, a closed metro stop on the Barcelona metro
* Banco, Virginia, an unincorporated community
* Banco, West Virginia, an unincorporated community
* Banco National Park, a nation ...
'' was released on July 29, 2014. The album features guest appearances from Twista
Carl Terrell Mitchell (born November 27, 1973), better known by his stage name Twista (formerly Tung Twista), is an American rapper and record producer. He is best known for his Chopper (rap), chopper style of rapping and for once holding the t ...
, Casey Veggies
Casey Joseph Jones (born July 18, 1993), better known by his stage name Casey Veggies, is an American rapper and songwriter from Los Angeles, California. Since 2007, he has released five independent mixtapes under LA clothing and management comp ...
, Iamsu!
Sudan Ameer Williams (born November 16, 1989), better known by his stage name Iamsu! (stylized as IamSu! or IAMSU!), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is also a part of the production team The Invasion and lead ...
, Mac Miller
Malcolm James McCormick (January 19, 1992 – September 7, 2018), known professionally as Mac Miller, was an American rapper and record producer. Miller began his career in Pittsburgh's hip hop scene in 2007, at the age of fifteen. In 2010, h ...
, Trinidad James
Nicholaus Joseph Williams (born September 24, 1987), better known by his stage name Trinidad James (often stylized as Trinidad Jame$), is a Trinidadian-American rapper. In 2012, he signed a recording contract with Def Jam Recordings. The label d ...
, Too Short
Todd Anthony Shaw (born April 28, 1966), better known by the stage name Too Short (stylized as Too $hort), is an American rapper and record producer. He became famous in the West Coast hip hop scene in the late 1980s, with lyrics often based on ...
and Chuck Inglish
Evan Ingersoll (born October 7, 1984), better known by his stage name Chuck Inglish, is an American rapper, producer and songwriter most known for being part of the hip hop duo The Cool Kids with Sir Michael Rocks. His debut album ''Convertibles ...
.
Rocks continues to be active as a guest artist, and he has contributed to tracks by artists such as Dom Kennedy
Dominic Ross Hunn (born August 22, 1984), better known by his stage name Dom Kennedy, is an American rapper from Leimert Park, Los Angeles, California. Since 2008, Kennedy has released 5 independent mixtapes, most notably his 2010 critically accl ...
, Ski Beatz
David Anthony Willis, known professionally as Ski Beatz, is an American record producer from Greensboro, North Carolina, mainly working in hip hop.
Biography
Discovered by DJ Clark Kent, Ski was originally known as "MC Will-Ski" in the late 19 ...
, Sean O'Connell
Sean O'Connell was a Gaelic football manager and player who featured for the Derry county team in the late 1950s, 1960s and 1970s and was on the Derry side that finished runners-up to Dublin in the 1958 All-Ireland Championship – winning a ...
, Curren$y
Shante Scott Franklin (born April 4, 1981), better known by his stage name Currensy (often stylized as Curren$y), is an American rapper. In 2011, he founded the label Jet Life Recordings.
Music career
2002–2008: No Limit and Young Money ...
, Rapsody
Marlanna Evans (born January 21, 1983), better known by her stage name Rapsody, is an American rapper. Her second album, ''Laila's Wisdom'' (2017), which was critically acclaimed, received two Grammy Award nominations for Best Rap Album and Bes ...
, Dizzy Wright
La'Reonte Wright (born November 26, 1990), known professionally as Dizzy Wright, is an American rapper and record producer.
In December 2011, Wright signed to rapper Hopsin's independent record label, Funk Volume. After signing, he released his ...
, Freddie Gibbs
Fredrick Jamel Tipton (born June 14, 1982), better known by his stage name Freddie Gibbs, is an American rapper from Gary, Indiana. After initially being signed to Interscope Records in 2006, Gibbs recorded his debut studio album under the label ...
, and The World's Freshest. In April 2014 he contributed to the Chuck Inglish album ''Convertibles
A convertible or cabriolet () is a passenger car that can be driven with or without a roof in place. The methods of retracting and storing the roof vary among eras and manufacturers.
A convertible car's design allows an open-air driving expe ...
'', which was preceded by three singles – one of which was "Swervin'" featuring Rocks and Polyester the Saint.
2018-19: Mysteryschoolus
Entering a new musical era. The artist has linked up with Owen Bones to create a new group called MYSTERY SCHOOL to form an experimental electronic hip-hop duo. released their self-titled debut, Mystery School EP. The whole campaign leading up to this release has led to Owen Bones and Sir Michael Rocks on Twitch
Twitch may refer to:
Biology
* Muscle contraction
** Convulsion, rapid and repeated muscle contraction and relaxation
** Fasciculation, a small, local, involuntary muscle contraction
** Myoclonic twitch, a jerk usually caused by sudden muscle con ...
for these "Sudden Death" segments. Where they give themselves a half hour to create a beat from scratch with at least one verse on it.
Style and genre
;Equipment
As a music producer, Rocks has been known to use the music software program Reason
Reason is the capacity of consciously applying logic by drawing conclusions from new or existing information, with the aim of seeking the truth. It is closely associated with such characteristically human activities as philosophy, science, ...
from Propellerhead Software
Reason Studios (formerly known as Propellerhead Software) is a music software company, based in Stockholm, Sweden, and founded in 1994. It produces the studio emulation Reason.
History
Propellerhead Software was founded in 1994 by Ernst Nat ...
.
;Sound, lyrics and influences
Stated by ''Hot New Hip Hop'' in May 2012, "His laidback flow is definitely a good fit for Curren$y
Shante Scott Franklin (born April 4, 1981), better known by his stage name Currensy (often stylized as Curren$y), is an American rapper. In 2011, he founded the label Jet Life Recordings.
Music career
2002–2008: No Limit and Young Money ...
's Jet Life Recordings
Shante Scott Franklin (born April 4, 1981), better known by his stage name Currensy (often stylized as Curren$y), is an American rapper. In 2011, he founded the label Jet Life Recordings.
Music career
2002–2008: No Limit and Young Mone ...
... but you really can't compare Mikey Rocks to other rappers because his flow and sound are so different from what is constantly heard nowadays; staying with the fresh theme, listening to Sir Michael Rocks' rap is like a breath of fresh air." He stated in late 2012 about his rhymes, "I just write something that I or my friends would listen to. Nine out of ten times if we like it, other people will fuck with it."
;Genres
Sir Michael Rocks has referenced local Chicago rappers as influences on his sound. Stated Rocks in 2011, "of course, hicagoclassics like Twista
Carl Terrell Mitchell (born November 27, 1973), better known by his stage name Twista (formerly Tung Twista), is an American rapper and record producer. He is best known for his Chopper (rap), chopper style of rapping and for once holding the t ...
, Crucial Conflict
Crucial Conflict is an American hip hop group from Chicago, composed of Wondosas "Kilo" Martin, Ralph "Wildstyle" Leverston, Corey "Coldhard" Johnson and Marrico "Never" King, best known for their marijuana-themed 1996 hit single " Hay".
The gr ...
, Kanye
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer.
Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ear ...
, Common
Common may refer to:
Places
* Common, a townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland
* Boston Common, a central public park in Boston, Massachusetts
* Cambridge Common, common land area in Cambridge, Massachusetts
* Clapham Common, originally com ...
and Lupe was a big influence on what I am doing now. A lot of Chicago music has definitely raised me to be who I am." Stated ''Chicago Reader
The ''Chicago Reader'', or ''Reader'' (stylized as ЯEADER), is an American alternative weekly newspaper in Chicago, Illinois, noted for its literary style of journalism and coverage of the arts, particularly film and theater. It was founded by a ...
'' in 2007, "Over the past year and a half, a new crowd of omnivorous, beat-obsessive DJs and rappers--Flosstradamus
Flosstradamus is the stage name of American DJ and musician Curt Cameruci. From 2007 until 2016, Flosstradamus consisted of Cameruci and Josh Young from Chicago. The duo announced they would both be pursuing solo careers, with Cameruci to continu ...
, Kid Sister
Melissa Young (born July 3, 1980), known professionally as Kid Sister, is an American rapper based in Chicago, Illinois. She is known for her single " Pro Nails", which features Kanye West, and for her work as a member of the British music colle ...
, Hollywood Holt, The Cool Kids
The Cool Kids are an American hip hop duo composed of rappers Sir Michael Rocks and Chuck Inglish. The Cool Kids' music had been released primarily to the independent Chocolate Industries via their own label C.A.K.E. Recordings. Reed and Inger ...
ith Sir Michael Rocks Mano--has done what nobody's managed to do in years: developed what you could conceivably call a Chicago hip-hop sound. It takes cues from the indie-rock
Indie rock is a subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the music they produce ...
-influenced hipster dance scene, relying more on four-on-the-floor club rhythms from juke and house
A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condi ...
than the languid, syncopated beats common in mainstream hip-hop. And it borrows some of the most appealing elements from the other major regional styles: the screwed vocals of Houston hip-hop, the good-natured rowdiness of Dirty South crunk
Crunk is a subgenre of hip hop music that emerged in the early 1990s and gained mainstream success during the mid 2000s. Crunk is often up-tempo and one of Southern hip hop's more dance and club oriented subgenres. An archetypal crunk track freq ...
, and the playful, casual attitude of Bay Area hyphy
The term hyphy ( ) is Oakland slang meaning "hyperactive". More specifically, it is an adjective describing the hip hop music and the culture associated with the area. The term was first coined by Oakland rapper Keak da Sneak.
History
The hyp ...
, with its rhymes about hanging out, dressing up for the club, and gettin' retarded."[
;Fashion
As of September 2012, Rocks was the face of the clothing line Mariani.] In an interview with magazine ''Ruby Hornet'', "Mac Miller
Malcolm James McCormick (January 19, 1992 – September 7, 2018), known professionally as Mac Miller, was an American rapper and record producer. Miller began his career in Pittsburgh's hip hop scene in 2007, at the age of fifteen. In 2010, h ...
mentions he Cool Kidsnot getting enough credit for what they've done in style, music, and fashion." According to ''All Hip Hop'' in 2012, "All gold everything, Retro J's, and a Neiman Marcus
Neiman Marcus Group, Inc. is an American integrated luxury retailer headquartered in Dallas, Texas, which owns Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Horchow, and Last Call. Since September 2021, NMG has been owned by a group of investment compani ...
wardrobe – these are all things hot in popular hip-hop fashion culture today, but nothing that is extremely new. In 2007, The Cool Kids strutted out all of the above fashion trends and rocked it all years before it was mentioned in recent songs. There is no doubt that Sir Michael Rocks and Chuck Inglish pioneered modern swag."
Personal life
As of May 2012, Sir Michael Rocks was living in both Chicago and Los Angeles, moving between the two.
Discography
* ''Banco
Banco may refer to:
Places
* Banc (Barcelona Metro), also called Banco, a closed metro stop on the Barcelona metro
* Banco, Virginia, an unincorporated community
* Banco, West Virginia, an unincorporated community
* Banco National Park, a nation ...
'' (2014)
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rocks, Sir Michael
Living people
1987 births
People from Matteson, Illinois
Rappers from Chicago
African-American male rappers
American hip hop record producers
Midwest hip hop musicians
Songwriters from Illinois
21st-century American rappers
Record producers from Illinois
21st-century American male musicians
African-American songwriters
21st-century African-American musicians
20th-century African-American people
American male songwriters