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Still, he wastes no time getting the listener up to speed.
For a few seconds, you could hear Mikes warm smile coming through the track.
Mike says he madeMonkeyduring a remarkably steady period in his life.
(Im one of those people that take everything as a sign, he says with a laugh.)
All this pain of it dead is behind, he raps.
It was strange, but it never defined me / Overcame, aint no regular guy.
It was interesting to see June 21 come and go this year without a Mike album.[Laughs.]
Knowing how to break out of the plan, too.
It taught me how to not be so rigid about things.
It feels like this album is more than just a snapshot of your past year because of that.
What united this album?Its based on Chinese astrology.
Beware of the Monkey is something that it tells the Tiger to do.
I had read that the Year of the Tiger is supposed to be the super-difficult year for the Tiger.
It was one of my biggest years.
Just so many personal obstacles, things that I was dealing with, like, with myself.
But still, theres this self-conflict.
I love the samples you use on your albums.
I think everybodys a wonderful character, at least to somebody.
Its nice when youre able to hear that through music.
Like you said, whats speaking to me is it feels like this person made this song.
What bang out of energy is this giving me?
Sometimes expressing an emotion thats more than just sad or happy, like an emotion thats happy but grieving.
How do you hear that through the beat?
And some samples straight up be giving that to you, like it be crazy.
It finds you.For sure.
One of my favorite ones on the new one is a song called Eczema.
And I was likeNah, thats so fucking fire.Not only is it fire, its also hella cute.
It has character, too.
Shes not afraid of being herself, and you could hear it.
You know when youre just throwing names out there and shit?
I was like, Yo, lets see if we can get her on the thing.
We got her on the show; the shit blew my mind.
A few months go by.
I could getthereggae artist.And she was down.
Then her manager hit us back saying that she said to stop worry.
People talk about you as a key figure in this sort of scene.
Im 24 now, and I just got a desktop like two months ago.
And Im not gonna lie, it showed me magic.
Now seeing everybody in their greatness like, bro, its been there.
Youhad an EPcome out earlier this year with Wiki and Alchemist.
That was through a deal with Tommy Hilfiger and Patta.
I think that surprised a few fans who arent used to seeing you do something branded.[Laughs.]
He was like, Were gonna attempt to get Wiki to be a part of the project.
Wiki is somebody that I have so much respect for and has inspired us.
And Al is, like, lowkey a legend; hes the guy.
So it came through smooth.
But Im not gonna lie, I definitely do love drip.
And thats whats been cool, too, with the Patta shit, those are some real OGs.
They from Amsterdam, but when they come out to New York, it be crazy.
Everybody be knowing them niggas.
When I see it now, Im like,Ah, yeah, this is a beautiful thing.
You have this really good sense of past and future.
I never even thought of it like that.
That was a good understanding of it.
You just made me feel mad wise.
Then this album, I hear that hope even more.
Its a sad victory.
Music is such a wonderful place for me to express myself and also express the depth of my feelings.
Its like, Im feeling happy and conflicted.
I dont wanna let people down, like, Yeah, Im feeling sad again, yo.
Now niggas be seeing me outside and be like, Yo bro, I can get a pic?
So I feel like with this project, I got to be human and do it for myself.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
