"I watched his performance from the back of the room. He had people rapping along and bouncing up and down. If we judged on audience participation ALONE he would have won! It just so happens that the song was dope too."
~Qamil
MARCH 2016
Location: Scarlet & Grey Cafe (Columbus, OH)
Open Mic Winner: Mike Solo
Specialty: Hip Hop
Interviewed by: Qamil
Q. How would you describe your style as an artist?
Q. If you could go on a world tour right now, what other artist would you want to take with you?
A. It's funny, because when I first started putting any sort of serious effort into writing and recording, Eminem was still a few months away from releasing "My Name Is", so the idea of being able to "make it" as a white rapper was limited to Vanilla Ice, the Beastie Boys, and that wannabe reggae rapper Snow. Then Em dropped onto the scene like a Caucasian Nuke, and suddenly every white rapper that attempted to come out got compared to him. So it bothered me early on. These days, I kind of use it to my advantage. I'm sort of unassuming and mild-mannered, then I step on stage, grab the mic, and start going and people are generally shocked. I can't say I don't enjoy that sensation of knowing I've caught people off guard. Especially when it's a crowd that's more than 50% non-white. They may still not care for the songs I've performed, but they almost always look at me different walking off stage than they did before I went on.
Location: Scarlet & Grey Cafe (Columbus, OH)
Open Mic Winner: Mike Solo
Specialty: Hip Hop
Interviewed by: Qamil
Q. What do you bring to the music table?
A.
At the risk of sounding cliche, I consider myself a very weird blend of
90s hip hop, 70s soul, a little bit of country, with a hint of heavy
metal and punk.
Q. How would you describe your style as an artist?
A.
I would say my style is a mixture of in-your-face aggression,
thoughtful introspection, with a little bit of goofball thrown in to
keep people guessing.
Q. If you could go on a world tour right now, what other artist would you want to take with you?
A.
I would have to say Tech N9ne. He has a close connection to his
fanbase, and I would want to have the kind of energy that sort of
connection brings.
Q. Who IS Mike Solo?
Q. Who IS Mike Solo?
A. Just an awkward, goofy white guy who loves to write and perform, is VERY opinionated, and has a twisted sense of humor.
Q. Hip Hop is a diverse genre in that artists and fans come from many different backgrounds BUT there are people that are always skeptical of "white rappers". Does this bother you or effect your vibe when you are walking into shows?
Q. Hip Hop is a diverse genre in that artists and fans come from many different backgrounds BUT there are people that are always skeptical of "white rappers". Does this bother you or effect your vibe when you are walking into shows?
A. It's funny, because when I first started putting any sort of serious effort into writing and recording, Eminem was still a few months away from releasing "My Name Is", so the idea of being able to "make it" as a white rapper was limited to Vanilla Ice, the Beastie Boys, and that wannabe reggae rapper Snow. Then Em dropped onto the scene like a Caucasian Nuke, and suddenly every white rapper that attempted to come out got compared to him. So it bothered me early on. These days, I kind of use it to my advantage. I'm sort of unassuming and mild-mannered, then I step on stage, grab the mic, and start going and people are generally shocked. I can't say I don't enjoy that sensation of knowing I've caught people off guard. Especially when it's a crowd that's more than 50% non-white. They may still not care for the songs I've performed, but they almost always look at me different walking off stage than they did before I went on.
Mike Solo #LIVE
Q . If you could have a dinner party and discuss music with 5 artists (dead or alive) who would be at that table?
A. Oh man. I would have to say Marvin Gaye, Roger Waters of Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix, Eminem, and Rick Rubin. Not only for the unique knowledge and skills of each, but for the sheer entertainment value of having such a diverse group of guys talking music.
Q. What music are you listening to now? What’s spinning in your world?
A. Currently I'm listening to "Fuck Swag" by Rittz
Q. What is your ultimate goal as an artist?
Q. What is your ultimate goal as an artist?
A. My ultimate goal is just to be able to look back when I'm an old man and know that something I created made people happy, eased some sort of pressure from their daily lives, or even reached a few troubled souls and kept them from hurting themselves or got them through a dark time. Fame and fortune aren't really a major concern for me at this point. I'm a man at peace with my life. I just want others to feel the same, and hope that a song I put out there helps someone else achieve that sort of peace, like music has done for me over the years.
Q. What is your favorite album of all time?
A. If I were to go on sheer amount of times I played it, front to back, it would have to be "Beautiful Struggle" by Talib Kweli. "Around My Way" is easily the most beautiful hip hop song of all time.
A. That's easy. Performing on stage. And if you would have known me in high school, that would be a serious shock.
Q. When people see you perform what do you want them to take away?
A. I just want them to KNOW, without a doubt, that I gave them every ounce of sweat and energy I could possibly give for the amount of time I was up there, and whether we feeling it or not, they walk away saying "damn, he went hard."
Q. Was there a defining moment that made you decide to seriously pursue a career in music?
A. I would say the closest thing to a defining moment was performing in front of nearly 1,000 people and feeling that rush when I performed a song that got them hyped up and cheering. There was an added bonus of having someone in the crowd who didn't like our group, and seeing his face when we got that reaction was priceless. Petty? Maybe. But if felt good. lol
Q. Favorite color?
A. Red.
Q. Favorite meal?
Q. Favorite meal?
A. My very own Apple Cider-infused grilled chicken. Sides are irrelevant.
Q. Tell me something about yourself that would surprise people.
A. I don't think there's much about me that would surprise anybody. Atleast nothing that I would be comfortable revealing in an interview. lol
Q. Tell me something about yourself that would surprise people.
A. I don't think there's much about me that would surprise anybody. Atleast nothing that I would be comfortable revealing in an interview. lol
Q. Where can people find you online?
Facebook: facebook.com/mike1solo
Facebook: facebook.com/mike1solo
Twitter: @MikeSolo5
IG: mike_solo1
Soundcloud: soundcloud.com/
Email: msullivan280@gmail.com
***
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