By: Gus Navarro
I had the chance to see Mic Write perform in Lansing, MI back in April (Mic is a member of the four-person Detroit based collective, Cold Men Young). The best thing is that he was out in the crowd beforehand nodding his head to the music and just hanging back. If you didn’t know who the Detroit native was, his unassuming demeanor wouldn’t have necessarily indicated that he was about to get on stage and kill it. However, that’s exactly what he did. This is very similar to how his new project, #CODEgreen starts up.
The first track, “Transmission Start,” begins slowly, full of beeps, strings and a quiet groove in the background. It sounds as though the flowers are beginning to bloom after a long Michigan winter. From there we are hit with “Triple Fat Goose (Winter Close)” that contains an on point Stevie Wonder sample and drums that embody the spirit of spring. As he raps, “the weather is finally breakin’ so what are we doin?/ Where are we going, what car are we fittin’ the crew in?” After a long winter, the need to be outside and hanging with your people is irresistible. Following the celebration of warmer weather, Mic reminds us that the responsibilities of life haven’t gone anywhere.
With “20 To My Name” and “Day Job,” the focus is on getting by despite the amount in the bank and working hard and playing even harder. On “Michigan Weather” Mic is talking about the weather, but also that on and off again girl. Much like a beautiful snowfall in January he throws, “I love her then I hate her.”
With production from Jay Norm, Sheefy McFly, Shepard and Mike Hurst, this project has a fresh sound that clearly draws on classic elements of hip-hop production. Guest appearances from Mahd and fellow Cold Men Young members, Kopelli, Mic Phelps and Blacksmith bring another level of creativeness to what is happening lyrically.
Truth be told, the eight tracks of #CODEgreen isn’t the most revolutionary content ever. This is not meant as an insult. On the contrary, it is always refreshing to hear an MC who is rapping about what they experience on a daily basis and that sounds as though they’re having fun and doing something that they love to do. With every verse, Mic Write is putting his heart and soul into what he’s rapping about. This is something that cuts through to the surface and keeps the listener engaged through all tracks. Similar to life, there are times when it’s time to focus and get shit done. However, there is always time to get down and have a good time with your crew. With #CODEgreen, Mic Write embodies this and keeps the energy up for the duration of the record.
Be sure to check out #CodeGreen here – https://soundcloud.com/micwrite/sets/codegreen
Be sure to also check out #MorrisCode here – https://soundcloud.com/micwrite/sets/morris-code
Bio: Mic Write is a dynamic emcee/poet hailing from Detroit as 1/4 of the Hip-Hop Megazord group Cold Men Young, and Rustbelt Poetry Slam Champion, ranked #2 poet in the Midwest. He is currently focusing his talents on his #MorrisCode solo series: a four part series related to the seasons and the sounds they bring with them.
Bonus Cut 