On a breezy Thursday night, Jaden Smith, a second-year graduate student at Howard’s School of Social Work, and his friends packed into the dark and humid second floor of famed Washington D.C. music venue, The Black Cat.
The venue is known for welcoming “the best in live independent music.” Smith and his friends were there to see rapper MIKE and his friends on his stop in the District of the “Artist of the Century” tour.
The rapper, born Michael Jordan Bonema, is a hallmark of the underground rap scene, which includes his show openers and 10k label mates Niontay and Sideshow, and artists like MAVI and Earl Sweatshirt.
His music is characterized by laid-back, dense raps over soulful and bouncy chopped samples.
MIKE, a fully independent artist, has released three albums in the past two years. One was released earlier this year, and he’s already announced an album set to release in May. He also tours constantly; this current tour follows his international tour last year.
Rashad Freeman, a senior economics major, design and Spanish double minor from South Orange, NJ, discovered MIKE’s music during his freshman year. He said MIKE is his favorite artist.
“I see myself in him a lot,” Freeman said. “The way he talks about his problems, as a young Black man, it’s relatable. I love the style of music that he is making. It’s really pushing the genre forward. I really respect him and he’s honestly inspirational.”
Smith said he discovered MIKE’s music in 2020 and has been hooked ever since. He has a tattoo inspired by the rapper’s album “May God Bless Your Hustle.”
“Like the whole underground rap [scene] is real special to me, you know what I mean? I’m excited for the show and everything. He gets better with every project.” Smith said.
The crowd at the show showed up in fashions similar to MIKE, who took the stage dressed in a “Rodeo” Jacquard knit sweater (that he eventually took off to show a plain white tee) and baggy light wash jeans.
Elise Gentry, a senior marketing major, Spanish minor from Houston, Texas, wore a comfortable outfit and heeled boots to give her a better view.
“I’m really enjoying the style that I’m seeing tonight from the boys who are out, and it does look like what MIKE would wear. They have some baggy jeans, a cool graphic tee, very put together, giving very Black excellence, very for the culture,” Gentry said.
Freeman, who wore a MIKE shirt he purchased at the show, said he draws style inspiration from MIKE and his other favorite artists.
“I’d say my style is definitely heavily influenced by the artists I listen to, [and] as I consume music the most out of any media. I look at what pieces they have on and be like, ‘oh, that’s fire’. I think it would look good on me ’cause you know, I see myself in them,” Freeman said.
The show was opened by artist Semiratruth, who mixed vinyl live on stage and sang and rapped over the music. Rapper Niontay followed and got the crowd moving with his set filled with infectious, danceable, fast-paced beats.
Russell Antwi, a senior biology major and chemistry minor from Long Island, NY, bounced around and remarked about “rap being back.”
“I feel like [for] young, Black boys, it’s nice to find a place where we can all just kind of be a little, cause most of the people who listen to MIKE, we are a little corny, I’m not gonna lie,” Antwi said.
Thursday’s show was Antwi’s first time seeing MIKE in person. He spoke about the MIKE fan base and what it’s like to be a part of that community.
“Like we were dissecting the lyrics of Kanye West for years. All we talk about is music. I feel like it’s a nice community of people who just love music and love to talk about music and all the different parts of it,” he said.
The final opener was DMV native Sideshow. The crowd, engaged and chanting “Sideshow!” and “10K,” swelled and filled out the room even more.
MIKE took the stage to a sample of “My Neck, My Back” by Khia set to a thumping samba beat. He asked the audience to make some noise for each opener, something he proceeded to do multiple times throughout his nearly two-hour-long set.
After the crowd work, he launched into his 2023 song “Burning Desire” to cheers. When MIKE pointed the microphone at the audience, they screamed the song’s sample back at him: “I’M BURNING!” D.C. native El Cousteau made a surprise appearance and performed his solo music along with some of his music with MIKE.
Taka, MIKE’s DJ and best friend, said MIKE’s music and his connection with his audience are “intentional” and “genuine.”
“It’s important that you connect with the people. It’s important that you relate to the people. No matter what,” Taka said. “There’s a relativity involved with the expression of music and expression of introspection and self-reflection. And if that resonates with the crowd, that resonates with the audience.”
Taka also spoke about his friendship with MIKE.
“For me as a person who does my best to support one of my best friends, it’s important for me to make sure that I do the best I can to make sure that he gets the ability to express whatever it is that he wants to express in his best way as much as he can, and that we’re having fun while we do it,” he said.
As he concludes his senior year, Freeman said the concert felt special and is something he’ll remember for a while.
“This is a good time where I get to see everybody that has the same interest as me in the same place as me,’ he said. “It is kind of the end of the road. MIKE and his music has kind of been with me throughout my time at Howard. So yeah, it’s kind of symbolic in that way.”
After the show, Taka spoke on the night outside the venue.
“Everybody that performed is amazing,” he said. “Young Black artists trying their best to express themselves, and trying their best to make a way for themselves with the art form. The fact that we can enjoy that space together, and relate to each other, [and] have a good time; That’s the most important part of it.”
Copy edited by Anijah Franklin
