Openmic
Nashville, Tennessee, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2011
Music
Press
“Got me bumpin’ James Brown in the whip
Tennessee is the state
Superman, super fly
I should come with a cape” – “James Brown”
Rap journalists are in love with the notion of “lanes” that different emcees should be married to – and strive to perfect – and the varying sub-genres that they best represent. Freddie Gibbs will always be associated with gangsta rap, and we applaud him for his dedication to the craft. Ditto Run The Jewels and their anti-establishment flavor of underground Hip-Hop. Little Brother’s cult-like following holds firm in their subscription to thinking man’s rap, while Lil Boosie stans appreciate something just a bit different.
And then you have guys like Openmic.
We’ve been covering the bases for a while now, but as a 24-year-old emcee still in the “self-definition” stage of his career, it’s obvious that this idea of rap as a linear entity is either going over ‘Mic’s head or being ignored altogether.
Whatever the case, we should be thankful.
For The Rebels 2 represents a neat little intersection of two very distinct rap streets, one weighed towards the more introspective side of things, the other, fun in its purest, most carefree form.
And make no mistake, we’ve all heard projects from rappers who try their hardest to be good at multiple facets of the genre without ever being remarkable at any one characteristic. FTR2 is not that. ‘Mic really flaunts his diverse talents as an emcee over a wide array of beats. The above-referenced “James Brown” and “Sit Back” are as car-ready as tracks can come, “Drug Addicts” offers a sobering look at the consequences of party habits, and “Blood Red Sun” is the kind of track that offers different meanings to different listeners.
‘Mic’s proven one thing in his brief career-to-date: a knack for diverse wordplay. Hit play and find out for yourself.
Read more: http://smokingsection.uproxx.com/TSS/2014/03/openmic-for-the-rebels-2-album#ixzz33K6IT3j3
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Name: Openmic
Reppin’: The six fifteen, nashville10, lol…Nashville, TN
My style and/or skills have been compared to: Jay Electronica, Kanye West, Jazz, and Poetry
I started rapping: When I was 13 on the back of a bus. I hopped in a cypher and started out freestyling the older kids. Started recording at 17.
My standout moments/records have been: Opening up for the legend Talib Kweli and surprising every crowd I get in front of. People never see my skillset or stage presence coming so when they see me perform there’s always that shock value. My standout records are “Nonfiction,” “Can You Blame Him,” and “Rock and Roll” from my latest mixtape For The Rebels.
I’m gonna change the game by: Being consistent and naturally evolving as an artist. Nobody is truly different on purpose so the only way to be different is to be yourself. That’s what I plan to do.
I’d like to work with: Mos Def, Alvin Band, and Moruf
My goal in hip-hop is: To buy a jeep, tear the doors off, stick my foot out, and ride that junt like a skateboard lol
I’m going to be the next: Southern lyricist to be impactful to the culture. It’s rare to find emcees like myself who really study and try to be perfectionists lyrically. So I’m the next one to fill that space.
To check out more of my music you can go to: OpenmicMusic.com and Twitter (I’m always tweeting leaks and stuff so catch me there) - XXL
Discography
For The Rebels 2 EP
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/for-the-rebels-2-ep/id845316352
For The Rebels 2
https://soundcloud.com/openmicmusic/sets/fortherebels2
For The Rebels
https://soundcloud.com/openmicmusic/sets/for-the-rebels
Molotov
Photos
Bio
“It’s like I’m driving a box Chevy with a photographer, producer, painter, and a dancer filling up all the seats on a ride to New York. Everybody is in their early 20s. You gotta know where you wanna go the whole way there no matter how many stops you make or you’re guaranteed to get lost. I’m the rapping kid from Nashville, TN and I persuaded everybody in the whip we can make it to New York in the spur of the moment with the creativity of a genius, and only 100 dollars in my pocket. It’s progressive Southern culture and we can do anything we want. I’ve always been a leader.”
Openmic capitalizes on his natural instincts with creativity and unmatched lyrical prowess. Growing up the under the guidance of his father and renown jazz musician Rod McGaha, his roots were deeply planted in art and self-expression.
At age 17, he started recording his lyrics. He started off just freestyling on the backs of school buses to hang out with the older kids. Then after realizing his talents he took a shot at writing full songs. This began his desire to become a professional hip hop artist.
He soon graduated high school and attended the HBCU in his hometown, Tennessee State University. Somewhere in between the parties and classes, he began mastering his craft and developing his sound. “I can do a song with Yo Gotti and still get my wave in… then turn around and do J Dilla records with Erykah Badu and bring something young and refreshing to the culture.”
Currently 24, The Southern Creative Openmic is a college graduate from Tennessee State University. And in just a few years he has developed a brand and voice unlike any other.He has opened up for Pusha T, Wale, Stalley, Yo Gotti, Dom Kennedy, Big K.R.I.T. and others. He has even traveled across the spectrum of music to do EDM shows with the duo Two Fresh in Nashville, Memphis, and Austin, TX at SXSW.
This rising underground king has created something new in the south and is rapidly expanding. With his latest project For The Rebels 2 (his first official mixtape ‘For The Rebels’ was awarded mixtape of the year by The Nashville Scene) Openmic has polished his sound and pushed the envelope with bold new sounds and ideas. With production from Mike Ewing (of Maybach Music Group’s production team The Underclassmen), Ducko McFli, Brandon K. Jones and features from Chicago’s GLC and Nashville’s STAN the highly anticipated project is built to exceed expectations. And this is just the beginning…
Band Members
Links
