I’m Micah Andrew Richardson born and raised in (Downtown) Detroit, MI. (better known as Mic Phyzics) I’m a Producer/Rapper/Songwriter and I’m a Crooner.
Well, I meant I sing a little bit.
2.Now you got the illest production and MC name i know it holds a deep meaning and may be self explanatory but tell the readers the science behind the name and how did it come about?
Well, I started off in a group called P.H.E.A.R. with my brother (Entense aka Tense), in which my name at the time was “Mic Phenom”. It wasn’t until it was later in my career of rapping I would sometimes use a reference to my name as Mic Phyzics as if it was like a hybrid name because it made me feel like a different type of animal. Especially when it came to the beats. Tense told me one time, “your like a Mad Scientist or something”. It just stuck with me because it is a science to the things I do with beats man. But the weird thing about it, I hate math.
3.What was the moment or event when you fell in love with music in general and Hip hop as not only a genre but as a culture?
Watching my family members like my uncle’s, my father (who was a Phenomenal drummer) going to church listening to every detail around me. From the choir, to the Organist, Pianist, my dad on the drums who played for the church. The tambourine being played, ceiling fans turning during the hot summer days, babies crying during the pastors sermon. It was all music to me. I just had a different type of ear then most.
4.What is your earliest recollection of music?
Well, the very first moment was Seating in the living room of the old apartment I grew up in sneaking and watching “The Box” and I first heard “Bonita Apple Bum”. It wasn’t so much the song, it was the beat the grab my attention. Soulful, Jazzy, the swing of the drums. It was just different. Then once Rap City started taking over, I was introduced to “I shall/ Proceed/ and continue/ to rock the mic. Real live Jazz and Hip-Hop. ”The Roots” which was my very first CD I even purchased for myself. All my mom would listen to was gospel, soul music. My uncle, who was living with us at the time, was listening to a lot of R&B. My dad loved one guy and one guy only. The Godfather of Soul “James Brown”. Honest to god, me and my sisters did not understand why he loved him so much. He would even dress like him, from head to toe. And this was the 90’s. Do you understand how embarrassing that was for us bro. It wasn’t until I was going through so of my cousin’s vinyl collection, I stumbled across the Big Payback album. I’m like “whoa”, “wait, I’ve heard that sample on Big Daddy Kane song” or “I heard that on EPMD”. Man, you talking about music that changed my whole prospective on life. The next day I was looking for more and more records of him. I was a fan overnight. I almost start to go looking for slacks. A button up with a big butterfly collar and a Llama skin cape dyed purple. I can hear my father’s voice right now like, “What I tell you, there aint nobody like’em. Thats the Godfather right there”
5.Who are some of your influences as an MC, Producer and how have they influenced you with your signature style?
I would have to say Denaun Porter was my very first big influence because he was not only my mentor, but he is just an incredible singer, songwriter, and producer in general. He is like my version of Timberland mixed with a hint of Dilla and Dr Dre. He don’t sound like anybody out here because he has his own signature style. He is just phenomenal man. But Dilla? Man, there is nothing else I need to discuss. Most people don’t know about Dilla’s skills with the flo. Mastermind, that’s all I can say. I actually had two mentor’s growing up. Because Denaun taught me the basic steps of producing and I just learn all the other things on my own. Kuniva (of D12) taught me how to come with bars. He’s my version of Ludacris on crack. He is (still to this day) a Monster. He’s like a loose pit that will chase down your car and bite off the tires while the car is still moving. Youtube him, check his bars and say i’m lying.
Kuniva - “Gut Shots”
6.How long have you been an MC/Producer not to show age but what year did you start?
It’s cool man, I’m going to keep it brief as possible, truthful and honest. I’ve been rapping since 97’. I’ve been making beats since about 2002, Man look, I don’t have to hide my age. Im 36 now. (as after March 11). I’m a father of four with an amazing wife who supports everything I do. Im not afraid of my age and Im not afraid to let the world know that I’m just as good as these young dudes who are 15 years younger then me. You see even though most consider me a vet in the beat battle world, I love what I do. I love to inspire. I know who I am. This is just the beginning of whats to come. Age don’t mean nothing once my beats come on.
7. Now Mic, do you have a certain genre that you like to listen to or create?
Hip Hop, Electronic, Neo-Soul. Im a weirdo man, I love good music. I don’t like to limit myself from any genre. But there are only certain types of music that just speak to me.
8.When was the moment or event that you realized that you had this gift that you wanted to pursue?
There were actually four moments when I realized my gift. When I made beats off of my Sega Genesis sound effects in the options menu. I told you, I’m a weirdo. When my music teacher in middle school (Ms. Baugh) would tell me I had a gift all the time. The very first time I came in her classroom, she was testing everyones voices individually just to find more members for her glee club choir (Don’t judge me) Yes, I was in a glee club in middle school. But not like what you would see on tv. We were like more strict and serious. But back to Ms. Baugh. She would play one note on the piano and we had to sing that one note. Man, you be surprised how many people in this world can’t sing one solid note. Any note she would play, I would hit. Not off pitch, nothing similar to the note. I would hit the actual note. It was just second nature to me, I didn’t feel like it was anything special. At that moment, she made me her lead tenor of the choir. The third moment was when I would just make beats off anything. The counter in the kitchen, the lunch tables in school, I got put out of class a lot of times not realizing how I was drumming on something. The fourth and final moment was when I got voted the most talented in High School in 98, my senior year. I was really surprised being the fact that i was so quite in school. I didn’t even know that most people even knew who I was. Or maybe because I was in the Jazz band, the choir, beatboxing and rapping for the rappers outside, making beats for the rappers the lunchroom, or winning the talent show my senior year.
9.Now we are bother from Detroit, but as an insider what are your thoughts about the local scene at this moment?
I love the local scene, but we don’t have enough support in the city then we should. Support, Support, Support. The word is so important man. The city is hurting and suffering in the music scene because of it. Look, if you sprain your arm, sprained your knee, what do you need to help it heal? An arm brace, right? What does the brace do? It supports the arm in order for it to heal. In order to heal the damages of the Detroit music scene, the people have to support. We’re only hurting ourselves when we don’t. Make sense?
10. What is you take on the Detroit Vs Everybody movement that has been buzzing for a minute?
I understand it completely. We as a city are tired of getting looked over, and stepped on. Not saying it’s more important than whats been going on with law enforcement lately. But we should be able to get respect in other cities just as much as anywhere else when it comes to events or business. It’s not fair for other artist’s outside the city to make money in our city, but when we’re in their city, artist don’t want to show love. But it all boils down to what I mentioned before. In order for these other artist outside of the city or events to come here, it’s all about support.
11.Does the local scene affect your creative process at all?
Never, the local scene is what it is. Some people like it, and some just don’t care to understand it. Even though I love the local scene, I can’t just expect things to get bigger for myself or other if we all don’t go outside of our comfort zone and perform or reach outside of the city to find others that respect what we do.
12.As a producer myself, i love hearing and seeing peoples creative process but what does your process consist of as a MC and Producer?
Um…….Well, I don’t really have any special process. I do have zones I get in once I making a beat. It’s a spiritual feeling man. It’s a uncontrollable feeling I get when I know for a fact that this is the one that’s going to kill’em. What I mean by spiritual. It’s far from a bad vibe, evil spirits, voodoo or anything crazy like that. It’s a unexplainable feeling that overtakes me that just makes you feel high in a way. And resonates through the music. Very few producers or beat makers understand the feeling I speak about. The very first beat I played at March Madness last Saturday, I had that feeling while I was creating it.. It’s just so funky and soulful man, no one could deny the feeling of it. The crowd was electric that night. And a little bias at time, but that’s a whole other discussion.
13.Which one do you enjoy most being an MC or Producer if you have preference?
That’s difficult because I love both so much. Rapping is something i’ve loved since I was in High School. But its just a bigger high when i’m making beats man. I can hear a song in every beat that I create. So I would have to say being a Producer because i’m actually doing both when i’m creating.
14. Explain the differences between a beatmaker and Producer?
Producers work with artist, mix the tracks, take full control of the music or a session, give direction, give structure to the music. They mold the music or mold most artist.
I’m a producer. Beatmakers make beats.
No punchline to that.
15.. Explain the difference between an MC and Rapper?
An M.C. is a crowd controller. The audience is under their spell. They can make a crowd react to whatever they say.
Rappers just rap.
No punchline to that.
16 Do you represent any companies or labels? if so how long have you been affiliated ith them and who are they?
Mic Phyzics Production is my own label.
Im cool with labels such as War Dollar Ent. Good people man.
They show a lot of support man.
My Own Planet / Denaun Porter’s label. Those are my people over there too.
17. How do you define your brand and sound what sets you apart from everyone else?
Man, I don’t sound like nobody you know. And when I say you, I’m speaking in a figure of speech. No one can compare my style to others in the industry nor on the underground level.
Before i would hear from others say, “oh he sound like Dilla”. Now, I don’t here that anymore. Because one thing i would never want to be is a clone, especially of a legend. I thrive off being different. No one can duplicate my style. I have too many. Once a person think I just stay in one lane.
They later begin to understand i’m going left field.
18.What does your lab set up consists of and how has it changed over the years since you started?
It’s gone from more to less over the course of a 10 year span.
I went from hardware to software. So now I just have everything on my laptop. Which was way more convenient. Taking a MPC everywhere you go after while was a hassle. It was to big and bulky to be carrying around, you know.
19.How do you feel about the analog vs digital discussion?
Well, I don’t really get too heavy on the technical side of this discussion. But I will say in my own opinion, analog has a more cleaner sound and heavy sound to me then digital. But I know how to get just as a greater sound with in digital then the average producer. I started off on a MPC sending all my sounds into Pro-Tools. But now that I’ve been using programs such as Maschine and Logic Pro X. Man, I’ve been in heaven.
20.How do you feel about e-digging vs Vinyl digging?
I started off with vinyl. But now I’m so spoiled with e-digging it’s ridiculous. I think i've become the MacGyver of it. It’s just easier, less hassle loading into my laptop. I mean it’s the new era of crate digging. I don’t have anything against either or at all because I like to do both. I know most people have their pet peeves about sampling in general because they feel like it’s cheating. Only one’s who feel like that are the one’s who don’t understand the art of sampling. Because it’s easier for me to play 3 chords and let it loop then it is to chop up the sample in an accurate time, and flip the sample in a way that the average listener couldn’t detect. It’s called skills, not cheating. Now you try it, or be the next Liberace and try to fit in. I know it would be hard in the generation.
21.Any jewels for people who are hoping to make this their career?
If you have a gift, you still have to hustle just as hard as those aren’t as gifted. Because there are too many talentless artist out here hustling harder then you, flooding the market. And right now, they’re winning. So what does that say about your gift, when the people can’t hear you, but can hear “them", loud and clear?
22.Any special thanks or shout outs?
First off, I would like to thank God for my existence, Nate OG, I want to thank you for this amazing opportunity with this interview, Denaun (for giving me my first start, love you couzo), Uncle P for awesome outlet he created for producers like myself and amazing words of wisdom express to one of his nephews, it much appreciated Unc. My little brother, Byron the Aquarius (Mars 11 all day bro). Shoutout to my big bro DDT, Masud (even though we still beefing, Happy Birthday bro), War Dollar Ent., Detroit Mixo, O1 and Ms Coco, Pnukkl, Konphlict, the whole entire Almighty Dreadnaughts Crew, my big bro Guilty Simpson, Shoutout to the homie D. Focis. (Keep you hustle strong man). Big Dame (Let’s make it happen bro) Shoutout to the Original Hip Hop Shop, The Hip Hop Klinik, Mark Cooper, Brett Fullerton, my homies Dirt, Dre D, and Entense, love ya’ll man. Kuniva (I haven’t forgot you on the beats bro) Sabrina Underwood (when she aint so busy) D.J. Los, Pdog, Candace, Leah, Russ and last but not less, my beautiful Wife and 4 little ones. I love you all like crazy. For all those who support every project I've release, I have nothing but the utmost love and respect for you. Thank you all.
23. What are some of your current projects and where can we find them?
Mars 11 Red Arrival out now on soundcloud (link below)
I Am Soul 2 (Remixes) Coming Soon,
Merch Music / Mic Phyzics (Project in the works)
Golden Mane / Mic Phyzics EP early April / mid May,
Mic Phyzics Drum Kits (Coming mid May),
Mic Phyzics Mixtape (Whenever I feel like dropping it, But it will be soon though)
24.What are some of your future projects and which ones are you looking forward to most?
My solo project coming in November which is entitled:
“The Book of Micah.”
I’m putting my all into this album man.
25.How can we stay connected with you?
Facebook
Facebook Community for Producers
Twitter
Instagram
Bandcamp
26. Any final thoughts or things we didn’t cover feel free to do so here?
Yeah man, to all those checking out this interview. I urge you to keep god first in all aspects of your life. One thing I do that most are afraid of is I put all my cards on the table. I’m honest and truthful with others because I don’t to hide from people. When it comes to being honest with others, I have an open mind when it comes to building a positive relationship with most. I give respect because I want the same in return. I treat others the way I want to be treated. Im a living proof that god will answer your prayers. If he can forgive a murderer on the cross next to his son dying for us and give that same murderer a place in heaven. What makes you worse off then him? The devil wants to see you so bad “not” to succeed. Are you going to let god down, or are you going to cross the path that you were destine to cross?
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