Listen Up: Mick Jenkins, Sip EP

Guest post by Louis Fagelson

For those of you sleeping on Mick Jenkins, it’s time to get hydrated. If you are unfamiliar with the Southside Chicago native, you should take a moment to give his newest two-track EP Sip a listen. While staying true to the unique and down-to-earth flow that he operates with in his first three projects, Mick shines light on the gang activity taking place in Chicago and his experiences with violence in the city.

Although he was born in Huntsville, AL, Mick grew up in Southside Chicago and his music is massively influenced by the city. His first project, Trees and Truths, is a heavily lyrical project that tells the story of his childhood and provides a crucial background on which his belief system is based. His next project, The Water(s), takes listeners on a journey through Mick’s mind and allows him to express his views concerning love, life, and religion. Listeners will notice his frequent references to water as a symbol for truth in life and how the distortion of it in the media causes big problems for the underprivileged. The follow up, Wave(s), reveals Mick’s range in style. His flow changes from an introspective discussion with listeners to a high energy retro-pop sound.

His most recent work, Sip, is from a collection of songs that Mick has been working on with producer, THEMpeople. The EP features a lucid feel that matches up with the free flowing feeling of The Water(s). The first track, “Grenade Theory,” takes listeners on a journey through the dangerous streets of Chiraq. Mick uses clever lyricism to shine light on the motives of the gangs and uses personal experiences from his life to paint a vivid picture of the struggle. Again, he uses water as a symbol for truth and virtue. The second song, “$3,000 Advice,” features a synthy instrumental on which Mick discusses the effects of his herbal treatments and their effects on his relationships. Fans of Mick will notice a drop-off on the fluidity of the hook on this one, but the clever wordplay in his verses allow it to impress those that give it a listen.

In a world where songs with meaningless lyrics get the most radio spins, Mick tells the story of a real man who grew up overcoming racism, poverty, and more adversity than you could imagine. His knowledge of the imperative values in life and hints of sarcasm in his music reminds fans of the genre that intelligence still exists in the rap game.

Listen to both songs below.

King Louie reps East Tennakey with Super Saiyan swag. Dope instrumentals are great but I’m looking for lyrics that will tell a story. Wordplay and delivery are key. Hit me up on twitter @lfagelson.

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Looking to share your music with the masses? Send a track with a short description about yourself to soulinstereoblog@gmail.com or hit me up on Twitter @etbowser. If we like what we hear we’ll feature you in an upcoming post.