Father's day saw New York City’s hidden gems MIKE get his shine with the release of his third consecutive album ‘Weight of the World’ this past Sunday. The Brooklyn mc and sLUms collective founder released his 2020 debut through his own independent record label and publishing company 10k.
Michael Bonema started his incredible work rate back in 2015 with the launch of his Bandcamp page which saw him release a string of EPs which hold the likes of , his first critically reviewed mixtape, Winter New York, and his first full-length project, Longest Day, Shortest Night. Boenma then capitalized in 2017 with his name being echoed in Hip Hop circles with his self produced project May God Bless Your Hustle. Since MIKE has been on a tear with LP releases three consecutive years in a row, overtime taking the underground by storm with psychedelic ,surreal, and down right raw pieces of art.
Weight Of The World is no stranger to the same creative process and standard that other Bonema self produced records are held to with most of the production coming from MIKE himself in the form of DJ Blackpower. Additional production is met with familiar faces such as Daryl Johnson, Rob Chambers, Red Lee, and Keiyaa. Earl Sweatshirt and Jadasea round out the features list, allowing for Bonema’s lethargic and lo-fi sound to take shape without conformity over the album's 35 minute run time.
MIKE continues to progress on what got him in the game in the first place, conscious bittersweet lyrics and great sample usage. Bonema knows what he is doing when it comes to executive producing a project. From beat selection to sequencing of the project itself Bonema knows the theme music to match the scenes he often tries to paint. DJ Blackpower creates a dreamscape that never feels structured, rather than trying to dissect his beats from an analytical viewpoint, it's better to just let them breathe and allow for MIKE to carve out his own sound in the already saturated sample culture. In addition, MIKE’s lyricism gets deeper and grittier with every release. As Boneman grows as an artist, he continues to pour his soul out over 808s and samples. He shares his childhood traumas, his struggle with being an African American in an ever changing world, and details his own mental health issues that he battles on the daily. MIKE serves as one of the new generation mc’s that understand that relatability in terms of lyrics and subject matter can outway the best beat.
We rate this album a 7.5 out of 10. Stream MIKES new album Weight of the World on all platforms.
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