"Some [hip-hop] sucks, some of it is dope. It depends on your tastes. Rather than bitch about the shit I hate, I devote that energy to helping promote the stuff I like."
Interview by: Hallway Jay
Revisions by: Mike Waxx
Through an oversaturated jumbled box of Clue's, Cutmaster C’s, and Kayslay’s, a cover befitting of greatness stands out with an abstract painting of the late great Christopher Wallace on the cover. After a hygiene hurricane, I vigorously drape a jet black polo over an all white long tee and a pair of black Dickies, all while a soundtrack painted almost as carefully, note for note, as the cover that it was packaged in serenades the background. Mick Boogie has the hip-hop game on lock. Not only does he drop some of the illest mixtape's in the game, he also is the official DJ of the Cleveland Cavaliers. He has worked on exclusive projects with the likes of Little Brother, 50 Cent, The Game, Clipse, and Kanye West among many others. In this interview, Mick talks about everything from favorite cartoons to the most difficult mixtape he has worked on, and everything in between. Enter…The Commissioner.illRoots: First off I’d like to thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule, getting right into it. If you were President of any country in the world what country and why?
Mick Boogie: America! Our presidents are American Gangsters for real. But truthfully, I'd never want to be president. Maybe a Senator though, who knows.
illRoots: Who's the hardest working person in Hip-hop you know personally?
Mick Boogie: Probably DJ AM. He spins in a different part of the globe everyday it seems, and still does residencies, mashups, and many other things. To travel that much and maintain a normal life is an amazing feat which he pulls off with ease. Not sure how he does it.
illRoots: Who's the most Underrated DJ of all time and why?
Mick Boogie: Hmm. Cash Money from Philly was dope but is never considered among the Golden Era greats.
illRoots: As a DJ, how do you feel about Rep. Bobby Rush, chairman of the House Subcommittee on commerce, trade, and Consumer Protection, holding a congressional Hearing involving such Hip-Hop ambassadors like David Banner, Master P, and Dr. Michael Eric Dyson?
Mick Boogie: I think its great. Hip-hop is a bonafide part of American culture now, and should be addressed as such. I think it will help bridge the generational gap.
illRoots: Who were your influences and why?
Mick Boogie: Jazzy Jeff, the greatest who ever did it. Kid Capri and Flexm the consummate party rockers. Stretch Armstrong, the guy who made it cool to do college radio. Drama and Green Lantern, creativity and marketing applied to mixtapes.
Mick Boogie with DJ Jazzy Jeff.illRoots: If you could work with one artist that isn't hip-hop who would it be?
Mick Boogie: Red Hot Chili Peppers.
illRoots: I am a huge fan of The League Crew, out of all the tapes that you've done which one was the hardest to complete and why?
Mick Boogie: [There's] two of them. Little Brother because that was like an album we created from scratch... lots of emails back and forth between me and Phonte on that one. And the Biggie mixtape with me and Terry Urban. We had to create every song on there, so it took FOREVER but was worth it.
illRoots: I noticed that you and your business partner recently opened Motivation Boutique in Ann Arbor. Would you mind elaborating?
Mick Boogie: Mike is a good friend of mine who has helped out a lot business wise over the years and lives in Ann Arbor. There is a huge market out there for upscale premium streetwear and no store. Thus, why not do it? With his business and retail experience and my marketing experience plus entertainment connections, it just made sense. The store is doing great, by the way. Check out the MySpace at myspace.com/mtvtn.
illRoots: Everybody nowadays either loves or hates hip-hop, me, personally I'm a hip-hop head so I feel as if we don't have balance then our genre wouldn't be able to exist. What is your opinion of hip-hop and the directions its going in?
Mick Boogie: Some of it sucks, but some of it is dope. It depends on your tastes. Rather than bitch about the shit I hate, I devote that energy to helping promote the stuff I like. Much better allocation of time.
illRoots: Okay finally I’ma hit you with some rapid fire questions real quick. Favorite place in the world?
Mick Boogie:
For chilling: Cleveland, OH
For working: NYC
For vacationing: Naples, FL
illRoots: Favorite pair of kicks?
Mick Boogie: All time, any pair of fly Dunks, best sneaker ever. But right now, I admit,
I'm on my Gucci shit.
illRoots: Favorite Cartoon of All-time?
Mick Boogie: Transformers.
From back to front: Mick Boogie & Little Brother - And Justus For All [Download], Mick Boogie & Terry Urban - Unbeleivable [Download], Mick Boogie, Terry Urban and 9th Wonder - The Graduate w/ Kanye West
illRoots: Top 3 cd's in the iPod?
Mick Boogie:
Little Brother: Get Back
Mick Boogie, Terry Urban, 9th Wonder and Kanye: The Graduate
Red Hot Chili Peppers: Blood Sugar Sex Magik
illRoots: Thanks Big Homie, were holding you down over at illRoots. For more of Mick Boogie and the League Crew, check out:
www.mickboogie.blogspot.com
www.mickboogie.com
www.myspace.com/mickboogie
www.myspace.com/theleaguecrew
www.mtvtn.blogspot.com
