Mike Control - Hip Hop Artist

------------------ Groups Bio ------------------John and Maurice met back at James Madison high school in 1988 Like many kids growing up in Brooklyn and going to public school it was hard not to be effected by rap music Its rise in the early eighties by groups like Run-Dmc Beastie Boys and LL Cool J became the new sound for many youths In fact it was similar to what the Beatles Led Zepplen and Rolling Stones did for teens 10 to 20 years before them It became there rock-n-roll There rebellious music It was the noise that every parent hated Hip hop was beginning to gain its mass appeal in the early nineties Its fan base stemed from kids in urban areas to the suburbs Many of its followers were also coming from the hardcore music scene that rose out of lower Manhattan years prior John was one of them Gathering many influences from the sunday matinee hardcore shows he would watch at CBGBs from the early rappers to newer ones who began to emerge such as Eric B amp; Rakim and Epmd John started rhyming He began making homemade demos freestlying at partys and any where else people would listen to him In 1992 under the name Jon Bro John made his first serious attempt to break into the music industry With the help of a young and eager producer named Ruven Schartz he recorded a two song demo John and Ruven pushed the demo hard for a year but time and fustrustion began to take over John felt making it as a solo artist was not looking good In the summer of 1994 John began persuading Maurice and another neighborhood friend Jeremey to form a rap group Although neither of them ever rhymed they decided to give it a shot The group was called Firm Grip and began to do live shows in local bars around the Brooklyn area The group would normally write and rap lyrics over well known instrumentals Firm Grip had become popular among close friends and other people in there neighborhood So again the services of Ruven where called upon to produce a demo The first track the group recorded was called Snappin Necks It consisted of a sample of Eric Sermon of Epmd reciting the chorous Snapin Necks Unfortunely the group only lasted one session Musical differences and immaturity led to there break up Flash forward to 1998 Maurice was working as a film editor for tv commercials while Jon Bro was working for the New York Transit system Both had remained friends through the years but never talked about rapping again The long work hours were consuming much of there time The closest they got of doing anything musical were dj style mix tapes that Maurice would make and distribute to close friends under the name Grey Ghost But all that would change whem Maurice met Mike The Oscillator an audio engineers assistant who worked at the same facitily Together on there own time they began sampling looping and constructing beats In the beginning the objective was merely experimental while accessing the equipment that was availble to them But what they didnt know and would later find out the early forms of the Mike Control sound was being shaped Mike having musical influnces such as Fleetwood Mac and Eric Clapton while Maurice was more focused on hip hop There musical differences combined to blend a unique sound When it was all said and done after months of experimenting with samples and loops Mics I Grab the groups first single was in place The only problem was there actually wasnt a group yet Maurice felt the beat had potential if vocals were laid on top of it Thats when he contacted Jon Bro to come out of retirement to ryhme over the beat Jon was set to do it only on one conditionif Maurice would join him A last ditch effort was made to unite the orignal three of their former group Firm Grip But Jeremy declined In the end Jon bro added the final element to the Mike Control sound Firece battle rap lyrics being thrown back and forth by himself and the Grey Ghost (Maurice taking the idenity of his Dj alias) reminiscence the old school rap style that the duo grew up loving Mike Control compleated their first indepent single in the summer of 1999 The group continues to grow in the year 2000 both mentally and musically They are scheduled to release a 6 song Ep consisting of hip hop songs with some live instrumental arrangements in the coming months -------------------- End of Bio ------------ ------ Sounds -------------Mics I GrabRhyme for Rhyme ------------------------------------------ ------- Reviews --------------While tons of other emcees stomp out of Brooklyn with brain filling rap fury fewdo it like Jonny Bro and the Grey Ghost the two rappers who make up MIKECONTROL On Mic I Grab the production is chalk full of excellent pianoloops and vocal samples and both MCs take it to the next level with divinedelivery and sick battle raps On the B-side we get Rhyme for Rhyme abouncier track once again backed by great production The verses they kick arebetter on the A-side but itd be difficult to deny that Jonny Bro and the GreyGhost dont do the job properly on the second joint Dont sleep on MIKECONTROL; we guarantee theyll be blowing up the spot very soon Head overto their web site and grab this single while you wait on their upcoming EP Rebirth Magazine (wwwrebirthmagcom) MIKE CONTROL are a group (yes not an emcee) who are comin straight outtathe BK The two members are Jonny Bro and the Grey Ghost (both mcs whoalso produce and play guitar bass and drums) This is their debut on wax and itimpresses The production on Mics I Grab (all the production is handled byMike The Oscillator and the group themselves) is dark aggressive and remindsme of hammering for some reason Nice Theres good interplay between bothemcees and they both sound quite angry while theyre spitting lyrics about this thatand a third Rhyme for Rhyme keeps up the standard set by the A-side Thebreak has been used many times before but it still sounds relatively fresh and nice -this is partly due to the fact that it sounds like it was recreated live and moreoriginal elements were added There are more nice lyrics from Jonny Bro and theGrey Ghost about themselves and whatever else they want to chat bout theuplifting tune is topped off with a catchy hook Overall this is a promising debut fora group that could potentially be very interesting wwwHIPHOPMUSICcouk ------------------------------------- WWWMikeControlCom jbor748876@aolcom nbsp; nbsp;

Musical Influences

unknown

Personal Influences

unknown

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