Mike Bless: Blessed & Prayed Up

WordofSouth.com: Mike Bless is here on www.wordofsouth.com. First off, you were born in Akron, Ohio but were raised in Buffalo, New York. I imagine those two hip-hop scenes are very different with the Ohio one not being very strong. How would you compare and contrast the two scenes, specifically to your experiences?

Mike Bless: Back when I was in New York, it was a lot stronger. The south has taken over the music now in hip-hop. Back then, New York was really heavy. I would say Ohio was more of a west coast feel. It was a big difference. It was a good thing for me because I got to blend; I’ve been everywhere from Ohio to New York and now I’m down south. I got a good blend of all the different swags. Everywhere had a strong attribute for the game so it was a good thing.

WordofSouth.com: Have you tried to compromise those three styles and swags into your sound?

Mike Bless: Exactly. I make gumbo – my style is basically like gumbo. I took some potatoes and I got some greens from the south, I went and got some buffalo wings from Buffalo and I put it in one big ol’ pot and that’s me. Mike Bless is pretty much a big pot of gumbo. I touch everybody with my music.

WordofSouth.com: Being raised by a drug dealer turned addict, you had a lot of experiences in a violent neighborhood which lead to a lot of moving around. How did you cope with such a lifestyle? How much did music help?

Mike Bless: When I was going through that, like most children, you don’t really understand a dysfunctional situation when you’re going through it. I think it taught me to cope with life because life isn’t fair. Life doesn’t get any easier the older you get. I think starting off like that played a big part in my life. It played a major part in me having the tough skin to withstand this industry. The industry is a tough industry. Music definitely helped and provided therapy. How much did it help? I didn’t come into music thinking about money. It was just something I loved to do and it was always therapy for me – a way to mend.

WordofSouth.com: I like the comparison to the music industry. Are you trying to say that with the shady business and lots of other things done in this industry, if or when you go through that, you can reminisce on your tough upbringing and that will help you get through it?

Mike Bless: Yeah. It’s just natural. I don’t even have to reminisce because it’s apart of me and apart of my environment. It’s an instinct to react to certain situations and how you were brought up. I’m not talking against anybody that was brought up in a better situation. A lot of artists try and down play the way they were brought up, if it wasn’t in the streets or whatever. My big thing is not to trying to say I’m street. There are a lot of people from the streets trying to show others that lifestyle and doing bad things. My main thing is trying to be real. You can be from the streets or the suburbs and be real. I don’t want people to think I sound like my lifestyle is from the streets. I did some things I probably shouldn’t have done but I’m not glorifying that because it didn’t make me a better person – it made me a stronger individual. To each his own.

WordofSouth.com: What made you want to enter the 2008 Slip-N-Slide next big superstar competition?

Mike Bless: Shouts out to the golf coast. I was making a lot of noise down here. I was doing a lot of shows, opening up for a lot of people. I started making a real heavy buzz up here. It started off with me actually paying to open up for these artists. Eventually, the tables turned and I started getting paid little small fees to come and do people’s parties. It got to a point where the club owners would call me and talk about contests. A lot of people feel like they already made it and are too big for contests. Me, I never think I’m too big for anything. They called me and told me they knew a lot of the cats making noise in the area wouldn’t do it because they felt they’re too big to be in a contest. They called me because they knew how I am. I said as long its official, let’s do it. If it can benefit me, I’ll do it. I came up there and once I saw Ted Lucas with the Vice President and Head of A&R on the panel, I knew it was real and I knew in my heart I was going to win.

WordofSouth.com: You brought up the shows which we’re gonna’ get into in a minute. When you saw who was on that panel, you felt it was a situation that was going to work out?

Mike Bless: I just felt like it was my time. One thing about the industry, you have to hear “no” before it becomes your time. And I’ve heard “no” a lot. It just felt right. When I walked in the doors and I saw who was on that panel, I felt like I was going to win and I’m not just saying that. I’m not trying to sound arrogant, but I felt it was my time. It’s not a cocky or arrogant statement. That’s just how I felt. I knew something good was going to come out of it but I didn’t know it was going to be this good. My single is making a lot of noise.

WordofSouth.com: Was it an easy decision to sign with Slip-N-Slide?

Mike Bless: Yeah it was definitely an easy decision. They have a strong roster and reputation in the game. They’ve broken a lot of artists and have Plies, Rick Ross, they had Trick Daddy, Trina and now they have Jagged Edge. I felt I could bring a lot to the table. They have proven artists and I’m not proven yet. It was a good situation for me. It wasn’t a hard decision at all.

WordofSouth.com: Since you mentioned the Slip-N-Slide roster, have you had a chance to rub elbows and record anything with them?

Mike Bless: Yeah I recorded a song with Jagged Edge. I’ve met with just about everybody except for Rick Ross – I haven’t met him yet. It was cool. Slip-N-Slide is a family. Everybody is doing their own thing – this is still a business. It’s definitely a family situation over at Slip-N-Slide Records.

WordofSouth.com: Opening for a lot of acts on the golf coast, what did you learn by opening for Young Jeezy, Lil Wayne, Gucci Mane and so on?

Mike Bless: The main thing I’ve learned since I’m very observant is the difference between a major and local artist is, a major artist puts on a show. Basically, you have rehearsals, an introduction; each song has to have something real clever, crafty and witty to get into that song. You have to build up the audience to each song. Plies has a song “Plenty Money” and he might throw some money or whatever. It has to be more than just getting up there and doing a song. That’s what I’ve learned. A lot of people open for artists and they feel like it’s they’re chance to get up there and show everybody what you’ve got. I took it as me having a lot to learn because their famous and I’m not. To this day, I’m still not famous- I still have a lot to learn. Once I am famous, I still have a lot to learn to become more successful. That was what I got from that. I wanted to give it a show and make people feel like you really mean what you’re doing. You can’t just get up there and rap. Everybody raps nowadays. It’s not hard to do a little beat and memorize some lyrics – that’s nothing.

WordofSouth.com: Let’s get into the new single “Do It like This” and the official ITunes release.

Mike Bless: The ITunes release for “Do It like This” is available right now. It was produced by [Cainon] Lamb who is also the producer responsible for Jazmine Sullivan and her “Need U Bad” billboard record and he’s worked with Missy Elliot. “Do It Like This”, the concept behind that song is a lot of these artists come out with these songs and the strip club is known for breaking records, so a lot of artists make a stripper type song. I didn’t wanna’ have a typical stripper song. We sat down and came up with a concept that can touch all women. I feel like every woman on this earth has an inner stripper. Somewhere deep down, she has an inner stripper and you see that when you go to the club. The song comes on and you see girls start dancing, but not every woman is gonna’ be a stripper. That’s how we came up with the concept for “Do It like this.” “If I was a stripper, how would you do it?” it’s definitely been catching on. I had a lot of DJ’s overseas hit me about the song. The record is making a lot of noise within the industry. It’s making its way to the fans.

WordofSouth.com: With it blowing up, is a video in the works?

Mike Bless: We’re trying to find which director for it. But a video is definitely in the works. One more thing I’m gonna’ say is we’re also having a contest. If they go to www.doitlikethis.net they can sign up for the contest. Basically, upload a video to Youtube dancing to the record, and the winner gets flied out to Miami on an all expense paid trip for two. Will take you down there and I’ll take you out to get something to eat, bring you to our studio and they’ll probably meet whoever is in the studio. Will just hang out and also they’ll be put in the video.

WordofSouth.com: That’s hot right there. How much of your “Opening Act” debut album is done at this time?

Mike Bless: I want to say about 25% done because we have a lot of records done. As an artist a lot of times, you want to have a stronger variety. I’m gonna’ do a lot more records. I rather have about 1,000 records to choose from. I have about 25 strong records right now but I’m waiting for more records. I also want to get the single popping more before we put the album out because you know how the game is going right now. You need to have everything in order. You need to be out there before you really go ahead and put the album out.

WordofSouth.com: No doubt. With 25 strong records and a lot more to go, Cainon Lamb produced the single, which other producers have you had a chance to work with?

Mike Bless: I am supposed to be working with Justice League. I’m working with Lumberjack who is with Konvict. I worked with CP Hollywood who is a Slip-N-Slide producer. We said I worked with Lamb. I worked with Guerilla Tech; he’s a producer of mine who is doing big things. I worked with Drumma Boy down in Atlanta. I’m also looking forward to working with Shawty Redd also. We’re still searching for that producer I can do a million songs with. I’m still looking for that. People like Gucci Mane and Young Jeezy have a producer that they can work with and have a formula with. We’re still looking for that. With my versatility, it’s not hard for me to work with different producers but we’re still looking for that one.

WordofSouth.com: You mentioned recording with Jagged Edge. Have you recorded with any other guest appearances for the album?

Mike Bless: Not yet. We’re looking into either Mario or Bobby Valentino for the second single. Nothing is in stone yet but that’s the word on the street right now.

WordofSouth.com: Reading your bio, an interesting fact I found was you’ve ghost written for Scarface and Lil Boosie. Tell us about that.

Mike Bless: Scarface, that is one of my favorite stories so I’m glad you asked that. I was at my apartment and I got a call from Roy Jones Jr.’s best friend, and he was performing at a talent show. It was Roy Jones’ birthday and Scarface was there because they’re friends. This was down in Pensacola. Roy wanted me to come to the studio and do a hook for his homeboy – that’s what I was told. I was like alright, whatever. I get to the studio and I and Roy Jones Jr. are also good friends.  I get to the studio and Scarface is in there. I was trying to keep it on a business level but I’m a real big Scarface fan and think he is a definite legend not just in the south, but the game period. He was digging my music. At first I was nervous but he put me on that Hennessey and we got relaxed. He was digging my music and that was one of the highlights of my life.

With the Lil Boosie situation, I got a homeboy named Young Nino, him and Lil Boosie are real good friends and they did a record which I’m also on. Shouts out to Boosie – he’s looking at doing some time so we definitely want to send a prayer out to him, his family, friends and fans.

WordofSouth.com: Cool stories. What did you end up working with Scarface on?

Mike Bless: I don’t even remember the name of the record. It was a long time ago. It was a great day though, I can say that (laughs).

WordofSouth.com: We’re gonna’ end it on that note right there. We got Mike Bless on www.wordofsouth.com. Do you have any last words before I let you go?

Mike Bless: I want to say everybody out there that is doing their thing in this industry, it’s a rough game but stay prayed up and stay grinding. Don’t be emotional. Don’t take anything personal in this game. If you’re doing this, don’t do it for the reward and keep grinding. This is your boy Mike Bless, Slip-N-Slide Records’ newest guy and I promise you we’re gonna’ do big things. Stay prayed up. That’s all I have to say.

– INTERVIEW BY: Justin Melo