Photo by Ryosuke Tanzawa

“Bear Trap” sets the scene for Showbiz! in the in-between. As the opening track and latest preview from the New York City underground rapper’s forthcoming album, we get a lot of internal monologue and outer dialogues drifting through a cool-keyed wooze that depicts a a man in both conflict and resolution with himself and the world surrounding him. On one hand, success and financial stability have afforded MIKE the ability to see how resilience has been the surest ting to to get further in life, and on the other, he’s acknowledging there’s still work to be done even if his faith is running low. “It’s deeper holes, complicated feelings and ignored stress / But I’m the only victim of the war ahead.” It’s nothing that the salve of smoke and a slow jam can’t ease, but nonetheless, he’s still overcoming the struggle one day at a time from a place of sage wisdom.

Directed by:  Christopher Currence

MIKE’s Showbiz! will be released January 25th on 10k.