Album Notes

Mike Slim

You have been invited to Brooklyn, New York; the hometown of many legendary MC's such as the Notorious B.I.G, Jay-Z, Talib Kweli, and Mos Def. This invitation is offering you the opportunity for an exclusive look into the next big name to come out of Brooklyn by way of Hartford, Connecticut. That name is Mike Slim and with the name comes a refreshing air to a hip hop community often plagued by violence, materialism, and misogyny. Heavily influenced by the late great TuPac Shakur, Mike Slim strives to continue in the direction that TuPac left off by hoping to bring a whole new vision of the hip hop community for the betterment of black people. He says, "My goals are to be a part of the renaissance of artists who are striving to bring a remedy to the industry's current frustrations with the state of music by offering a progression in ideas and approach."

Mike Slim is not alone in his efforts; this general also has an army ready to fight with him. Leading a hip hop trio known as the Tri State Family, a group consisting of 2 males and 1 female, Mike Slim is heavily armed in his battle for hip hop's soul. His arsenal also includes a multicultural band, which has garnered comparisons to Sly and the Family Stone, as well as the workings of a children's book with a hip hop theme slated to come out in the near future. So you are asking yourself, "Where did Mike Slim develop all this talent and drive?" It started with his move to the Bronx, where he received his higher education in academics and hip hop simultaneously.

It is rare to find a brotha in the hip hop world who has a college degree, but Mike Slim is proof that it is possible. This man of Jamaican ancestry has completed his college education at Fordham University and is now using his knowledge from the classroom along with his street knowledge to reach his people in a way that has yet to be done through music. Mike Slim's inspiration came from watching other MC's use hip hop to express themselves and their interpretations of society. From this he became inspired to be more serious about his craft, realizing the sharp impact that hip hop can have on his people. Getting serious for Mike Slim meant perfecting his ability to convey his emotions through his lyrics and songwriting. Being serious also meant becoming extremely versatile and open to the experiences of working with other artists. Possibly the most important testament of his becoming serious about his commitment to hip hop was the formation of his group and band as well as the recording of his full length album, "Allow Me to Introduce Myself". Throughout the album, Slim is able to showcase his versatility in songwriting. He vividly writes about struggle on songs like "Make the Most of It" and "Get It Together". He crafts passionate love influenced songs like "Want Me to Want You" and "Let Your Hair Down". In addition to being able to tap into his many emotions, at the end of the day, Slim can show and prove his sheer rhyming ability on tracks like "Rockstar" and "Step Your Rap Game Up".

Ultimately Mike Slim has ended up in Brooklyn, home of the greats, where he plans to join those ranks through his positive and fresh approach to hip hop. So be sure to R.S.V.P. to this invitation sent directly to you from Mike Slim to get acquainted with the story of a man with a love for hip hop and a passion and confidence to believe he can help it grow. You are guaranteed to be able to feel his spirit through every line, every beat, and every track... Everyone's invited!