HHG: I remember The Semtex freestyle you did in the UK, when you were coming off the top. What was going through your mind when you were coming up with those bars, knowing millions were listening?
MF: Well, funny thing about it is, I’ve always freestyled to myself off the top—just to sharpen my skills. Before I went to Semtex show, I had two shows in the UK already, and I was freestyling off of their beats. You know, the electro-techno, all of that. So when it was time for me to go on Semtex; it’s just basic for me to freestyle. I didn’t really want to give them a written, because when you give writtens, they have to be specifically made for radios, or just for free. I’m somebody who doesn’t like to repeat my own freestyles because I used to be a fan of DMX and Mase. And when they would freestyle, it would be on their album. So it would be like “Yo this is wack. What am I paying this for?” Nah mean? So, when I went on Semtex, it was just you know – I’ve seen Asher do like a 45 minute show. I’ve seen Charles Hamilton doing his freestyle thing. You know, they could do it, but they don’t have the skill level to keep doing it, or like, switch up their flows. When I was on Semtex, the only thing that has been going through my mind was to not curse.
HHG: And you only did it once.
MF: Yeah. I think I cursed maybe once. But, I think I said shallow or something (laughs)
HHG: It’s funny, because it’s like the essence of freestyling diminished a long time ago, because when people freestyle now, they simply provide a written instead of an original one. Do you feel the demise of the word freestyle is a possible reason for the game being in the position it is today?
MF: I think a lot of things have changed over the years. A lot of definitions have watered down over the years. And, I think freestyling is definitely one of them. You know when I used to watch KRS-One, and what he would do onstage, no matter what – when he gets on stage, you know he’s going to freestyle. You know he’s going to go off of the top very much. You know his freestyle is going to be off the top, and he’s going to lead you on, you know what I’m saying? Supernatural is the same way. Actually, me and Supernatural had a freestyle session at Rock The Bells for the first few days, and it was crazy, because he has the record for the longest freestyle. So I mean, I think the definition has definitely been watered down, especially when it comes to battling too. People battle and everything is prewritten. I came from the school where people came off the top – where somebody would come off the top and go against somebody with a written. And, if you were able to beat them, then you were supreme. So that’s the school I came from. You know a lot of people that I run with – they always want me to go on radio and have prewritten stuff to wow people – to have people go crazy. Look at the 12 minute freestyle I did. People were like whoa.
HHG: I remember you said the other day when we spoke, that you’re a lyricist by a way of life. What paved that way?
MF: Oh yeah man. I used to listen to people that would wow me. People don’t wow me anymore. I’m not mad at people doing songs that are real watered down or something for the club, or for the girl. But, whatever happens to the other songs on the album shouldn’t be about dancing. It should be about you being nice. I commend Slaughterhouse. I commend all of them that still just wanna to go out there and just rap. Sometimes I feel like just rapping – just to show people that I could rap. I think people would even forget me because they hear the “Supra”. They hear “Rocking and Rolling”, and they forget, I could literally turn it up on you in a heartbeat. But hey, it’s all good. I definitely grew up listening to the greats like Rakim, Kane, Big L, Pun, Jay – Early Jay, Nas. I liked listening to how lyrics were put together. Like even now, Lu {Lupe} is exceptional - so are Jay Electronica, Phonte, and Elzhi. When I listen to their records, I get scared like “How could I better than these guys?”
HHG: You just mentioned Lupe, and you guys are fairly similar. Because you’re lyrical, and you guys have a similar look, what’s the main difference among you two?
MF: The man difference between me and Lupe is, let’s say there’s a road to a treasure at the end of the road. There’s a one way road, and there’s a road with all the turns that takes you to that road. Lupe is going to take you all around that forest to get you to that road. He’s going to take you everywhere. He’s going to take you over the trees, underneath the river, and all that. I commend him. That’s hard. If you really listen to what he’s saying, and you break it down, you’re like “This kid is absolutely a problem.” Me, I’m a straight forward dude. (Laughs) I’m going to drive straight down that road. I’m going to put you in that seat, and for the next 3-4 minutes, I’m going tell you what I’m talking about. I’m going to have a plot. I’m going to have an ending. And there might be a surprise in there - but it’s still lyrical. The shadowboxing is still in there. The wordplay is still in there. The double and triple entendres are still in there. It’s not as intricate as Lupe, but I’m not a watered down Lupe. I’m more straight forward when trying to break down a similar subject.
HHG: Another similarity comes from the stage presence you both posses. How many red bulls do you chug down before you go on stage?
MF: I don’t take any red bulls when I go on stage. (Laughs)
HHG: You have crazy energy when you perform.
MF: Man, sometimes, I don’t even get any sleep. Matter fact, here a story. I did a show in a Chicago. I didn’t get any sleep, ANY sleep the night before. I slept maybe 10 minutes before I got on stage, and that was probably one of my best shows. I came on stage with my jump rope, and I broke it. I was wilding on stage, and the whole crowd was in love with me. You know, at the end of the day, being an emcee, and being an entertainer are two different things. I just happen to know how to emcee, and know how to entertain at the same time, and I think Lupe knows the same thing. I know I could get on stage, and I like to entertain for the female fans that are out there – the ones that want to see you dance. Like Big Daddy Kane used to do that. Just kind of tell jokes in between songs. Give them nice little stories. And, give them the party records. But, I can’t ever neglect my male fan base. They need that lyrical prowess I come with. So, I always gotta come off the top. I always gotta get them my verses from “Incredible”. I always gotta give them my acapellas. That’s meaningful. You know, I try to bridge the gaps between both males and females, and I’m giving energy on both sides of the spectrum.
HHG: In terms of performing, you’ve mentioned James Brown as an influence before. How does a rapper like you take into consideration the style of performing James Brown offered when you’re on stage?
MF: Yeah, when I had my show at S.O.B’s, the Black Apple in NYC, I went and got a choreographer. I went and got a personal trainer to work on my cardio. And, I really studied a lot of artists that I look up to. I studied Andre 3000, Busta Rhymes, James Brown, and Michael Jackson. I’m always trying to get into that zone. Like Janelle Monae, I think she’s an amazing performer. I even look at Lupe’s stuff. I just take a little from everybody, and I try to incorporate it in my show – try to make it my own. Other than that, you get a well rounded show. You get lyricism, partying, emotional stuff, rock; because I like some elements of rock and even cardio, because I do push-ups when my band is up onstage.
HHG: You mentioned Janelle, and I remember reading in Smooth magazine you said you felt her & Chester French pose more of a competition for you than rappers. Why is that?
MF: Well, Chester French, and Janelle Monae, I think, are the future hip-hop. Well screw that future of hip-hop, I mean the future of music. I think Janelle Monae is like the second coming of like James Brown. I remember being at her show. Her voice – she has a very opera kind of voice, but still can be R&bish and Popish. Chester French is a group rock/alternative band, and they have hip-hop roots. They’re so musical. They have some of the hardest beats. If you have downloaded that Jacques Jams Volume 1, they have some of the hardest beats. The joints that they did with Clipse – with Pusha – it’s crazy. I mean, they’re musical, and they’re great writtens. I feel like I’m the same. I’m musical, I’m a great writer, and I’m a great performer. I feel like they’re my competition. B.o.B, Bobby Ray, I think he’s amazing. Amazing performer, amazing songwriter, and he’s lyrical. That’s my competition, because they’re pushing the envelop on music. They’re pushing the limits. There’s no limit in their music. I feel like when I’m in the studio, I need to make something on their level or even hotter.
HHG: Because you are a lyrical dude, I was curious, outside of music, have things like books and movies provided a sense of inspiration when writing?
MF: Yeah, I just started getting into the Matrix. I think the Matrix is amazing. The way it’s written, and the way it’s portrayed is absolutely amazing. Like Malcolm X, I always try to get into the mind of Malcolm sometimes, because he was such a rebel. Bruce Lee, he’s a big inspiration. He had some great philosophies as well. Outside of that, I get a lot of inspiration from art. I try to go museums in every single city. Just taking the art, and everything I see, that’s what really inspires me outside of music. That’s where my music comes from.
HHG: You just had me thinking, and this is an out of loop question, if you could pick one superhero that relates to you, who would that be and why?
HHG: You know, I just started collecting comic books. I remember Giant, and Semtex asked me the same thing, and I said Wolverine, and I was absolutely wrong. The superhero that most parallels with me is Spiderman.
HHG: I could see that.
MF: Spiderman because he’s always the underdog. He was a regular kid who worked – I don’t work anymore but I used to work. He had glasses. He was picked on. But, he always had morals. “With great power comes great responsibility”. After his Uncle died, he felt like he had to continue. Like no matter how much it would look like he would lose, he always came back. I feel like I’m the same way. He had girl problems in the beginning. He didn’t know who he wanted to be with, and then he married Mary Jane. I feel like Spiderman, and Mickey Factz are one of the same person, like literally. I’m trying to collect everything. I just want to follow Spiderman now. I’m at a Spiderman craze right now in my life.
HHG: Switching gears, I know you have the company called the GFCny. How is that company different from an ordinary record label?
MF: Well it’s different in many ways. For one, in everything that we do, we think outside the box. We try to get into the minds of people who are dictating the culture. We try to talk to the trendsetters. We also let the artists be free and make their music. We don’t limit the artists in what they want to do. It’s like a family at GFCny, because at the end of the day, everybody is a star in my eyes. From the stylists, to the A&R’s, to the managers, to the artists, everybody is a star. We all know the common goal at the end of the day, and that’s to elevate the culture. That’s what it’s all about. Hip-Hop – the music in general – the culture, and where it came from, I feel some of it is being lost. I feel like GFCny is trying to back that essence of not so much changing the culture, but moving forward into the future. Some people say “Mickey Factz wear skinny jeans.” At the end of the day, just because the people on your block wear baggy jeans, doesn’t mean people over in China, Japan, Europe, and Australia are wearing those clothes. If I dress like this, it’s because I feel like this is dope. This is what I like to wear. When I was younger, I wore baggy clothes. It was dope. But sometimes, people have to get out the mindset of being stuck on one phase. You know a lot of people are stuck in a specific mind frame. I feel like sometimes we act like our parents. Remember when we used to listen to that 90’s music, and thought it was the greatest music ever. Our parents would be like “Turn that racket off!” Then when our parents would play the music from the 70’s, and 80’s, and we would be like “What is this garbage!?.” But, we would appreciate it once we got older. The same thing is happening now. We’re becoming our parents by just being in love with the 90’s. Man, I love the 90’s. I love everything about 90’s music. But, I appreciate the music coming out in 2009, 2008, 2007. Even if it isn’t up to the lyrical level as it was from those years, it’s still great music being put out. Just to be apart of the class of 2009, which would probably not happen for another 5-10 years is classic.
HHG: With that said, are you more a business man than rapper?
MF: That’s a very good question. You know, one day I could be a business man, the next a rapper. I could do both very, very well. But I think it’s important for every artist to be a business man at the end of the day, because rapping isn’t going to be all of your life. I think Jay-Z is a monopoly. Outside of Jay, it’s very hard to just continue to rap. Look at LL. No disrespect to LL. He’s a great, but, I don’t think the kids want to hear LL.
HHG: As for as the music is concerned, how’s the album coming, The Achievement?
MF: Well the name of the album is no longer The Achievement. I mean, The Achievement is still like…I don’t how to say it. I think whatever doesn’t make the album is going to make The Achievement, but I don’t think we’re going to put it out. The new album is going to be called The New Museum. I changed it because; I want everything to start fresh, new. In a museum, you can’t touch anything. In The New Museum – which there is a new museum in New York - you could touch the art. You could touch the art. You could actually live with it, be with it, move with it, and breathe with it. I want this to be timeless music. So right now, it is taking a while. But when it drops, it’s going to transcend music. You know, a lot of people are going crazy about the artists coming out now. Like Cudi, Drake, Asher, those are my buddies, but I’m going to say this: This album is going to be literally be like, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Illimatic, And Reasonable Doubt. People who I have played the stuff for, they’re losing their minds. They’re like “this is why you’re taking so long.” This is post introduction stuff. This is all demo stuff. God forbid, when I really get in into what I really want to do, and finish it up, it’s going be 11-12 strong records. Just like back in the day, when 10-12 records, no filler. Everything is going to be meaningful. That’s what we need man, meaningful music.
HHG: You know what you had me thinking Mick, why do you feel rappers hide their intelligence when they spit, and dumb down?
MF: I think its human nature. Human nature runs towards negativity. Human nature runs towards drama. Human nature runs towards violence instead of trying to accept knowledge, love, and peace. It’s always that one point in music when an artist comes and drops something so classical, life-changing, and world-motivating that it can’t be denied. That happened to Michael Jackson, Lauryn Hill, The Beatles, Elvis, and even Illimatic. You could still listen to Illimatic to this day. I know rappers nowadays they just want the fast buck. A lot of artists just put these singles that are about nothing. Then one or two songs are social commentary. You’re like “Ok, good looking.” Two songs are positive, but the other 9-10 songs killed me about 10 times, you sold me all the poison in the world, and you probably bumped every single woman in the world. Is that what life is about? Is that how it’s supposed to be interpreted? How about women being raped? How about people starving in Africa? How about kids hustling at 11-12 years old? How can we prevent that? Nobody cares about that. I don’t know man. Don’t worry though; I got you – because The New Museum is coming soon.
