Asylum Records

His debut album may have been entitled, Who is Mike Jones? but rest assured that Mike is suffering no identity crisis these days.  After losing weight, beefing with local rappers, and switching up his musical style Houston’s mayor of hip-hop returns to the scene more confident, focused, and ready than ever with his latest release, Voice of the Streets.

Sixshot.com discovered who Mike Jones really is and he is versatile as he talks writing R&B music, he is tired of being perceived as an iced out one-hit-wonder, he is still in pain from not ever knowing his father, he is passionate about giving back to the community, and he is much more.  Read on to discover the rest for yourself.

Sixshot.com: With this album what are you hoping to represent and give voice to from the streets?

Mike Jones: I just really want to touch my fans.  They haven’t heard me in a few years so I want to let them hear the voice of the streets and what I got cooking.  Mike Jones is still the same Mike Jones.  I still do the whole Mike Jones and give out the number and still spit some game.  I’m a plain normal average guy.  I’m real with that I do.

Sixshot.com: Voice of the streets means that you want to represent people who identify with you. So would you say that you represent the normal average people since that’s what you describe yourself as?

Mike Jones: I mean plain normal people in every demographic.  So I can’t really just hold myself to one demographic.  I can do something for the streets, something for the ladies, and I can switch it up for London/UK.

Sixshot.com:  Speaking of the ladies the song “Cuddy Buddy,” is a romantic track that originally featured Lil’ Wayne, Twista, and T-Pain.  Now there’s only Twista and Trey Songz.  What happened to the original version?

Mike Jones: Well I guess the label started to trip at the last minute so you got to ask them what happened.  A lot of people never let me get those records out and with “Cuddy Buddy,” I’m able to use my voice how I want it and to put out what I want to put out.

Sixshot.com:  You’ve written for Lil’ Mo and LeToya Luckett.  So do you find that to write for R&B you need to tap into your more emotional and sensitive side?

Mike Jones: You ain’t got to be sensitive you just got to be open-minded.  It ain’t like oh I’m gonna write an R&B song so let me turn down the lights and put candles up in here.  It’s just letting your mind go through different doors.  Some people just rap about the streets all day long but I don’t.  I rap about that sometimes but I also open another door to rap about R&B.

Sixshot.com:  Any other singers you’re writing for now?

Mike Jones: I wrote for Paula DeAnda “Supa Chick,” and Baby Bash.  People are just now starting to recognize that I can songwrite so I’m gonna come name for name by next year.

Sixshot.com:  Was “Cuddy Buddy,” influenced by the R&B material you were writing for those other artists?

Mike Jones: That one was just Mike Jones wanting to do some feel-good music.  I’m tired of everybody saying that all Mike Jones rap about is swagger and all Mike Jones can do is say his name.  I want to let people know I can really make real songs.

Sixshot.com:  You said a lot of people think of you as just the ice and bling man but do you take any responsibility for that misperception since you did promote that image when you first came on the scene?

Mike Jones: In the beginning I wanted the people to know who I was from different angles.  I wasn’t trying to come one way and stay that one way.  When I came out, I was representing how we look in Houston and how we act and how we talk.  Mike Jones was the face of Houston. I represented what we did.

When you seen everybody swerving the cars that’s how we done it, when you saw the diamonds in my grill that’s how it was, the crazy jewelry, the 20 carat diamond ring, and the big watches, and the big ice age pieces.  That’s how we rock our ice in Houston but people saw a stereotype of me.So I needed to switch it up.  I don’t know why people think I can’t switch it up.  “Cuddy Buddy,” is a tip of the iceberg to let people know Mike Jones can do more than that.  I got a lot of crazy records on this new album.

Sixshot.com:  So are you toning down the bling?

Mike Jones: I don’t want people to just watch TV to see Mike Jones rock the ice.  I want them to respect me as an artist and as a person.  We sold 2 million records the first time and that was the chubby Mike Jones.  Now I lost a lot of weight and I’m coming fresh and open-minded.  I’m coming with a lot to say so that’s why I call it the voice.

Sixshot.com:  I read in an interview now that you can make the songs you really want to make.

Mike Jones: You heard “Cuddy Buddy”?

Sixshot.com:  Yup.

Mike Jones: What you think about it?

Sixhsot.com:  Honestly it’s not my cup of tea.

Mike Jones: What do you like?

Sixshot.com:  I like “Still Tippin’” and “Back Then.”

Mike Jones: Oh, you like more of the street music and I got that on the album.  It’s just that I wanted to come with something for the ladies and something for a different lane.  So some people like it and some don’t.  The funny thing about it is that the 10 people that heard “Back Then,” hated it in the beginning until it got on “106 & Park.”  So I’m used to people saying what they say and I let my numbers speak for it.

Sixshot.com:  What are the songs you really want to make that you couldn’t make before?

Mike Jones: “Cuddy Buddy,” was one of them because it’s a song that I really personally chose to make as well as Lil’ Wayne and everybody else.  They heard it and was like, “Damn okay that’s my cup of tea right there.”  So you got to do something for yourself sometimes.  Sometimes people make music so much they don’t even make it for themselves no more.  They too busy trying to please everybody else.

The media takes it and it’s in and then it’s out.  There’s no value to it like it is overseas.  You come out with a song in January here and by March it’s gone.  But over there they still playing music from last year.  They appreciate it and it’s not appreciated over here no more.

Sixshot.com:  You recently lost a lot of weight.  Why did you lose the weight?

Mike Jones: So I can be healthy and I wanted to come with a new look and a new image.  I wanted to revamp.

Sixshot.com:  What was your heaviest weight?

Mike Jones: Back then when I did the BET Awards I was 260 lbs. and now I’m 190 lbs, 185 lbs.

Sixshot.com:  That’s a lot of weight loss.  So how did you do it?

Mike Jones: Treadmill, running, drinking water, and watching what I eat.

Sixshot.com:  When people lose weight it affects other areas of their life.  Did that happen to you?

Mike Jones: Yeah it made me more focused.  I just started getting motivated and working out.  I started putting my mind on my music.  It made me more hungry to get back in the game and let people know that Mike Jones ain’t a one-hit wonder.  Mike Jones can still do it.

Sixshot.com:  You said that you also lost the weight for your health.  Was your health at risk?

Mike Jones: No I was good.  It’s not like the doctor told me you’re super fat.  It was just cause when you perform and you big it’s a lot different than when you perform healthy.  I wanted to do something different and switch it up.

Sixshot.com:  In an interview you mentioned that the rap game is very political compared to the underground.  What do you mean?

Mike Jones: On the underground I can do 100 songs and they all get cleared.  If you get to a major maybe only four will get cleared.  It’s a whole different ball game.  On a major if you go to one radio station but not the other your record is in jeopardy.

Sixshot.com:  Speaking of the politics of the music industry you had beef with Chamillionaire in the past and recently Trae the Truth.  Why do you think you’re a target?

Mike Jones: It’s because I’m successful.  Tell me who you know that sold more records than me?  You got one of those artists who ain’t even sell 50,000 copies.  You can’t compare him to someone that sold 2 million.  That don’t make sense to me.  Chamillionaire and I had our differences at a time but I’m doing my thing and he’s doing his thing.  He went platinum and I take my hat off to Chamillionaire.  He got a Grammy and he paid his dues.  But there’s a lot of people who ain’t pay dues and are trying to hate.

Sixshot.com:  Your first album was titled, Who is Mike Jones?  Have you begun to answer that for yourself in terms of who you are as a person?

Mike Jones: I knew who I was from the gate.  My grandmother gave me a whole lot of game and guidance.  She got me prepared for the world.  I just had to persuade ya’ll and get ya’ll to know who Mike Jones is.  So thank God that I took time to sit down and play dominoes with my grandma.  It’s important to listen. I listened to anybody who’s been living longer than you because they can tell you your mistakes before you make them.

Sixshot.com:  What’s the most valuable advice your grandmother left you with?

Mike Jones: She always told me that my name would be big one day.  I didn’t believe what she was saying until I started taking off.  My grandma also told me to do something that ain’t nobody else done and that was to give out my number.  I thought she was crazy but I tried it and it took off.  Even though she passed away, she left a mark with me and I left a mark with the world, and now everybody is giving out their phone numbers.

Sixshot.com:  Was your mom and dad around?

Mike Jones: I never seen my dad in my life but my mom was there.  My mom worked 2 jobs and was always on the go trying to provide for us.  My grandma was the ears.  She was always at the table playing dominoes at 10 in the morning or night in the same spot.  Really it was God that had me to not be a knucklehead and to really listen to my grandma, and look what it did for me.

Sixshot.com:  You never knew your dad right?

Mike Jones: I never seen him.  He could walk past me and I wouldn’t know who he is.

Sixshot.com:  How did that affect you?

Mike Jones: It didn’t affect me none.  I still made money and got the world knowing who I am.  The crazy thing is once I blew up he tried to find me.

Sixshot.com:  Was he successful?

Mike Jones: Hell no!  I made sure of that.

Sixshot.com:  So you’re not even open to reconciling or hearing him out?

Mike Jones: For what?  My question is why would someone want me to see someone that never was there for me during my childhood years and left my mom by herself?  So that motivated me to go out here and make something happen positive for me and my family. When I sold a record the whole world knew who Mike Jones was and I’m pretty sure he did too cause whatever he was doing they were screaming Mike Jones.  He tried to reach out to me and I was like, “Hell no!  Don’t brigg that to me no more.”  He knows he gets no love.  Back then they didn’t want me and now they all on me.

Sixshot.com:  What was your upbringing like?  Were you in the streets or not involved in all that?

Mike Jones: I wasn’t involved in all that.  I guess that’s why people try to test you.  I don’t brag about no criminal record.  I was raised around my grandmother and so I learned to respect women.  I learned how to treat women right.  I also had a rough life too in a certain aspect but it wasn’t as bad as a lot of people’s lives or as some people might think.

Sixshot.com:  In what aspects was it rough?

Mike Jones: I mean just going to school on Father’s Day and not having your father there—little stuff like that.  Also when you need to talk to your father about stuff you had to go to your mama.  That’s why I give my mom a lot of credit.  That’s why when I made all my money the first thing I did was buy my mama a big house and then I started acting a fool with the whips.  [Laughs]  My mama was always there holding it down.  My grandma was my heart and she passed away before I even could get some money to spoil her like that.  She wasn’t tripping about it like that but I wanted to look out for her like that.

Sixshot.com:  You run Ice Age for Kids and the American Dream Foundation.  What is your mission with these charities?

Mike Jones: To expand but before you can expand you got to start home. I got Ice Age for Kids because I wanted to let the kids know that there is hope.  I know a lot of people used to tell me that but I never saw it.  People can say anything and people may look at Mike Jones and say he ain’t doing nothing for the community, but I wanted to show it. I got the mayor of the city coming out to my events.  I got 2,000 kids playing basketball and the winner gets $2,000.  They can give that money to their mom so they ain’t go to rob, break windows, or steal.  So that makes me feel good inside.

Sixshot.com:  Wow, that’s amazing work you do.  This stuff isn’t even in the press.

Mike Jones: They aint gonna show you the good stuff.  They only show when Mike Jones got beat up by this guy or whatever.  People thrive off the negative and don’t want to look at the positive.  I took $50,000 from club Ice Age all and gave it to 97.9 for Hurricane Katrina.  I then turned around and gave them another $50,000 for the school supplies but they won’t tell you that.  I’m not tripping because I touch hearts.  I ain’t worried about what they say on TV cause I sleep at night.  I feel good that some one somewhere is thanking Mike Jones for coming through.

I could have sat in my house, watched TV, and jumped in my car and act like I ain’t hear nothing about it.  I would be wrong.  I got blessed to make the money that I make and I want to turn around and look out for those that are in need.  So I went to the station and told them I want to do this and I got someone to show me the way to take it off.  It’s been 2 years and everytime we throw a back to school program it’s packed with kids like crazy.  So that feeling is priceless.  You can’t put a camera or a price tag on that.

Sixshot.com:  What’s the situation like now down in Houston with the Katrina evacuees?

Mike Jones: Yeah it’s still a need for help everywhere everyday.  Just because the camera left doesn’t mean everybody’s back to normal and good.  People still wilding cause they can’t make it.  It’s crazy not just in Houston but in every city especially with what’s going on with the recession.

Sixshot.com:  What more are you looking to accomplish in your career?

Mike Jones: I’m trying to keep it leveled and to make good music for everybody; for the streets and for the ladies.  I’m just trying to expand on a bigger level than I already am.

Sixshot.com:  Thank you for your time.

Mike Jones: I appreciate it and thanks for the honesty and for the time baby.