Gold Chain Mike: Shaping the Sound of Phoenix Hip-Hop
The Phoenix rap scene is on the rise, and the mix of local voices and experiences continues to fuel the diverse sound that defines the Valley. GC Mike — a.k.a Gold Chain Mike — is one of many artists who is adding his own unique flair to the scene, one verse at a time.
Although GC Mike initially got his start in music back in high school, he didn’t fully explore his talents until college. He joined a fraternity at Arizona State University, where he met fellow musicians that freestyled with him and began inviting him to ciphers, both of which expanded his musical knowledge and led to the formation of his group, The Rhythmic Units (RU).
“They understand how music is put together,” Mike says. “I’m inspired by that and I try to gain as much information as I can.”
These inspirations have pushed Mike to further develop his music style. His favorite production, Resurgence, shows Mike’s evolution from a beginner musician to a more seasoned one, the song a representation of his journey towards experiencing rhythm and understanding how to construct a song. While Mike considers the song to be “kind of scattered”, he is proud of its untraditional organization. It’s the first song he always shows to new listeners and he’s received nothing but praise for its musicality.
GC Mike takes inspiration from well-loved rappers like Kendrick Lamar and Lil Nas X, lacing his lyrics with real-life experiences. His most recent album, If It Happens or Not, pays homage to the past two years of his life, themes of love and gratitude reminding him that it's best to be present and live in the moment.
“I love being able to express myself and being comfortable with how I portray myself,” he says. “I love the fact [that] I can take something out of nothing and make it beautiful.”
He’s able to ignore the noise of quick trends and clout chasers and truly connect to the music he creates, always crafting his lyrics with love and connection for his audience at the forefront.
“What's wrong with music nowadays is that it all feels very rushed,” he says. “There is a disconnect between the artists and the material.”
Luckily, Mike doesn’t feel this disconnect — quite the opposite, actually. He dreams of making music full-time and wants to co-own a studio with his friends from RU, helping other musicians to become independent and work toward their dreams. After a performance at the Arizona Hip Hop Festival this summer, Mike is poised to get more bites of his dream as a special guest on J.M.P’s tour and as a featured artist in several tracks set to be released in the coming months.