Courtesy of Mic Stewart
Michael Stewart, a.k.a. Mic Stewart, is a member of a dying species, the last of the buffalo. What makes him so special? He’s a true artist who lives his life within the arc of music. I could use the terms “MC” or “front man” to describe Stewart, but that just wouldn’t do him justice- he’s an artist and his music is art. Whether it’s freestyle or laying down rhymes with GuerillaFunk, the man truly owns his words. His influences range from the hip-hop to alternative, sometimes referencing both in a single song. He has become a hot act in the Philadelphia music scene, and rightly so. I recently got a chance to talk to the man behind the microphone…
Buzzlegoose: Are you just an individual rapper or do you work with other bands?
Mic Stewart: All of my music is a collaborative effort. I work closely with and front the band GuerillaFunk. We are a predominantly hip-hop band with heavy funk and rock influences. I also collaborate with various Philadelphia hip-hop producers on strictly hip-hop/progressive projects, and I am always looking to collaborate with new people. I am always looking for new platforms and outlets for my craft. I don’t want to be pigeon-holed — that’s how artists become static and uninspired.
To those who have never heard your band, how would you classify your music?
I am a lyricist first and foremost. What you are guaranteed from me is clever, meaningful, well-crafted lyrics. Past that, it’s usually a mixed bag. The music I have made thus far, as well as that which I am currently working on, ranges from classical to progressive hip-hop, and everything from a’capella to freestyle rhymes. GuerillaFunk’s sound is hard to pinpoint- there’s a bit of funky, eerie, Red Hot Chili Peppers-meet-Incubus stuff going on, but we’ve been likened to Rage Against the Machine, and in the next breath, Gym Class Heroes. When we’re totally in our element, when we’re most at home, is funky hip-hop with a provocative rock and roll edge. I like to shout things that people don’t quite understand, but for some reason they recognize and they can really feel. GuerillaFunk is the perfect platform for that.
When / how did you start rapping?
I began freestyling right around age 13 or 14. I always loved music- I always loved to dance to music, and hip-hop was my drug of choice from about the age of 10. My father always made up his own lyrics to the songs he loved when we were children, and my brothers and I would crack up at the things that came out of his mind. I probably got the freestyle spirit from him. My music just happened to be faster, and as I really became good at it and started listening to artists who really had something to say, I realized this was a platform that changes lives. I have a story to tell, and there are voices in the world that are not being heard. Lyricists and poets are responsible for that kind of narration and cultural communication.
What kind of gigs have you been playing?
I’ll play anything. [GuerillaFunk] plays concerts that we book and promote, and we play on bills with other bands and musicians we’ve met over the years. I still frequent open mics even while we’re gigging nearly every week. We play non-profit events for charity, house parties, and festivals like Temple University’s Spring-Fling. Gigging is the best way to canvas your listener and strengthen your craft. Ideally, I’d love to play more festivals, and we’re building the resume for that. There’s really nothing like it.
What do you enjoy most about freestyle?
I consider myself a counter-fighter. I like to turn someone’s own words against them. I have the capacity to do that, but the battle scene is getting cornier and cornier. Its all a homophobic, misogynistic, ego-masturbation now, and most cats are writing their rhymes for battles. It takes away from the spontaneity.
What was people’s reaction the first time they heard you play?
It’s different every time, but people are generally accepting and appreciative. Many places I go, I get some seriously grand introductions that often make me laugh. Grand introductions are the worst thing in a place where no one knows who you are or what you do- everybody immediately becomes a critic. Plus, America is racist as shit and the country still can’t wrap its head around white people with rhythm- that never ceases to amaze other white folks who consider themselves melanin-challenged.
How does GuerillaFunk approach writing lyrics?
Jules (guitar) or Adam (bass) write melodies, we jam them out, I freestyle over them ’til I find a rhyme pattern I like, and I usually drop a chorus on it immediately. The process is always different, but its usually a negative process, in a sense that we don’t always shoot for something, we jam out whatever feels good, and take out the parts that don’t work and b-side them.
What is your favorite song to do live?
I have no idea. I love playing “The City” and “The Elevator” with GuerillaFunk. ”The City” is exciting instrumentally, and “The Elevator” is on of my most interesting, meaningful songs lyrically. They both just feel good. I also love playing “All Good Things,” a hip hop ballad glorifying the things I love and love to hate with respect to my craft. ”Hip Hop Hooray” and “Venus” set the party off too. I also love to freestyle live.
What is, in your opinion, the best song you’ve ever done?
“The Elevator” Its the most interesting and different.
What artists influence your sound the most?
Andre 3000. He’s fiercely and fearlessly creative, and can out-rap rappers by most standards. I like Slug from Atmosphere for the depth of emotion and imagery in his storytelling and songwriting. I also enjoy Black Star for teaching me that hip-hop is universal, Homeboy Sandman for reasons unintelligible to the human conscience, and Black Thought for consistently using the voice as an instrument first and foremost.
What do you love/hate about the Philly music scene?
Nothing. Philadelphia music is wonderful, there are a lot of wonderful, talented people in this city, and playing together is breaking down a lot of the cultural barriers that have separated us as a people/city for a long time. I don’t love or hate “the scene,” I love the people who are that scene.
What albums are available for purchase and where can people find your music?
GuerillaFunk LIVE @ Chaplin’s and Mic Stewart Time to Rhyme coming soon. Listen to the demos, and stay updated on show dates, release dates, and other things GuerillaFunk and Mic Stew at:
One Comment »