ATL based rapper Mike Quinn released “Live A Little” today, a 5 track EP encouraging his listeners to get out there and yes, live a little. Mike Quinn exemplifies this literally by traveling the United States with the money he’s saved up, visiting new cities, hitting local open mics, and collaborating with new friends and faces! He featured Miss Geist and Solo Jane on the EP, both singers; Miss Geist being based in LA, and Solo Jane is from Bristol England. Mike Quinn through the sheer creation of this project has lived a lot; traveling the country, featuring national and international talent, the extended playlist is a proof that he has in fact lived a little.
On track 1, The Other Side, Mike Quinn poses questions and answers about what it's going to take to get to the other side of heartbreak and pain. “Dreams, ignored, say get rid of, yet I always wanted more…you want the best me, fuck you, you know whats not in store!” “Audio memoirs of my quest to reach my purpose” a very lush and colorful line that also somewhat alludes to outliving yourself beyond the grave. Lots of layers and ideas with this track the Other Side, chock full of solidly dense bars by ATL’s Mike Quinn, the high pitched vocal sample over the instrumental adds an extra element that any hip hop head would appreciate.
Mike Quinn details what it takes to truly make it with your craft and business in track 2, Price You Pay. “Grateful I have a stage, a platform to inform.” showing gratitude for how far his craft has taken him. “Spent most of my 20s searching for heaven still” Mike Quinn expresses just how much time he’s put into his artistic growth. There’s definitely a price one pays in order to achieve greatness, or specific goals and dreams one might have. Mike Quinn delivers another densely packed record chock full of references and lines coinciding with his song theme. Mike Quinn is an interesting rapper to listen to because he’s an essayist naturally in his quasi conversational half jokingly poetic banter; yet still he is able to combine that with complex lyrics; he’s truly a unique emcee.
Mike Quinn recruits Solo Jane on his third record, the titular “Live a Little”. Here Mike Quinn gets into his story telling chops and beautifully illustrates an adventurous evening with a pretty woman abroad during his travels. Coupled with Solo Jane’s sultry, soulfully smooth voice, Mike Quinn’s track Live A Little brings the listener into that romantic connection. “So I keep finding myself now across the pond, immersed in the culture, sights, and the people abroad, we were in Dublin where I met you girl, one of the prettiest God’s drawn” The track really encapsulates what it could feel like falling in love with a foreigner who’s dazzled by that American rawness.
You can’t Live A Little if you’re not “Going Places”. Mike Quinn asks how far would go for a dream and what would you do for the person that believed in you? A great question for his audience to ponder as he describes a lot of the work he’s put in over the last decade both professionally and artistically. “Russ mindset, manifesting my way to the top, cause what am I supposed to do, stay in Woodstock?!” I think Mike Quinn is referencing the Russ blueprint for indie recording artists while simultaneously cracking a joke about not being stuck in your ways and a blast from the past. “Put my money where my mouth is, gotta take risks, to make it in this game, I played all over the atlas.” This rhyme articulates what it means to be Going Places, adding to his overarching themes of travel, taking action, and living a little bit of course. Going Places is assuredly another dense entry into Mike Quinn’s hip hop catalog.
Adding Miss Geist from LA which I’m curious if that name is a reference to the film Clueless; Mike Quinn ends the track with a love song titled Horizons. Miss Geist just like Solo Jane absolutely killed the vocals. The song feels like it details two lovers being able to get past any long distance that might separate two star crossed partners. Horizons is a powerful ending to an EP about living a little, with a happily ever after ending with the characters played by Mike Quinn and Miss Geist. You’ll enjoy the playful and flirty dialogue between the characters and when her voice soars in, the song feels like it's taking you over “horizons”.
Mike Quinn’s Live A Little is now available on all streaming platforms, go do something new today and bump a record that encourages you to be a new version of yourself.
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