Milwaukee artist Mic Kellogg self-produces hip-hop tracks in his Riverwest studio and has just released a new EP "Make This Last." We caught up with him on staying positive, going back to his roots and headlining the venue where he got his start.
The basics
Where they’re from: Milwaukee, WI Songs you’ve heard on 88Nine: “Keep Lovin'," "Hideout," "Boathouse" RIYL: hip hop, going "up nort," good vibes
Where to see them live:
See Mic Kellogg live at High Noon Saloon in Madison on Friday, December 7. Get more info here.
Five questions with Mic Kellogg
1. How did you get started in music?
I always had a love for music. How I got started on a more serious level, was right at the end of high school. I went to high school in Madison and I had this class called Hip-Hop Studies my senior year. It was the first hour of every single day. We would walk in and make beats, write music or just learn about hip-hop. It was pretty crazy. Our final was to put on a hip-hop show. Everyone produced their own songs. That’s when I got introduced to the production side of things. Pretty much every song I have out right now is also produced by me. I spend a lot more time on production that a lot of people know, actually. That’s one of my main loves, producing. I play the background part for a lot of different artists. That’s how I grew my own sound; I started making beats for all my friends that were around me. Slowly I started to shape what I wanted my beats to sound like. I was doing hip-hop shows back then, but I wasn’t that serious about it. I didn’t have any music online. I shaped my producing craft for two or three years after high school. I moved out to Colorado right away and I was just a ski bum out in Breckenridge, CO. Working on music a bunch, but still not putting anything out. Finally, my friend Damien2. Do you have a day job?
I do right now, I wait tables. It’s very flexible, I can take off when I need to and go in the studio or do shows. I’ve also done that my whole life, I grew up in a restaurant. My aunt has a restaurant in Madison. So, "Breakfast" isn’t too far off No, it’s not too far off. Plus, my last name is Kellogg, so it’s always been a staple in my life. My dad has a big collection of vintage and antique Tony the Tiger things of that nature. I’m in my studio right now and I have a Tony the Tiger clock... it’s fun to get something with your name on it.
I really try to preach positivity in all forms and to help anybody out in their endeavors.
3. I read that your EP “Make This Last” revolves around chasing happiness and acknowledging things in your life that make you feel the best and keeping those around after going through a dark time.
This music scene has seen a loss because of depression and I was wondering if you wanted to talk about your story and the message of turning things around. And acknowledging that you went through something dark. Sometimes people only see how "Instagram happy" people are and feel alone in their darkness.
For sure. I had an experience that happened to a lot of people I know, but last year I got robbed at gun point and beaten up really badly by like five people and pistol whipped. I got sent to the hospital and it was all just for my phone. It really messed up my perspective on everything. It changed me forever. I was messed up, I just wanted to stay inside, I had trouble creating, it was really intense. I didn’t really speak up about it to anybody except the people closest to me. Then, I started to shelter myself, kind of cut everybody off. It just sucked, I was really low.
Then I started talking about it more and more and that really helped. It just took time, really. Coming out of that and getting back to creating was one of the best things. That made me realize how hard I need to work. That sparked a lot of ideas for me. That’s when I came up with sticking to my roots, doing something very Wisconsin, being outdoors – the deer, homegrown, hunting "up north" feel. I wanted to get away from the city and put that into my music, too.
I know so many people who the same thing has happened to and there is so much random, senseless violence that we’re surrounded by and that’s really when I started writing that “Keep Lovin’” song to spread positivity. Now I really try to preach positivity in all forms and to help anybody out in their endeavors.
4. How is your music changing?
It’s becoming a lot more acoustic. I’m falling in love with acoustic guitar. My next project will be all beats inspired by acoustic melodies. I have a few friends that play guitar; my engineer Charles is really talented. My friend Jordan is also really talented. I’ll start singing something and they’ll start playing acoustic. We lay that down and then make a beat around that.
5. What’s next for you?
The album just came out, so I’m still trying to promote that, and the video. I have a headlining show in Madison at the High Noon Saloon. The High Noon Saloon was one of the first places I ever performed, when I was 18. My mom was up in the balcony and everything, that was tight. It all came full circle last year when I opened for No Name there. This will be my first time back since then. It’s a Friday night, December 7.
You can see Mic Kellogg live in Madison at High Noon Saloon, Friday, December 7.