Born Michael Jordan Bonema, Brooklyn rapper-producer MIKE has been known to wear his heart on his sleeve — channeling seasons of sadness into solemn, trapsoul-infused bars. A more seasoned HipHopDX Rising Star, Bonema released his first mixtape May God Bless Your Hustle, at 18. In the years that followed, MIKE would add to his arsenal the projects Tears of Joy (2019), Weight of the World (2020), and Disco! (2021), gaining support from his hero, Earl Sweatshirt.

In 2022, he bagged a partnership with Tommy Hilfiger and Patta, birthing One More, a joint EP with Wiki and Alchemist. The epitome of “I be in my bag,” MIKE would go on to flex his skills as a savvy business man by curating the Young World Festival, a free event in his hometown which has featured performances from the likes of Noname, Slick Rick, Tisakorean, Junglepussy and Mavi.

With ties to the community, an authentic sound and the mentorship from legendary lyricists, it’s likely MIKE’s rise to mainstream popularity has just begun.