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It’s mid-afternoon and Mick Starr is late. Well, technically he’s not due anywhere, he just wants to get into the studio.
“I’m not sure if we’re in Lithonia or Decatur anymore,” Starr yells to a friend as they continue their travel. Decatur, GA is a long way from home for the Flint, MI native.
Mick Starr has been calling the south home since the early 90’s when he moved with his older brother in South Carolina. The rambunctious teen met a DJ where he soon started making beats and eventually recorded a demo.
“We sent the demo out in November of 1990 and before the Christmas break we were in New York signing a publishing deal,” explains Starr.
Within weeks Starr was an independent man in Atlanta, where he lived as a ghostwriter for 10 years. He wrote 15 songs a month, along the way learning the ropes of professional songwriting and production. It wasn’t easy watching other artists gain success for his works, but he prevailed and honed his talents to become a successful business man today.
In 2004 he gathered producers and songwriters to form his own label Major Independent. He brokers contracts for his team and collaborates to executive produce for many projects. In 2005, he was the Musical Director for Robert Townsend’s Spoken, for the Black Family Channel and in 2006, he Executive Produced and scored the More Than An Athlete spoken word CD for NBA Washington Wizard Forward, Etan Thomas. Thomas, who was recently signed a deal with Hidden Beach, is working on his next project that will be executive produced by Major Independent.
“My focus right now is on my album... I’m a quiet guy but I have high expectations. I’m all about business,” said Starr.
Mick Starr is coming to collect on the R& G (rhythm and gangsta) style that he claims to have originated over 10 years ago during his stint as a ghostwriter. On this album, Starr wants to move away from the production side and focus on his songwriting and artistry. His project is a fusion of his lifestyle with a little bit of harmony. He wants you to feel like you’ve had a full day after listening to the album.
“You wake up in the morning and you want to be energized. In the afternoon, you want to relax and wind down. And when night falls, it’s time to make love.”
Besides the album, Mick Starr has a Donald Goines biopic and soundtrack in the works. The veteran is looking forward to working all the aspects of his projects.
“It’s important to be involved in all the business you do. I make sure my company has producer credit on all the projects we’re involved in.”
The lessons instilled in him by his mother have yet to be forgotten in the young entrepreneur. He is humble and observant, while at the same time hungry and knowledgeable.
His album; Starr Struck is to be released later this year.
-end- - Janeen Johnson-Blog
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Still working on that hot first release.
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Mick Starr
some people are just born to do certain things…
Hailing from the notorious streets of Flint, Michigan, the cocky Leo admits the education his mother bestowed upon him and his siblings not only prepared him for life in general, but intellectually surpassed any classroom lessons his teachers feigned to impart.
He not only aced I.Q. tests, melted his share of Midwest hearts, but was a star on the basketball courts-for all intensive purposes, the A-typical hoop dream seemed to be the fate for the charismatic baller who deemed himself invincible. Yet, instead of completing the prescribed rehab for torn ligaments in his knee during the summer of his sophomore year, the stubborn youth ditched his crutches, headed the other side of town and ended up in an altercation where he sustained severe head injuries. Even with 200+ stitches, the only thing on his mind was revenge.
In a move that would perhaps seal his fate and put him on his destiny’s course; his mother made a firm decision to send him south to live with his older brother in South Carolina. The rambunctious teen was looking for something to get in to when he met a local DJ and began working on beats and eventually recorded a demo that landed in the hands of the brass at one of music’s “Big Four”. Within weeks of finishing the novice project, he found himself in New York signing a songwriting deal, relocating Atlanta, moving into his own crib and writing 15 songs a month, anonymously for the next 10 years. He spent the remainder of his teens and early 20’s learning the ropes of professional songwriting, penning historical hits, honing his production skills, working at Atlanta’s top radio station and keeping his ear to the streets.
Although his upbringing in Flint exposed him to some hardcore experiences, his stint as a ghostwriter taught him some corporate game as well. He enjoyed having the fly pad in the dirty south and the monthly deposits, but realized the flipside to the coin when one of his songs became a mega commercial success and his credit on the project was simply stated as; staff writer and the regular deposits suddenly seemed like pennies. While he was well aware of the anonymity aspect of his agreement, it was still a hard pill to swallow…and as much as he may have resented the situation, he couldn’t stop the lyrics from flowing from his head and heart.
Once his contract was satisfied, he continued to write and produce music, but began to focus on his own arsenal of heat. Now he utilizes his know-how and contacts to broker production deals and features and consults local acts through his indie label, Major Independent. In 2006, he Executive Produced and scored the More Than An Athlete spoken word CD for NBA Washington Wizard forward, Etan Thomas and was the Musical Director for Robert Townsend’s Spoken, for the Black Family Channel in 2005.
In the vein he calls R&G [rhythm & gangsta], Mick Starr is coming to collect on a style that he claims to have originated over 15 years ago during his stint as a ghostwriter. When execs feared that R&B lovers and rap fans wouldn’t embrace his songs that combined the genres, the innovative maestro was ahead of his time.
Now with the mainstream success of would-be R&G artists like the multi-platinum R. Kelly and Akon & newcomer T-Pain, Mick Starr is compelled to demonstrate his contemporary vision and mastery of the hybrid style.
Much like successful songwriters-turned recording artists such as Babyface and Neyo and producers turned performers like; Pharrell and Kanye West, Mick Starr is not only preparing to come out from behind the pen and the board to drop his first official release; Starr Struck, but will soon grace the silver screen…the undeniable ladies’ man was hand selected by lauded film producer Monty Ross to star in the upcoming biopic about the life and death of famed urban author Donald Goines.
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