MIRAGE

PEEP THE LINK - MIRAGE512.COM

A man.
An Artist.
A purveyor of the culture. Some of his influences are James Brown, John Coltrane, Miles Davis,
Q-tip, and the entire Dungeon Family to name a few. He considers himself as “soulhop” (soulful hip hop) artist. Who are we referring to? The talented, brand pusher, the entreprenuer and the down to earth artist. The one and only “Mirage”

Mirage has captivating lyrical talents. Mirage raps about songs that give you an opportunity to rewind, reset and re-evaluate the question and purpose of just being. When asking Mirage what it was like being an artist. He replies, ” It’s an evolution. I really feel like it’s a challenge and I have to work just as hard to prove myself.” Ujima Magazine sat down with “Mirage” in the studio were many of his hits were created. Mirage was laid back, barefoot and very hospitable.

As we begin to listen to his latest project called, The Savant, which is a collection of songs from 2009-2010. The first track was called, “Blessed” (opening Prayer) by Reverend James Calahan. Now I am not sure if any of you reading this is a believer. However I will say, that when you put God before anything, you are destined to come out ahead. From the beginning to the end of the CD, the music was nicely arranged and each lyric was hand picked to take you on a musical journey of hip-hop, head bobbing and soul. While annointing your ear drums with straight up Guud-ness.

Ujima would like to thank you to “Mirage” for taking the time to interview with us.

Check out, “THE END OF SUMMER JAM.
8/20/2011 at Kickbutt Coffee #2: 4600 Guadalupe Suite B-2, Austin – (512) 467-4365.

The line up includes MIRAGE, KAZANOVA THE GREAT, LA LOVE ROBINSON, FINESSE ATX, THE GUUD and many more. The show starts at 9pm.
For more information please go to www.Mirage512.com

- UJIMA MAGAZINE

We recently had the chance to get with local artist Mirage... thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule man! Here's what he had to say...

Can you give your fans a quick bio of yourself?

Im Mirage I am a native of Austin Texas. A Founding member of Kinetic Entertainment and C.E.O of MelodicScience Recordings. I have done 2 albums (Rhythm Gumbo, and Bonafide) and im working on a 3rd. I have done 1 EP which went national on GoodVibe Records back in 2000 called L.I.A.R and I have done 3 mixtapes (Formula 512, The Other Side Of Texas vol. 1 and 1.5). I am a soulhop artist and a graduate of Prairie View A&M University.

Which is your latest CD? and how do you think it differs from your previous works?

The album that I am working on right now is self-titled M.I.R.A.G.E it will be released on MelodicScience Recordings in the fall hopefully. The big difference with this project is that I am trying to break out of this box that some people have attempted to put me in. From my last cd I have heard a lot of titles being thrown around concerning my sound (positive, safe rap, old school etc), and that kind of made me work harder to break out of any pre-conceived notions that any previous friends (not fans) had of my music. On my previous work I have had one maybe 2 producers that I worked with per project with L.I.A.R I worked with Tee Double only on my last album BONAFIDE I worked primarily with Arson Optics. On M.I.R.A.G.E I am working with at least 7 different producers I have 11 songs done as we speak and I have worked with different producers for almost every song that I have done. I have production from Arson Optics, Element 7D, Ivan Ho, Young Nick, Mr. Cree of Supastar Dj’s, Maxwell Covosier, D. Powers, and Dj La Di Da. It is really interesting how they all touch different parts of my repertoire with their music

What gives you inspiration and how does that transpire into your music?

At this point my inspiration is life. Day to day things such as going to work, paying bills, being with my friends and family, taking care of your kids, making my way in this life and what the average person does to make it. I am a firm believer in the fact that people listen to music for few reasons, 1) To dance or have a festive atmosphere. 2) For feelings that it provokes (good, bad, mad, happy, sad, love, motivated). 3) I also think that music is useful tool to educate. It transpired into my music by affecting my content since my voice is my instrument. On a more personal note I drew inspiration from the lack of recognition that I get as an artist, I have the proverbial chip on my shoulder when it comes to being an emcee.

Which artists inspire you the most? and why?

In the modern time I’m loving what im hearing from Sa Ra, Raphael Saddiq, T.I., Kanye West, Scarface, Twista and almost anything that Outkast does. I also draw inspiration from my peers such as Tee Double, Bavu Blakes, Young Nick, Element 7D, Arson Optics, PoP and D. Powers. In the realm of “old school” artist, Donny Hathaway, Roy Ayers, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, Curtis Mayfield, Bill Withers, Al Green, James Brown, Rufus Thomas and the list goes on and on. These artist are so real to me, not in the sense of over doing it to prove they are “real” but they just feel so natural that it is hard to not get into these artist.

What has kept you in Austin? especially since it's only been recently that Houston has blown up.

Well I have considered leaving many times, don’t get it twisted and I am still considering the benefits of expanding to other markets. But what has kept me here is personal reasons, I really felt like I needed to be here for my family, I have a younger brother that will be graduating from high-school this spring and I wanted to be here guide him through this time in his life. Also some of the elders in my clan have fallen sick here in the last few years. Also I have a great base of support and help here in Austin, im from here so you know home is where the heart is. I mean I know damn near everyone or they know me and sometimes it is not easy or smart to leave your base of operation. Im Austin 78723 till its over.

How do you see the scene in Austin? and where do you see it going?

Well let me give you the good and the bad. The bad, there is a lot of cliquish shit here meaning that everyone has a crew and they pretty much stay in that click and don’t move around to get with other artist. There is a lot of imitation going on here, meaning that a lot of cats in town are basing their sound on another city’s sound and culture mainly Houston there is nothing good that can come from that in the long run. There is a lack of major support of the hip hop artist here in town due to the fact that a lot of them sound like they are from somewhere else. Some people are not open to new things here in town; they are not exposed to a lot of new things outside of mtv, bet, and the radio, thus without knowing it they - Austin Hip Hop Blog

Seeing how it was inspired by a movie about a hyperaddictive new designer drug, it's hardly surprising the Formula 512 mix tape is loaded with chemistry. After a late-night viewing of 2002 Samuel L. Jackson thriller Formula 51, local MC Mirage da Griot had a brainstorm and called his partner in rhyme Arson Optics, who quickly agreed the idea was dope. The duo assembled a host of ATX hip-hop talent -- Bavu Blakes, Tee Double, Dok Holliday, Tray God, Element, Global, Buzzy, and Kaizen -- for an epic recording session at ATX Records and enlisted DJ Phyfteen to thread the whole thing together. "Everybody came through with they dopest shit," affirms Mirage. "Everybody ripped." A Prairie View A&M graduate who remembers seeing Run-DMC and Eazy-E at the old KAZI studios off Loyola, Austin-born Mirage, now 28, first met Arson Optics in 2001, when the then 16-year-old "Boy Wonder" brought him in for a track on his solo album Based on a True Story. "The first song we did together was crazy," confirms Arson, a Pittsburgh native who studied drums for a year at Boston's Berklee College of Music and is already one of Austin's most in-demand beat-crafters. As Soul Odyssey, the pair have lately been readying their debut, The Offering, dropping in late February or early March. Mirage hopes the album will capture the wide-open spirit of hip-hop circa 1987 and '88, when De La Soul carried as much commercial clout as N.W.A. "A lot of it is really soulful and melodic," he says. "But there's some bangers on there, too."
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~AUSTIN CHRONICLE JANUARY 16, 2004 ~

ROBERT GABRIEL AUSTIN CHRONICLE Texas Top 10s For2003

1) Bavu Blakes, Create & Hustle (Bomb Hip-Hop)
2) Hydroponic Sound System, grids/loops/intersections (Alternate Take)
3) NickNack, Improving Silence (Crowd Control)
4) Blaze, Aural Karate (Butter Vat)
5) OHN, Let's Get It ...
6) Echo Base Soundsystem (Seedknowledge)
7) Mirage Da Griot & Arson Optics, Formula 512 (Melodic Science/ Word Power)
8) Global, Armed and Dangerous (Global)
9) Haps, What's Happenin' (ATX)
10) Dok Holliday, The Preseason (KEFRA)
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- Austin Chronicle