We recently caught up with Mike Posner at rehearsals for the launch of the “Back To School Tour’’ presented by Oakley. Mike will be hitting the road this spring in support of his debut album “31 Minutes To Takeoff” and his current single “Bow Chicka Wow Wow” feat. Lil’ Wayne.
A year ago he was ending his collegiate studies at Duke University and now he’s rapidly emerging as one of the most promising artists in music.
On this rainy day at Brooklyn Bowl in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Posner breaks down his journey from student to stardom. Read on for more.
GG: Last time we spoke, you were a student at Duke University and your equipment was stolen from your dorm. Did you retrieve your stolen property?
MP: I never did and I offered a reward for anyone that can help me find my stuff, but I never did. But, the most valuable thing I had in my room at that point was my hard drives. For whatever reason, they left my hard drives. They took all of my keyboards, my monitors and my Jordan’s. But, they left my drives, which is by far the most important thing to me. (Laughs)
GG: How did you hook up with your management, Elitaste?
MP: Dan reached out to me when I was still a student and he was essential in launching my career. He is the one that told me to make a mixtape in the first place. That was really the platform for which I am able to do what I do now.
GG: What inspired you to join the “Back To School’’ tour presented by Oakley?
MP: It is just really exciting for me to go back to college campuses and perform, you know, having only graduated in May. I still feel like I’m one of these kids in the crowd, so it’s incredibly special and surreal for me to be on that stage, day after day.
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GG: What did you do with your first check after being signed to J Records?
MP: Put it in the bank. (laughs)
GG: Favorite movie of all time. Why?
MP: “Donnie Darko.” I’m not really sure why. I just think it’s incredible on so many levels. I like movies that you can interpret in several ways. Three people can watch that movie and tell you it has three completely different meanings. I think that is what the most powerful art does, whether it’s films or novels or music. Art that can make the viewer, listener or consumer think is the most powerful. And the art that can make different people think in different ways is even more powerful.
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GG: Most memorable moment making your debut album?
MP: There are a few really special moments. Tracking with Boys ll Men. I did a song called “Déjà Vu” and they sung backgrounds on it. And that was absolutely incredible. Watching those guys arrange their parts and layer their harmonies and the track on my microphone was like super, super surreal. And it was really fun, but man, I had the opportunity to work with so many incredible people on this record from Travis Barker, to Boyz ll Men, to Bruno Mars. I just had a blast. It’s fun thinking about the process of the album. Like, the album started with my first single, “Cooler than Me’’ in my dormitory and it ended in studios in New York and London and in hotel rooms in Las Vegas. I did a song called, “Delta 1406’’ there and wrote songs on airplanes. It’s really fun and nostalgic to think about where the different songs were born.
GG: What’s the craziest groupie experience you have experienced to date?
MP: I don’t know if I can tell you about that. (laughs)
GG: Top 3 favorite places to eat in New York City.
MP: Blue Ribbon is really dope, Café Habana and Shake Shack. Shake Shack is my probably favorite though; the one in the park. There is another one that is like a real restaurant, I think. I saw it like yesterday. I haven’t been there, but the one that is in the park; those burgers are crazy. (laughs)
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GG: Can we do a GlobalGrind/Mike Posner concert at Cameron indoor Stadium? Can you make that happen?
MP: I am sure we can make it happen. We have to talk to the people at Duke, and you know I’m down. I didn’t want to do a show like back at Duke this year because I just graduated in May. But, next year it will be time. That will be epic.
GG: Who’s winning the NCAA title this year?
MP: I don’t know man. Now that Duke is out, I’m kind of like disillusioned with the whole thing. Nolan Smith is one of my good buddies; I talk to him all the time. I was super bummed that they didn’t take it all this year, but they did last year. And I’m sure they will be back with Kyrie (Irving).
GG: Favorite quote?
MP: Oscar Wilde said, “I have nothing to declare, but my genius.’’
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GG: How did you feel about “Who Is Mike Posner’’ being a question on Jeopardy?
MP: That was super surreal. I think my mom got more hyped than I did off of that. I certainly got several congratulatory emails from family members. It was definitely cool to hear Alex Trebek describe me.
GG: How did you meet Big Sean from G.O.O.D. Music and how helpful was he with the launch of your career?
MP: Essential. We had a mutual friend. I used to intern at a radio station in Detroit called Hot 102.7, a rap station. I would like get people coffee and fold t-shirts there and he used to come on the station every Friday and rap. It was actually the same station that Kanye discovered him at. And a lot of people don’t realize that like for years I was just a guy in Sean’s entourage. Just making beats for him, trying to get a placement on his album. I made my mix tape and it was like such a blessing that he blessed me with like; I think it was like three or four verses on my first mix tape and really like got people to listen to my stuff. A lot of people would have never tuned in to my first tape if it wasn’t for him. The last couple of months have been so surreal to see him getting some of the first props that he has deserved for so many years. I watched him on “106 and Park” and like almost cried. He is just getting started man.
Even talking about it right now, the hairs stand up on my arms because dude has worked so hard, he has taught me so much, and has influenced hip-hop in a huge way. Some of the biggest names in hip-hop were all rapping like Big Sean for like that last eight months or the last year or two. It is just very special for him to finally be getting some shine that he has deserved for awhile. Before we move on I just want to say I have a whole project with him coming out. We are doing like a whole record together.
GG: Are you really an advocate for making thumb wars an Olympic sport?
MP: I don’t think I have the sphere of influence to make thumb wars an Olympic sport. If they were, I would be up there representing the states. No doubt. If you think you can thumb war. Holler at me, I will f#@% you up. (laughs)
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GG: Who are your top 3 favorite artists of all time?
MP: Oh that is a super hard question. And one that the answer probably changes from week to week. Right now, and we had just been talking about…I’ve been listening to Pac. I love Outkast and I have been on a big Red Hot Chili Peppers tear lately, too.
GG: What is something that people would not know about you?
MP: I am really good at Frisbee. I read books daily, mostly novels. I am fascinated with airplanes. I’d like to go visit the Boeing and Airbus plants one day. And I only wear white socks to the gym.
GG: What’s up with this rubbing your belly while tapping your head skill you possess?
MP: Yeah. Like, people make a big deal out of that like it’s so hard, but it’s not. They’re like ‘Yo, I bet you can’t do it.’ Remember in school, kids are always like I bet you can’t rub your belly and tap your head at the same time. I’m like, yeah I can. I’m sorry man; it’s always come fairly natural to me. I don’t see what all the hoopla is about?! Maybe I should make that an Olympic sport too.
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GG: How did you manage to maintain a 3.59 GPA and work on music?
MP: It was a lot of hard work, man and I definitely had understanding classmates that would help me if I had to miss a class for a show. They would email me the notes and professors that by no means showed me any favoritism, but were understanding to a certain extent. People would always ask me and like nudge me during class and be like you already got an A in this class, right?! Like no man, this is Duke. These professors could not care less that I have a record deal. I have to do all the same stuff that you guys that do. It was really difficult, but I’m glad that I made the decision that I did to finish school even though I had a recording contract.
GG: Anyone you were star struck to meet for the first time?
MP: Jay-Z, Kanye West, and probably most of all, Nas. I finally met Nas in Australia. My friends will tell you I’m like a really big Nas-head. Russell (Simmons) is from Queens, yeah?
GG: Yes, Hollis.
MP: Cool. That’s right. Hollis, Queens. I’m just a huge Nas guy like my whole life. I have all of his albums.
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GG: Who’s your favorite Duke player of all time?
MP: Steve Wojciechowski. And the reason for that is I was always really short and obviously, white when I was growing up. (laughs) And most of my friends were African American and they were all taller than me because I didn’t grow until I was a senior in high school. And so, they used to call me Wojo. That was my nickname and I always identified with him because while he couldn’t jump the highest, and he was not the fastest and he definitely was not the tallest; he still was like an amazing player and he led the team. The most star struck moment I had was one day I was leaving a class and my phone rang and it was Steve Wojciechowski.
GG: How is a Sigma Nu fraternity party with Mike Posner?
MP: (laughs) Man, I guess I’m not really supposed to talk about how we got down. But we got down, we got down. On a more serious note; my brothers were the first, first people to support my music. I can safely say that they were absolutely essential in the early launching of my career. I made a mixtape that my friends at Duke and my friends from Detroit told their friends about and it slowly spread across the country. And without that nucleus of people, I might not be talking to you right now.
