Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Here we are another episode of The Grind. Thanks for
joining us, King, I mean host James Periers. This podcast
is gonna take us on the trip, trips and places
and moments in my life where I discovered hip hop.
We artists in the sound. Y'all ready to go.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Here, Let's hit it life Life. I got your perier
love love checking. So this Perier press play the Grind starts,
the rhyme start. We come together like car parts to
(00:41):
make your move. Jobs are like, don't help you out
on this little bit rule the purpose to enlighten you.
But all we do blog exposure you. If you see
can't get Jim post to poster, we poster help each
other out, no doubt before disclosure. Get tune into the Grinds.
It's time we take it over.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
It's this life on your line once again. What's going
on to my fans out there here on the grind
once again, we have another podcast. We're coming at you tonight. Tonight,
we have a guest that is certainly on his way. Immediately,
I had to reach back out to this young man,
this brother, this music maker, to let him know that
(01:21):
I really enjoyed his email that he sent me. His
promo package was tight. It took us like a year
to get this together. Had a lot of different things
going on with health things and stuff like that. But
I do appreciate that he understood what was going on.
But we finally got this interview together over the last
year without further ado. I want to introduce you to
(01:43):
south Side Nico.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Yeah Man, Yeah Man, the south Side Nico Man, the
hardest artist producer in the world. Man. And if you
ain't tapped in with me, Man, then you off that girl.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
I got you bet. I love that energy.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Man.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
Thank you. Once again, we were chopping it up before
we started the show. He is actually in the studio
making some music right now out in North Carolina. Of
course we're out here in Vegas, but he stayed up
for this interview. I really appreciate it made himself available.
But I'm gonna stop talking right now. This this is
about him, so I'm gonna let him introduce himself. I'm
handed over to Ulko.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
Yeah Man, Okay, So south Side Miko Man, the hardest
artist producer on the planet. And if you ain't tap
in and tap fend, yeah, you still the blankets man.
You know what I'm saying. I'm I'm an artist from
North Carolina, greensbrother being is that I do produce as well.
I produced for some of the biggest artists over here
(02:41):
and overseas. I've worked with Adaway Mafia, tsf YSL, I
produced for Korean Billboard celebrities. I'm doing a lot of
things in my area. I also offer artists development services
for artists and producers who are coming up. So you know,
I'm out here grinding doing my thing. Now.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
The one question I had for you, and I love
the energy that you are putting forth and I can
tell that's natural, that ain't just for the interviews. How
did you get into music?
Speaker 3 (03:11):
What?
Speaker 1 (03:12):
What what actually like? What's the bug that got you
into rap art? Whatever your genre is, Please let us
know what your specific genre that you'd like to be
classified in, if there is one, But let.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
Me know how you get into music. So my I
don't have a genre. I do everything like I'm producing
for everybody in terms of the producer wise and also
in terms of me being an artist. I'm making everything.
I don't limit myself. I'm very big on that, don't
do on yourself. So how I got started in music?
(03:44):
Was I used to dance first, like when I was
a little kid, when I was in elementary school, in
middle school, and then through my dance group, I got
introduced to somebody who one day was like, hey, bro,
I'll be rapping. And I'm like, oh, you be rapping brown,
like that's fine, nobody rap around here, and he was like, yeah,
let me wrap this rap for you. So he started.
He started sitting down the street and I'm like, man,
(04:07):
you nice. You're making me want to rap. And I
always because I've been dancing my whole life, like I've
always been around music, like it kind of goes hand
to hand. It's entertainments art. So so yeah, he introduced
me to rap and I got into it. I tried
to make my first rap song. All my friends laughed
at me, and I'm a sagittariust man. When people laugh
(04:28):
at me, I'm like, man, nah, I gotta be better
than that. Like I can't. I can't go outside like that.
So so you know, I just went in the sense
in the lab, went in the basement at my house,
you know, started started working every single day, started working
every single day. I've been doing this music since about
two thousand and seven, and I'm twenty five now, so
I'm still young. But I've been doing it for a
(04:50):
little minute.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Man, So how did it?
Speaker 3 (04:55):
You know?
Speaker 1 (04:55):
We all have those friends, you know, they're like, man,
what you doing? What you do it?
Speaker 3 (04:58):
When I try?
Speaker 1 (04:59):
I try to be rapper A long time ago, I
think I was good. I didn't get a deal a
lot of it. But you know, but here I am
still in music at least I DJ. But so people
don't realize it's hard for you and for anybody to
get up in front of people and actually perform. I
don't think people realize how hard that is and not
(05:20):
not everyone's built like that. What do you what do
you think?
Speaker 3 (05:24):
I feel like, you know, just me personally, I feel
like whatever you put your mind to you could do.
It's just about getting over the nerves. And one thing,
because I am around a lot of celebrity artists and
I get to see them performance. Like one thing, if
somebody's on to come up, if you want to know,
like the nerves never go away. If the nerves never
go away, it's you know, you just got to confront
(05:45):
them and do what you gotta do. Put your heart
on that stage and letting people feel you. That's what
I'm talking about.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
That's what I'm talking about now. Is there any any
musical influences in your familybody that played instruments. Is there
anybody family and friends that are helping you right now
produce the album, People that have seen you from when
you started to where you are now that are contributing
to your music daily.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
Oh, yeah, for sure. So my mom used to be
actually in the music industry. My dad is from overseas.
He's from Zambia, so he the music influence from him
was totally different than my mom because my mom is
from New York, so I was raised around like reggaetone
and African music, Portuguese music. My mom came with the
(06:37):
R and B, the eighties rock. So it's like I
have a full spectrum of music. I've heard everything. I
listened to everything, Like, there's not anything I don't listen to.
As long as it's sounding good and it's pleasing to
my ears, I'm listening to it. And you know, my
brother also made music. So for the most part, most
(06:58):
of my family makes music. To be honest, I have
a cousin that's actually signed and everything, and he's doing
his thing out there in California, shout out a Ji.
He going stupid, but yeah, like my whole whole family
going crazy. Right now, I'm working closely with my homeboy Perps.
(07:20):
I also have two producers right now. One of their
names is sweet Tooth, the other the other one. Were
working on the name right now. We're still building his image.
We're building everything, so I can't yet disclose his dets if.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
You yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, you don't want to put
him out there yet until you're ready, right, Yeah, for sure,
for sure, but we're working.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
The main one who I'll say is Perps on Instagram
is at p E r p P S Underscore Perps.
He's one of the most fire producers coming out of Charlotte,
North Carolina right now.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Man, So okay, I got a question for you. So
are you signed to your own label?
Speaker 3 (07:57):
I don't have a label, not yet. I'm I'm not
necessarily looking for a label because I don't feel like
I'm at that step. I made benefit from a manager,
but I feel like I'm still in the stages of
getting everything going. Like sometimes I don't want to, you know,
get in business with somebody because I be paying you
for something. Maybe I could do by myself right now,
(08:19):
at the stage that I'm at, for sure.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
I can understand that. Yeah, that's a good move, right now,
do it when you're ready.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
Sure now.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
When in your promo pack, I was looking through your song,
your song that you that you have listed. Now there's
one I was like, oh, look at this one, so
I stop. It says his most popular single, fifty six hundred,
and I'm gonna ask you a little bit about this
and see how you made it. I clicked on it
and it is fires two. As it came on up,
(08:50):
it was like the v had grabbed me. I was like, Okay,
this is different.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
I like this.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
One thing that I find because i'm you know, I'm
part of the little older generation, you know, nineties eighties
right hip hop, just getting involved, just coming on the scene.
And what you made, what you created with fifty six
hundred reminded me kind of of that old Miami Bay sound,
but it's mixed with like an R and B undertone
(09:21):
in there. That's what I got out of the title
fifty six hundred. Explain to me how you got that title,
why'd you name it that, and what is the song about? Like,
let the listeners know what are you trying to convey
in that song?
Speaker 3 (09:34):
So fifty six hundred is actually the block that I
come from the street at the top of the street's
say fifty six hundred song. So I ain't gonna tell
you where I live in at.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
Right right now?
Speaker 3 (09:43):
Fifty six Yeah, fifty six hundred, So that's that's the
name of the street.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
And pretty much.
Speaker 3 (09:49):
Like I'm telling people, like what I be on, what
happens on just fifty six hundred block, Like I'm telling people,
I'm letting people know, I'm giving them an insider of
what it is to be South Side Nico, or what
it is to hang or what it's like to hang
out with South five Miko. Like the opening lines, I
don't need no big money to watch what loyalty you'll do,
like I'm taking you to that place, like I'm showing
(10:11):
you I don't need no money to get this that
third done. I got loyalty behind me, I got people
who love me from where I come from. So it's
really just about how I be moving every day. It's
really like you get to take a day with South
five Miko, but delivered and packaged and song for him.
That's what I got out of it.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
I got out of your energy that you're putting forth.
You're basically taking us on a trip for the listener
and letting us know how hard that you are grinding,
regardless as anybody's watching or not. And it's kind of
like you're letting me inside your mind saying, hey, this
is what I do from day in and day out
from when I wake up. So that's that's kind of
that's on the same vibe that I got from the song,
(10:50):
but it is it is amazing. The other song that
I really like is Foul. Foul is good because I
like the way that you wrap MC a little bit
behind the beat. It starts off like that, and then
(11:10):
you flip your style when you go into the second verse.
Speaker 3 (11:14):
Yeah for sure.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
Yeah. Like I noticed that and I was like, oh,
that's dope. That's like most R and B singers sing
behind the beat and then they flipped it too, But
I like the way you did that was was, Uh,
that's just dope, man, that's just dope. I like it.
I love it.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
Thank you. I appreciate that so much. That means a lot.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
You're on various platforms Apple Music, Spotify, Boom Played, Audio Max, SoundCloud, Amazon, Deezer,
E p K. The list goes on and on and on,
and you even got a shout out from five time
Grammy nominated rapper Fat Joe.
Speaker 3 (11:53):
That happened, Man, I don't even know. One day and
I have people from his camp hit me up and
they're like, yeah, Fat Joe's about to schedule a call
with you if you want to, if you want to
hop on this call, like it's a great opportunity. And
I was like, I mean it's Fat Joe. I know
exactly who that is. There's no way I'm not hopping
(12:13):
on that call. Hopped on the call, chopped it up
with him for a few and you know, bro, tell
me kept working. And I appreciate this the love. You know,
people checking in, I know, people watching important people, so
that means a lot. So salute to him and the
people that he messed with.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
Hey, you know, Joe's for that nineties era, the you know,
the older hip hop generation. One question I'd like to
ask you just get your perspective. You know right now,
you know we have older hip hop saying that the
younger generation music is not on point with hip hop.
I think it's all hip hop. It just evolves in
a different way, just like in any other kind of music.
(12:55):
I think the older crowd we need to get tapped
in with your newer crowd, but as well think the
newer hip hop generation has to tap in a little
bit old. I think it's a mutual respect.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
Kind of thing.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
Yeah, how do you feel about do you ever tap
into the older artists? Just kind of see what was
going on in hip HOPO boat?
Speaker 3 (13:17):
Oh? Yeah. For the most part, all I listen to
is old school music, maybe not more so rap like
I'll be in more so like Anita Baker, Like I'm
listening to people like that and music like that. Like
just the other day, I'm sitting here listening to Shaka Khan,
I'm listening to Janet Jackson. So it's just like, you know,
(13:37):
I'm still in the old I'm old soul, but I'm
old so like a lot of the newer music, it's cool,
but I don't know, it don't hit like that old
so yeah, yeah, and I do think that.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
You know, sometimes I got to get out of my
own way too, because I get so because I enjoyed
the era of nineties so much, right, I have to
make sure I get out of that and listen to
what's new too. Sometimes I'll put my Spotify just on
new music and I'm finding gyms. I'm actually finding music
just like, oh wait a minute, this things being rotated
(14:13):
on on on radio or whatnot, and you know, it's
a it opens up my mind. So sometimes I got
to do that too, you know.
Speaker 3 (14:22):
Yeah, for sure most definitely a lot of times. What
I noticed is like a lot of people in this
generation or even before, it's like, well, y'all music trash.
I'm like, well, for the most part, you're saying that
about rap music. I'm like, it's so many other genres
of subgenres of music. If you actually go looking for it.
Like even with like today's rap, a lot of the
people will say, okay, it's very violent, like it is,
(14:44):
but there's different types of rap. There's conscious rap, there's
a new app, there's low five. Go seek out what
you like.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
True low fi wrap has actually hitting. I like it.
That's my that's my kind of my kind of feel
right there. Man, you know, I have to ask you.
We're getting to this part of the segment and we
were talking about Man, I would like to know who
you're top five artists or group would be on your list,
(15:17):
Like I think we all have a list of artists
we kind of rite to and either thinking about something,
going through something motivates us to do something. It could
be any genre you want. What are your top five
artists that you generally throw on when you got to
get something done to get you mind right?
Speaker 3 (15:40):
All right? So when I got to get something done,
my top five will probably be like future, I listen
to a lot of future me. I'll be listening to me.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
Go ahead, go ahead.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
Also, I would say recently, m hmm, okay, so future,
I would say myself. Also, I've been listening to a
lot of, like I said, old school music. Man, I
ain't gonna while I've been on that. Anita Baker, Yeah yeah,
yeah she do.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
He shout out to her. She just got all her
master's back.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
Oh yeah I see that.
Speaker 1 (16:24):
Yeah yeah, I chanced to wrap her. He'll forget her
stuff back.
Speaker 3 (16:28):
Yeah yeah, that's fine. Yeah. Also, I would say maybe
like Little Yachty.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
Mm hmm yeah.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
And then maybe like Dame just this d from Detroit
named Dame Dots.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
All right with Dame doc Dame that now you're introducing
me to somebody too as well. Dame Dot.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
Yeah, for sure, I can relate to him a lot.
That's one of the like I liked a lot of music,
but Dame Dot I can relate to him.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
Okay, So what is it about his music what stands
out to you that kind of like grab your attention?
So and like you said it kind of is your
music similar to his thought process or what is it
that stands out with daim Dak.
Speaker 3 (17:14):
It's more so like the stuff that he says is
the stuff that's like in my brain, like a lot
of the time that I think on the day to
day that I'm like, man, this man really be saying
what I'll be thinking like on the day to day.
And it's funny, like, man, just be really giving people
life lessons on the track, and it's like it's exactly
(17:34):
what I need to be hearing, exactly what happening in
my life.
Speaker 1 (17:39):
Well, thanks for hitting me to him. I'm gonna have
to put him on it and let it rotate for
a little while. Adversity in the music industry, I know
you've probably had a little bit of it.
Speaker 3 (17:52):
There's a lot going to be a lot of.
Speaker 1 (17:53):
People listening to this podcast over the wild is what
can you give. What kind of advice can you give
to artists that want to break into the music industry
and something that they need to understand. What nuggets do
you want to leave them?
Speaker 3 (18:11):
Well, rule number one, because I do I am an
artist development coach. You gotta understand that this is music business.
I understand that this is your baby. When you have
a business of any sort, it's gonna be your baby
just what you do. You connect to this emotionly and
you put in blood, sweat and tears a lot of
(18:31):
time for this or maybe that's how you feel you
want to get into it. But this is business. So
you gotta understand the business of this music because that's
what these companies and these labels, that's what they care about.
They care about business first, everything later. And as much
as you are an artists, you're also in a sense
like a product, not necessarily a product, but you're a brand.
(18:55):
So you have to treat yourself and treat yourself, treat
what you do as a business because the people that
are looking at you, I'm telling you, they looking at
you like in a business standpoint. And there's a lot
of people whose jobs fall behind these execs at Sony
and et cetera, et cetera. So always understand and learn
(19:16):
the music business. That's number one. Number two, I would say,
your mindset will take you far. Your mindset. You can
craft a mindset that is that is, let me, what's
the words. If you can craft a mindset in such
a way to where you can believe in yourself and
(19:37):
you really have and you're really hungry for this, you
can have it. I truly believe that making it in
the music industry is the easy part, even though it
requires a lot of hard work. That's the easy part.
But staying on is the hard part because there's plenty
of one hit wonders.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
But where are a lot of these people now? Said? Yeah,
for sure.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
And then the last piece of advice that I would
give to people who come in the music industry, I
would say, network, Your network is your network. Don't sleep
on who you know. Who you know. Sometimes you may
not have to work hard if you don't know. If
you're listening to this man, there's a book called Think
and Grow Rich, and it specifically talks about how there's
(20:23):
a guy named Henry Ford who made the model T,
the Ford Model T, and he I'm pretty sure he
had less than a middle school education, but yet he
became one of the richest people to ever live and
stand foot in America. And how is that possible? Because
of his network and his network he was able to
(20:45):
call upon people that he needed to get the job
done when he needed it done, and he was able
to provide something obviously to reciprocate what they were doing
for him. But you know, don't sleep on your network
other people. Sometimes you don't need to work hard to
get rich. Maybe other people can get you rich based
(21:06):
off of how you place yourself in the positions you play.
Life is a chessboard, so don't please.
Speaker 1 (21:12):
Yeah, sometimes people that can help you are standing right
next to you, and they'll never know if you need anything. Okay,
help you with anything if we never tell them. Sometimes
I have to admit I'm an introvert, you know. But
at the same time, you made a good point. Business
is business. How do people know what I do and
what we can do for you if I don't promote
(21:34):
myself in our business. First, right, closed mouths don't get fair,
So I totally agree to what you're saying.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
Right, We're gonna bless.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
The listeners here once this podcast at the end of
this podcast, who We're going to be playing a couple
of singles from the South Side NKO. He has given
us permission to play a couple of songs on this
podcast or so, although algorithms out there, please don't take
them down, we'll probably hit up one or two songs.
(22:05):
But he's given us permission to do that, and I
really appreciate that. This is gonna really help catapult you
to new listeners through the crowd that follows us here
at the grind as well. So I thank you for
that and really appreciate that.
Speaker 3 (22:21):
Yeah, no problem, no problem. Also, did you want me
to spit some bars for you? I got some bars, man.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
You got some bars. Okay, what we're gonna do is
gonna freestyle it. Yeah, I got you, all right, I'm
gonna do the countdown. We're gonna drop it in on
the one here. We got five, four, three, two one,
hit it ah.
Speaker 3 (22:46):
Plenty of scarfs fit on my heart. Lots of my
art run through my mind, run through my art, balancing
dark energy because of angels, is watching God It move smart,
thinking a lot, thinking of law like I'm in caught,
thinking a lot, Pray for what knew teach them we won,
Tell them we won. We're not apart. Given us the
part by your side. And that's from the start until
I'm done, until I'm dead. I'm giving my alle until
(23:07):
I'm one with the earth, and lift through my spirit
till I depart with my gun, until I get caught,
till I get off, or the trigger is my first result.
Don't think I'm soft and broad day I come knock
you walk, So watch your tongue quick the list of
my ears open, but I've been slow to talk. Rule
of thumb, watch what you say. The work costs. Never dumb,
seeking not my spirit, observing thoughts forever them, trying to
(23:28):
overcome problems as they come, never run, and I'm never lost.
When a dark kit got three eyes to the look,
one seat through the toxication. Shouldn't pay no mind to
the talking, unlocking my mind to the sonic key to
walk in Marsha and feel them like an alien of
sin and barking on the journey. No one to runners
walk and chosen, not the amount of hawk. And I'm
(23:48):
awoke and knocking hundred dollar knowledge, and it's spoken that
is fire man, not one cuss word. Yeah, y'all, found
out there. I'm trying to y'all. Y'all boys can't right
without cussing.
Speaker 1 (24:02):
Now that inspired man, appreciate it. I like that, and
I got that on. I got that recorded, So that's good.
That's gonna go with the vault, man.
Speaker 3 (24:12):
But but listen to it.
Speaker 1 (24:13):
But I'm be said, I gotta make sure I say this,
man before we get out of here. South Side Nico.
Let people know where they can find you, your website
and everything. Where can we find you as well?
Speaker 3 (24:24):
Okay, for sure the most important way to find me
is go to Google. Type in my name south Side
Mico and Mico spell m I k oh on all
social media platforms. Is at S O U T H,
S I D E, M I k oh. Got south
Side Mico on everything.
Speaker 1 (24:44):
Man, Blessings to you, man, Man, appreciate you. Can you
drop a shout out for DJ Retro here at the
grind Yeah Man, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
Man, the south Side Mico Man the hardest artist producer
on the planet. Man. And if you ain't locked in
with DJ Retro that tap in Man.
Speaker 1 (25:02):
Appreciate that.
Speaker 3 (25:03):
Love, Man.
Speaker 1 (25:04):
We'll catch all on the next episode and peace out there, everybody.
Speaker 4 (25:10):
So bro trapped fish they're right to wave. I make
it and I need a batchel. I'll take I'll take it.
He'll see it's like Mason. Then he gets he soft
he's blaky. I tell you flip them like Bacon.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
I do a foul.
Speaker 4 (25:31):
Flagrant blake because go tell the told you hate it
because I promise my mama, I make it.
Speaker 1 (25:36):
They're right to wave.
Speaker 4 (25:36):
I'm make it, make and I need a batchel. I'll
take you beg you can't see it's like Mason. Then
he gets softy blaked. I tell me flip him like Bacon.
Like Bacon, I do a foul flagrant like go to
the talk. You hate it because I promise my mama,
I make it.
Speaker 3 (25:51):
It's like I'm.
Speaker 4 (25:51):
Bracing selling a legal.
Speaker 3 (25:53):
I'a tak it.
Speaker 4 (25:54):
You can't pull up to the breath because they're probably
trying me. His dad what smoking pac and toe and
last my how hoped that you're hungry? The chopper gum
ma she fed? Then igon's getting fed up, y'all.
Speaker 3 (26:05):
He pull up.
Speaker 1 (26:06):
But it's a set up. You just a host, so
can fess up.
Speaker 4 (26:09):
Me boost to get wet up, getting up chetter, I'll
get to the cheese better wor chopper stent like day
for get up. She let me look up for her
first day. I will be going in the first place.
Speaker 3 (26:20):
I'm number one, first place.
Speaker 4 (26:22):
We beat them down to the worst case, she set.
I'm obsessed with a pomp, I think because I love
how we're dumb chopping chopping too.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
What's dumb?
Speaker 4 (26:29):
I run this ship like I'm drump Butterfill was with
the money there we wipe his nose like it's running there.
They're right the wave I make it, and I need
a bat to I'll take, I take. You can see
it's like Mason's. He's getting that he soft you're flaky.
I tell me flip them like bacon. I do a
foul blake, just go to the toef you haycause I
promise my mama I'll make it. They're right the wave
(26:50):
I'm making make and I need a batchel. I'll take
you begins. You can see it's like Masons then he
gets soft blaked. I tell me flip them like bacon. Bacon,
I do a foul like go tell the talk you
hay it because I promised my mama make it.
Speaker 2 (27:20):
H