Mikey D

Not to be confused with Mike D.
Mikey D
Mikey D in 2019
Mikey D in 2019
Background information
Birth nameMichael Anthony Deering
Also known as
  • Mikey D'struction[1]
  • The Real Mikey D
  • Playboy Mikey D
Born (1967-11-25) November 25, 1967 (age 57)
Queens, New York City, U.S.
GenresHip hop
OccupationRapper
Years active1981–present
Labels
Formerly ofMain Source
Websitewww.mikeyd.hiphop

Michael Anthony Deering[2] (born November 25,[3] 1967), known by his stage name Mikey D, is an American rapper. He is best known for being a lead member of the groups Mikey D & The L.A. Posse and Main Source. As a member of Main Source, he replaced Large Professor,[4] who parted ways with the group due to business differences. In 1994, he appeared on Main Source's second album, Fuck What You Think, as the lead MC.

Early life and education

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Mikey D was born on November 25, 1967, in Laurelton, Queens, New York City, to Linda Deering and Victor Fisher.[5] His parents separated when he was young and he was raised by his grandparents, Jerome and Betty Deering in Laurelton Queens, New York. He attended PS 37 in Queens, followed by JHS 231, also in Queens. He attended Springfield Gardens High School.[6]

Mikey started rapping during junior high school, after hearing music by the Cold Crush Brothers and Clientele Brothers, which inspired him to become an MC. He was the youngest member to join the Clientele Brothers, a group of emcees consisting of Eddie O'Jay and Will Seville.[7] He would write rhymes and freestyle in parks and areas around his neighborhood,[8] getting trained by O'Jay and Seville, working to develop his skills and rhyme flows.[9]

While in high school, he met future emcee/actor LL Cool J (James Todd Smith), although he and Mikey didn't go to the same school. James went to Andrew Jackson High School. They would come to each other's schools and freestyle rhymes together. At the time, LL was known as J-Ski, but Mikey suggested a new moniker for him. He gave him the stage name "Ladies Love", but James shortened it to just "LL." James added the word "Cool" and the initial "J", for his first name.[6][non-primary source needed][10]

Career

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In 1985, Mikey and his group the Symbolic Three signed to Reality Records.[6] Around that year, he and his friend Johnnie Quest met inspiring upcoming producer named Paul "Paul C" McKasty, through Cliente Brothers members Eddie O'Jay and Will Seville.[11]

He formed a group with the late Paul C and childhood friend DJ Johnnie Quest. According to Deering, he stated that his group originally wanted to be called "Boom Bash", but one of his managers didn't think it was a good idea.[9] The group was called Mikey D & the L.A. Posse. They were signed to Public Records. They had a single which was released in 1987, song called "My Telephone", along with tracks like "Dawn" and "Bust a Rhyme". He followed up with two other singles "I Get Rough" & "Go For It" in the same year.[12]

In 1988, Mikey D was the winner of the New Music Seminar Battle for World Supremacy where he battled Melle Mel.[13]

While recording an album with his group, he learned that Paul C was murdered in his sleep at his home.[9] There were disputes with another group who were also named the L.A. Posse, a group from Los Angeles and Sleeping Bag Records, a label that Mikey was signed to.[9] Sleeping Bag Records was forced to drop the group's name after being sued for name duplication and Mikey took a three-year break from the music business after the death of producer Paul "Paul C" McKasty.[9] While spending time in Miami, Florida, his manager was Mike Beasley.[9] He had a cousin who owned a studio in Manhattan, New York City, New York. This cousin looked for a label to give Mikey D a record deal but instead, Mikey D caught the attention of R&B singer Jeff Redd when he heard Mikey's freestyling raps.[9] Redd told him of a group called Main Source that needed a lead rapper. Mikey D contacted and freestyled raps to the group and they liked what they heard.[9]

In 1993, he become an official member of the critically acclaimed Toronto/Queens-based hip hop group Main Source after Large Professor left to pursue a solo career.[14] He appeared on Fuck What You Think on Wild Pitch Records in 1994. They released a single called "What You Need", which did well in Billboard's Hot Rap Singles, only peaking at #48.

He is featured on a song called "Pump Ya Fist Like This" on Large Professor's 2008's third album, Main Source.

In 2016, Mikey released his first ever solo album Day of D'Struction on Elements of Hip Hop[15]

In 2020, Mikey released a distribution company called Pass the Torch, where he is the founder and currently operates his own company.[16]

Mikey currently hosts his own show on YouTube called The Real Mikey D History (His-story),[17] a documentary series released in 2021.

Discography

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Mikey D in 2010.

Albums

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with Main Source

as Mikey D and the LA Posse

  • Better Late Than Never: In Memory of Paul C (2006, MicSic)

Solo albums

  • Day of D'Struction (2016, Elements of Hip-Hop)

Collaboration albums

  • Dramacide (with DJ Trouble Lee) (2019, 16F)

Extended plays

  • Calm Before the Storm (with Elements of Hip-Hop) (2013)[18]
  • From the Heart (with J-Soul) (2014)

Guest appearances

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  • 2005: "The Perfect Storm" (Cee-Rock "The Fury" album Bringin' Da' Yowzah!!!) SB 1
  • 2008: "Pump Ya Fist Like This" (Large Professor album Main Source)
  • 2013: "Sweet 16s" (Neek the Exotic album Hustle Don't Stop)
  • 2013: "The Amazing" (Red Venom album Red House)
  • 2013: "The Operation" (DJ Shark album Oxidized Silver)
  • 2015: "Mikey Destruction, Devastating Tito & DJ Slice" (Canibus & Bronze Nazareth album Time Flys, Life Dies...Phoenix Rise)
  • 2019: "The Spark" (Taiyamo Denku album The Book of Cyphaden - Chapter One)
  • 2021: "Nyghtlife" (The Good People album The Greater Good)

References

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  1. ^ "The Real Mikey D Making a Solid Case for Hip-Hop Stardom". 21 September 2021.
  2. ^ "Mikey D Biography". 40-K. January 7, 2010. Retrieved 2021-09-06.
  3. ^ DoomerH, Doomdawiz (25 Nov 2017). "This guy right here helped me break in the industry...Happy Birthday my brother @TheReal_MikeyD".
  4. ^ Kellman, Andy. "Main Source - All music.com". AllMusic. Retrieved September 16, 2021.
  5. ^ Deering, Michael. "Sending A Happy Birthday Shoutout To My Pops Big Vic Fisher!! Love You Man!! R.I.P. 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽". Instagram. Archived from the original on 2021-12-25. Retrieved September 25, 2021.
  6. ^ a b c "MIKEY D". Mikey D. Retrieved 2021-09-06.
  7. ^ "THE REAL MIKEY D SHARES INCREDIBLE JOURNEY IN UPCOMING DOCUMENTARY SERIES". Sha Be Allah. September 5, 2021. Retrieved 2021-09-06.
  8. ^ "MIKEY D'STRUCTION". Promote Hip-Hop. Retrieved 2021-09-26.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h "Mikey D Speaks On DJ Vlad's Lack Of Hip-Hop Knowledge And Replacing Large Professor In Main Source". Youtube. February 2021. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
  10. ^ "MIKEY D: THE BEST RAPPER YOU NEVER HEARD OF". Ozy. 5 February 2016. Retrieved 2021-09-06. [dead link‍]
  11. ^ Sorcinelli, Gino (2017-09-20). "Paul C. McKasty: the Legend, the Tragedy, the Story of an Era". Medium. Retrieved 2017-09-25.
  12. ^ "Mikey D". Bomb Hip Hop. 2012. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  13. ^ "Micography".
  14. ^ "Outlaw Radio Live's Interview With The Real Mikey D". Youtube. 2020. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  15. ^ "Album Review – Mikey D". 30 October 2016.
  16. ^ "About". 25 May 2020.
  17. ^ The Real Mikey D History (His-story).
  18. ^ "Calm Before the Storm – Old to the New – Ryan Proctor's Beats, Rhymes & Hip-Hop Nostalgia".
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