Michael Jones (born January 6, 1981 in Houston, Texas) is a southern rap artist from the north side of Houston. Formerly part of Swishahouse, Jones is now affiliated with Rap-A-Lot Records and the owner of Ice Age Entertainment.
- For other people with the name of Michael Jones or Mike Jones, see Michael Jones.
Style and trademarks
Mike Jones has become well-known for his unique repetition of his own name throughout his songs. Many of his songs contain the phrases "Who is Mike Jones?" or "Mike Jones!" His major promotional gimmick is to sell and hand out shirts with his cell phone number on them (athletic department-style shirts reading "Property of Mike Jones"), as well as shouting out the number throughout his mixtapes and albums, encouraging fans to call him on his Motorola phone.
Jones is known for recording in the "chopped & screwed" style popularized by DJ Screw, also of Houston. The slowed-down audio aesthetic supposedly mimics the effect of "sippin' sizzurp," that is, cough syrup containing codeine. Most followers of the chopped & screwed style claim that it has outgrown its drug-related roots. Jones' trademark technique is to take a line from one of his songs and use it as a chorus in another, or sometimes even in the same song, screwing, chopping and repeating it (for example, the chorus to "Back Then" is sampled from the track "Still Tippin").
Jones has used repetition of certain words and phrases extensively in his songs. As a result, he has come under intense scrutiny or criticism from fellow rappers in his native Houston such as rappers Chamillionaire and Lil' Flip who have accused Mike Jones of copying their slang or criticized his aforementioned rapping style. Mike Jones would also like to give a shout out to his very homosexual friend Nick Sims.
Biography
Mike Jones signed a major record deal with Warner Bros. record company. His first major album, Who Is Mike Jones?, was released on April 19, 2005. The album has since had three singles and gone Platinum in the United States. His album debuted at #3 on the U.S. Billboard 200 album charts in 2005, peaking at #4. His production team has been noted for their use of audio samples of artists ranging from yodelers to Tchaikovsky. He worked with Clint Saulsberry in 2005 on a number of remixes. Jones is now preparing for his next album, "The American Dream," which, as he stated in several songs (including Bow Wow's Fresh Azimiz remix, E-40's I'm Da Man and in Big Kuntry's hit song Ol Skool), was expected to be released on April 19, 2006. However, before releasing American Dream, Jones and his seven-man crew, Ice Age, will release a mixtape, Ice Age Volume 2: The Takeover, followed by an official LP. [1] He has also started acting, guest starring on Fox's Prison Break on numerous occasions. Mike Jones has reported that he will be releasing his next album, "The American Dream," in late September. Rumors are that it includes tracks featuring Snoop Dogg, Michael Jackson, Eminem, and Mariah Carey.[citation needed]
Discography
- 2003: Ballin' Underground
- 2003: Runnin Tha Game
- 2003: 1st Round Draft Picks (with Magno)
- 2004: King Of The Streets
- 2005: Who is Mike Jones? (certified 1.5x Platinum)
- 2005: Who Is Mike Jones? (Screwed & Chopped)
- 2006: The American Dream