<p>Bengaluru-based rapper Micah who releases his new six-track album, "Flash Warning" today on all streaming platforms, first listened to hip-hop and R&B in the early 2000s. </p>.<p>"My sister, who is ten years older than me, would download the top 40 hits on LimeWire (a discontinued peer-to-peer file-sharing network). We'd listen to stuff like 'Candy Shop' (50 Cent) and 'Look at Me Now' (Busta Rhymes, Lil Wayne)," he said.</p>.<p>The 24-year-old now counts Frank Ocean, Daniel Caesar and Joey Bada$$ and the jazz leanings of producer Statik Selektah among his influences. These references are palpable in his new EP. </p>.<p>"I wanted to create a feeling that something dramatic is about to happen. This project is a statement of purpose for me because it feels like my most authentic work," said Micah. For the first time, he has also produced the whole album. </p>.<p>The first single, "Swishes," features an addictive beat, but Micah has a couple of other favourites. </p>.<p>"In 'Tommy Vercetti,' I sang the entire song; there is no rap. It's melodic, and the piano sample in the back is dark and brooding," he said. </p>.<p>He calls "doilooktryable?" a "reflective song" that he wrote to encourage himself despite the hurdles of the music industry. </p>.<p>"With this EP, the priority isn't numbers. I hope people who do listen like it because I chose to be quite vulnerable."</p>.<p>Micah committed to being a full-time artist at perhaps the worst time possible: March 2020. While he worked on releasing his music, he taught music online and mixed podcasts to support himself. </p>.<p>Paraphrasing the words of American jazz pianist Bill Evans, he believes that "it's easy to imitate, but takes years to figure out your sound". </p>.<p>"I don't know if it's an active process. I keep creating, making demos. It always starts with the instrumental track. I then write the verses and put them together," said Micah. "I have a long way to go. I want to get to a point where anyone can identify that it's my song from the first few bars."</p>.<p>The rapper is also particular about how his work is presented visually, from his Instagram feed to his album art. </p>.<p>"I have always been obsessed with aesthetics, colours, and typography. I don't want to do anything cookie-cutter. The artists I work with are used to doing multiple iterations till I'm satisfied," he laughs.</p>.<p>Micah has a strong network of fellow rappers in Bengaluru. From the sound engineers to the audience, it's a relatively close-knit community</p>.<p>"Hanumankind (Suraj Cherukut) has been a great friend for a long time. He came to my listening sessions at Studio C9 in HSR, even before I had a demo to my name. TINTIN has also been a good friend since college. The three of us used to hang out in the same studio and look at verses with my producer Aryaman Valdiya, who goes by the moniker Rae Stones," said Micah, who already has a few singles that he's ready to record, mix and master. </p>.<p>He is excited about an upcoming collaboration with Jay Kila, a rapper who divides time between Mumbai and New York. </p>.<p>"I won't say too much about it, but I love the track. I'm determined to keep the ball rolling this year. I want to pick music that I believe will make a difference," he said. </p>.<p>(<em>Susanna Myrtle Lazarus is a Chennai-based independent writer. She loves reading fiction, baking and her cats.</em>)</p>.<p><strong>Check out DH's latest videos</strong></p>
<p>Bengaluru-based rapper Micah who releases his new six-track album, "Flash Warning" today on all streaming platforms, first listened to hip-hop and R&B in the early 2000s. </p>.<p>"My sister, who is ten years older than me, would download the top 40 hits on LimeWire (a discontinued peer-to-peer file-sharing network). We'd listen to stuff like 'Candy Shop' (50 Cent) and 'Look at Me Now' (Busta Rhymes, Lil Wayne)," he said.</p>.<p>The 24-year-old now counts Frank Ocean, Daniel Caesar and Joey Bada$$ and the jazz leanings of producer Statik Selektah among his influences. These references are palpable in his new EP. </p>.<p>"I wanted to create a feeling that something dramatic is about to happen. This project is a statement of purpose for me because it feels like my most authentic work," said Micah. For the first time, he has also produced the whole album. </p>.<p>The first single, "Swishes," features an addictive beat, but Micah has a couple of other favourites. </p>.<p>"In 'Tommy Vercetti,' I sang the entire song; there is no rap. It's melodic, and the piano sample in the back is dark and brooding," he said. </p>.<p>He calls "doilooktryable?" a "reflective song" that he wrote to encourage himself despite the hurdles of the music industry. </p>.<p>"With this EP, the priority isn't numbers. I hope people who do listen like it because I chose to be quite vulnerable."</p>.<p>Micah committed to being a full-time artist at perhaps the worst time possible: March 2020. While he worked on releasing his music, he taught music online and mixed podcasts to support himself. </p>.<p>Paraphrasing the words of American jazz pianist Bill Evans, he believes that "it's easy to imitate, but takes years to figure out your sound". </p>.<p>"I don't know if it's an active process. I keep creating, making demos. It always starts with the instrumental track. I then write the verses and put them together," said Micah. "I have a long way to go. I want to get to a point where anyone can identify that it's my song from the first few bars."</p>.<p>The rapper is also particular about how his work is presented visually, from his Instagram feed to his album art. </p>.<p>"I have always been obsessed with aesthetics, colours, and typography. I don't want to do anything cookie-cutter. The artists I work with are used to doing multiple iterations till I'm satisfied," he laughs.</p>.<p>Micah has a strong network of fellow rappers in Bengaluru. From the sound engineers to the audience, it's a relatively close-knit community</p>.<p>"Hanumankind (Suraj Cherukut) has been a great friend for a long time. He came to my listening sessions at Studio C9 in HSR, even before I had a demo to my name. TINTIN has also been a good friend since college. The three of us used to hang out in the same studio and look at verses with my producer Aryaman Valdiya, who goes by the moniker Rae Stones," said Micah, who already has a few singles that he's ready to record, mix and master. </p>.<p>He is excited about an upcoming collaboration with Jay Kila, a rapper who divides time between Mumbai and New York. </p>.<p>"I won't say too much about it, but I love the track. I'm determined to keep the ball rolling this year. I want to pick music that I believe will make a difference," he said. </p>.<p>(<em>Susanna Myrtle Lazarus is a Chennai-based independent writer. She loves reading fiction, baking and her cats.</em>)</p>.<p><strong>Check out DH's latest videos</strong></p>