Mick Jenkins

Born in Huntsville, Alabama in 1991 and raised on the South Side of Chicago, MC/poet Mick Jenkins (whose real
first name is Jayson) made an impact in the early 2010s’ Chicago hip-hop scene with his socially conscious,
intelligent lyrics and tough yet unforced delivery over acid jazz-influenced backing tracks. Affiliated with hip-hop
crew Free Nation, Jenkins began releasing online mixtapes in 2012, starting with The Mickstape in January and
followed by The Pursuit of HappyNess: The Story of Mickalascage in August. Trees & Truths, an ambitious 17-track
mixtape filled with biblical imagery and demonstrating Jenkins’ remarkable growth as a lyricist, appeared in April of
2013 and significantly raised his profile within the Chicago rap community, and later in the year Jenkins
collaborated with Chance the Rapper and Vic Mensa on a single called “Cross Roads”.