We all appreciate Rawkus Records for the illest underground hip-hop that you ever heard. With the label already known for bringing out the best in notable artists like Talib Kweli, Company Flow, Big L and Pharoahe Monch. 

The revered label also put out the dynamic duo The High and Mighty. The group, comprised of Mr. Eon and DJ Might Mi , are well known for their critically acclaimed album Home Field Advantage and helped diversify Rawkus' brand.

We recently caught up DJ Might Mi and spoke about  Rawkus' history, underground hip-hop and his daily grind.

Sixshot.com:  You had a deal with Rawkus Records, can you speak on the past situation?

DJ Might Mi: Yea sure, my man Mr. Eon and me were The High and Mighty back in Philly we always were fans of hip-hop. Growing up in the 80’s as fans in Philly, we got some good nurturing. We started doing it as a hobby and just keep on doing it. In the mid 90’s when the independent hip-hop thing took off, we were in New York getting plays on Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito’s show.

The guys at Rawkus started doing the same thing with their artisst and our records were playing the same time their records were playing. They snatched up our label with a label deal, our label was called Eastern Conference Records and I think we were the only ones to ever get a label deal on Rawkus. We were proud to be a part of that Rawkus movement that will go down in history.

Sixshot.com: Talib Kweli, Pharoahe Monch, did their thing on Rawkus too, how you feel about the labels impact?

DJ Might Mi: I think it was a pretty good movement and as the years go on it will go down as a pretty historical time.  Being a label that was in New York I think they got into the pressure of playing stuff that was on Hot ’97 and eventually it went into a different direction. I think those core years like ’97-00 you had Big L’s album, Mos Def’s album, Kweli, our album, Pharoahe Monch, Company Flow, it was a real significant time in underground hip-hop.

Sixshot.com: Do you think underground hip-hop is overshadowded?

DJ Might Mi: I don’t know, I’m 35 years old and I feel like everything has been done in hip-hop. It’s hard to hear a new record come out and just be blown away by it. It’s probably because you heard every topic. Once in a while a song will come on and it will knock me off my feet, but it feels like almost everything’s been done in hip-hop. What I do like about underground hip-hop is that it was cats expressing the art form in it’s purest. They didn’t care about airplay, selling out, and sounding like something they weren’t.  Back in the mid 90’s it was like you made records straight from the heart and that’s what I used to love about underground hip-hop.

Sixshot.com: So who are some of your favorite artist on the underground right now?

DJ Mighty Mi: Right now I like that cat Black Milk, he’s tough. Evidence from Dilated People’s is doing his thing, The Cool Kids, Kidz N’ Da Hall.

Sixshot.com: You mentioned Evidence, his album “The Weatherman” was crazy.

DJ Might Mi: Yep, he’s definitely still doing it in the pure form ya know.

Sixshot.com: Have you heard that cat Elzhi from Slum Village new album?

DJ Might Mi: Nah, I haven’t heard it.

Sixshot.com: Aw man, it’s crazy, it’s called “The Preface”.

DJ Might Mi: Oh ok, I gotta check it.

Sixshot.com: Well you know I got to drop a word from one hip-hop fan to another.

DJ Might Mi: [Laughs], exactly.

Sixshot.com: I ask this question in every interview for Sixshot Spinners. What influenced DJ Might Mi to be a DJ?

DJ Mighty Mi: Growing up in Philly in the 80’s you know, it was like the capital of DJ’s.  Listening to Lady B, Jazzy Jeff, Cash Money, Kid Swift, and hearing mixtapes, the radio. It was hard to not be a DJ and not be inspired by those Philly cats. I started out as a rapper early, I wasn’t a good rapper so I just became a DJ [laughs].

Sixshot.com: It’s kind of crazy a lot of people don’t realize the DJ influence from Philadelphia.

DJ Mighty Mi: Yep! That’s the great thing about Philly is all the DJ’s.

Sixshot.com: But why you call yourself Mighty Mi?

DJ Might Mi: Well you know back in the 80’s you would try to come up with a name that was similar to your real name and my real name is Milo so Might Mi kind of made sense.

Sixshot.com:  When it comes to personal experience what you love most about DJing on a daily basis?

DJ Might Mi: I love rocking a party when you put on a record and that cheer goes out to the crowd. It feels great to this day and on the next day when no one remembers the part, it’s a in the moment thing. It’s still exciting and it gets ya adrenaline going.

Sixshot.com: You out in Vegas now so I know you rocking the clubs in Sin City?

DJ Might Mi: Yeah I have a residency out here at a club called Blush and The Wynn. The Wynn not is like a hotel casino so it’s real nice to have a gig in there. I’m just doing my thing.

Sixshot.com: I was always curious how DJ’s get paid for club nights. How do ya’ll go about how much you get for the night?

DJ Might Mi: Well unfortunately out in Vegas they really teach the DJ’s well.  That’s the reason I moved out here as I’m making three times out here as I’m making in New York. It’s just that the clubs are backed by the casinos so they can really afford to pay cats what they deserve. Most DJ’s are underpaid, but this is the one city where DJ’s are overpaid [laughs].

Sixshot.com:  So what’s a good night for DJ Might Mi?

DJ Might Mi: Four figures is always a great thing to make.  At the end of the day you just playing other people’s records [laughs].