Mic Capes Is Breaking Through Life’s Chains To Help Others Get Free (Video)

Portland, Oregon’s Mic Capes has begun to garner notoriety in his homestate for his visceral lyricism, illustrative story-telling, and stirring content. Since releasing his debut album, Rise & Grind, in 2012, the rapper born Michael Caples has expanded his fan base far beyond his St. Johns neighborhood, even earning the distinction of releasing the best Portland Hip-Hop album, according to local publication Willamette Week. It was an accolade for his most recently released project, Concrete Dreams, a richly expressive postcard from the young Black experience in his hometown. With song titles like “One 4 O’Shea” (a reference to Ice Cube) and “K.K.K.,” the 19-track album is as personal as it is ambitious and it offers up equal doses of painful reflection and optimistic perspective.

More about Mic Capes

A standout track from the LP is “Chains,” the video which pairs imagery of his community with visual effects as dark and stormy as the song’s production. Heads will likely notice the Black Panther emblem on Mic’s sweatshirt, as well as the religious imagery sprinkled throughout. Together, the two elements combine to complement the lyrics, which explore themes of oppression, abandonment, and salvation. Prior to its release, Mic said that Concrete Dreams was dedicated to inner-city youth, “people that come from poverty, messy violence and a rougher life.” If that’s the case, “Chains” is most certainly the song for those looking to break free from the confines of that life.

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About Ready Or Not: “Ready Or Not” is Ambrosia For Heads’ platform for showcasing new videos and having you, the people, decide whether they are ready for primetime. Each week, AFH will showcase music from artists on the verge, looking for their seat at the table among Hip-Hop’s elite.