Video: Sir Michael Rocks – “In My Mode”

Filmed in Japan, the Chicago Rapper Brings Anime to Life in Latest Video From Populair EP, Premiered via Kill Screen

11.16.2015

Critical Praise for Sir Michael Rocks:

“Sir Michael Rocks is a pretty damn adventurous dude.” – Noisey

“Needless to say, dude’s a visionary.” – XXL

“Sir Michael Rocks is ready to take over.” – Complex

“Rocks is a solo artist looking to make good on a promise of stardom.” – The FADER

“He’s Mikey, he, he, he rocks. Yes he does.” – Pigeons and Planes

The Video:

Hip-hop and anime. Two words that are almost as different as the distance from their places of origin, and yet they’re united harmoniously in the music video for “In My Mode” by Sir Michael Rocks. Similar to Chicago legend Kanye West’s trek to Tokyo for art collaboration, Sir Mike immersed himself in Japanese culture during a month-long trip to Tokyo, using the city’s fascinating locations to film his visuals, shot and directed by PAS. “The Chicago emcee Sir Michael Rocks has always been a nerd,” noted gaming site Kill Screen in their premiere of the “In My Mode” video, adding that “it’s essentially a three-minute homage to modern shonen anime.”

The video is broken down into two scenes – a back alley brawl filmed in Kyodo, Japan and a closing scene capturing wide-angle natural forest and field shots in Setagaya. “In the opening scenes when those two doors open with yin yang signs and then the cave with the greet water, that’s a reference to Fullmetal Alchemist,” Sir Michael Rocks explains. The dark, time-lapse shots also take influence from One Punch Man and Kill la Kill. “Those shows are set in the city and utilize side streets, alley ways, and bars,” he adds. “When we were shooting those alley scenes it was that same aesthetic.” The fights, cuts to the eyes, and emojis are in reference to storylines and emotions shown in Dragon Ball Z, while the open field setting and red eye contacts, which represent evil, in the closing scene take influence from Akame Ga Kill. One could almost say he activates his Sharingan, a reference from the popular Shonen anime Naruto.

Sir Michael Rocks’ Populair is a project that trades the common soul or jazz breaks for video game loops. You’ll quickly recognize a popular Street Fighter soundbite that’s repeated throughout “Perfect” as Sir Michael Rocks is found matched against himself in the pixelated visual that debuted via The A.V. Club. Continuing this theme, an obscure Resident Evil clip lurks beneath Chicago footwork-inspired production on “Come Outside.” “The menacing music goes well with the video, which features sparklers being lit up in a dark area while Michael gets his juke on,” said Mass Appeal.

Watch “In My Mode”: https://youtu.be/uUHSieHgxzs

Check out the Kill Screen premiere: http://killscreendaily.com/articles/mikey-rocks/

Listen to Populair on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/5rSjo8xzw2Xz7uE1BnxsY4

Listen to Populair on SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/sirmichaelrocks/sets/populair/

Purchase Populair: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/populair/id1031192501?ls=1

Please contact Michelle or Rory if interested in talking with Sir Michael Rocks.

Sir Michael Rocks Background:

Sir Michael Rocks has always been a little ahead of his time, a little more original than his peers, a little bit more creative. As a teenager, he started making music under the name Mikey Rocks as one half of groundbreaking duo The Cool Kids. Formed over the Internet and powered by a strong grassroots fanbase online, the group helped redefine the image of rap for the Internet era with an effortlessly cool throwback style and an iconic, laid-back fashion sense. Rechristening himself as Sir Michael Rocks in 2011, the restlessly creative artist, now based in Miami after time spent in Chicago and LA, has been pushing the boundaries of rap originality even further in recent years with a string of popular, critically acclaimed mixtapes. He released debut solo album, Banco, in 2014 and released his Populair EP on September 11th, 2015.