Tag Archives: Block Starz Music

Mike Schpitz Interview with Block Starz

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And the interviews keep rolling in.  I caught up with my guys at Block Starz Music yesterday for a quick interview/update about what has been going on since we dropped Stanley Ipkiss.  Also read about how fatherhood has been going!  Check out a little bit of the interview below and the rest over at BlockStarzMusic.com and make sure you go pick up that Stanley Ipkiss: Year of the Nice Guy on iTunes or Amazon.

What projects have you worked on since dropping your Block Starz Music debut “Stanley Ipkiss: Year of the Nice Guy”?

I have been working a lot since “Stanley Ipkiss”. First and foremost, me and my guy, who also emcees, Pete Sayke just formed a group called Grumpy Old Men and we are getting ready to release our debut album, as a group, called “Sunday Skool” on November 8th. We worked with a lot of different producers and artists on the project. Production wise, we have Wes P, Maja 7th, Ill Brown, LONEgevity, SLOT-A, Ta-Ku and Rob Bates. For features we have, SLOT-A, Dre Dai, Scheme, Neak, Sin Castle and LONEgevity. We’re both super excited about this album! We teamed up with LiveMixtapes.com, YNotMyDream.net and BringingDownTheBand.com. A few weeks back Pete Sayke and I performed in Atlanta at the A3C Hip Hop Festival alongside a ton of other artists. We recently had “The Wake” featured on LiveMixtapes and DJ Scream’s “The Battle” mixtape in support of “Battlefield 3″.

Other than that, I’m still doing solo stuff. Finishing up “Paid Time Off” with Phys Edison and of course “Have You Seen My Stapler” with SLOT-A. “Paid Time Off” we just have to finishing mixing stuff. “Stapler” we have one or two more joints were going to do then just getting the whole album mixed. Other than that, I’m always recording. Me and Pete have probably 20 other songs recorded that are either mixtape records or just didn’t make the album. A lot of different stuff of course.

Read more at BlockStarzMusic.com

Stanley Ipkiss on iTunes

Mike Schpitz Interview with YoRaps.com

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As Stanley Ipkiss continues to find new ears and new listeners, I took some time out to discuss my career, my future and my background with YoRaps.com.  YoRaps have been very supportive since the release of my last few projects so, it was only right to delve deeper with them with the interview.  Check out a portion of it below and the full interview at YoRaps.com

Mike Schpitz Likes Being A White Rapper

You recently collaborated with Brooklyn rapper Papi Jamon on the track Run It Back and you absolutely killed it. Who else would you like to work with?

Yeah, that song turned out really well. Ill Brown sent me the beat for it, and as soon as I heard it, I wrote my verse. I met up with Papi to run over the hook and the third verse and it came out crazy. To tell you the truth, all the cats that I am currently working with, are the ones I want to work with. As far as producers, I really want to work with Nottz, DJ Khalil, The Neptunes and Timbaland. If could get in the studio with those cats, it would be trouble.

You most recently dropped your critically acclaimed EP Stanley Ipkiss: Year Of The Nice Guy via Block Starz Music. Talk about the project and of course the title.

The project has actually been in the works for almost two years. It originally started off with one or two songs that I did with the producer Rob Bates. We did a couple songs and from the way they turned out we said, “Hey let’s do an EP.” The title came from the title track, Year Of The Nice Guy, which was the second track that Rob and I did. I wanted to have the project centered around that song, but I didn’t want to make the title too obvious so, I remembered Jim Carrey’s character from The Mask and how he wrote a letter to the newspaper titled “Nice Guys Finish Last.” That was a lightbulb moment for me. Block Starz wanted to put out something together and I figured that this would be the perfect project. After hearing Year Of The Nice Guy and a few other tracks, they were onboard.

With whom did you work on the EP as far as features and production?

The main producer is Rob Bates, who did Year Of The Nice Guy, We On Fire,Right Of Way, Three Headed Monster and Tryouts. He was the backbone of the project and originally supposed to be the sole producer. QB and Nascent didRaw Shit and Your Highness. Trumaine did Gimme That. They’re all really dope producers!

What is your favorite track on Stanley Ipkiss and why?

Shit, I think I have heard every song so many times, that I don’t even like them any more.  But really, I like Your Highness a lot because it’s really the only personal song on the project. The beat makes me feel like a sleepy king, sitting on his throne after a hard day at the “office,” just taking inventory and surveying his kingdom. I really do like every song on the project though. They all put me in a different zone.

Mike Schpitz Likes Being A White Rapper

If you haven’t already purchased Stanley Ipkiss: Year of the Nice Guy, do it now on iTunes and Amazon.  Shout out to YoRaps for the interview. Stay tuned for more updates.

Papi Jamon and Mike Schpitz “Run It Back” produced by Ill Brown

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I posted a video a couple weeks ago with footage from a live performance of Papi Jamon and myself, rocking a new joint called Run It Back.  If you weren’t in the crowd, we shut that shit down.  Today is a very special day because the official music video for Run It Back is being released.  We shot this video last month and the shoot was a blast.  I think you will be able to tell from the video.  Brandon Riley directed and shot the video and it turned out crazy.  If you’re not familiar with Brandon’s other work, he has done videos for Freddie Gibbs and Mikkey Halsted, LEP Bogus Boyz, Lungz and others.  So, without any further jabber, here is the official music video for me and Papi Jamon’s joint, Run It Back, which was produced by Ill Brown.  Run It Back is featured on Ill Brown and W.B.C. Magazine’s mixtape, Hotter Than July.  Run It Back will also be featured on Papi Jamon’s mixtape, The Samoa Joe Mixtape and his LP, No Compromises.  In case you forgot, my new project, Stanley Ipkiss: Year of the Nice Guy is available for purchase on iTunes and Amazon via Block Starz Music. 

Download Ill Brown and W.B.C. Magazine’s mixtape, Hotter Than July

Download Stanley Ipkiss: Year of the Nice Guy on iTunes

Mike Schpitz and Block Starz Music Present Stanley Ipkiss: Year of the Nice Guy

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Today is the official release of my fourth project, Stanley Ipkiss: Year of the Nice Guy.  This time around, I have teamed up with Block Starz Music, who is promoting and releasing the project.  We figured since we have been giving so much music away for free lately, we would make this one only available on iTunes and other major online retailers.  The project features 11 tracks, 8 of which are songs and 3 are skits.  Stanley Ipkiss features production from Rob Bates, QB Da Problem and Nascent and I’m Trumaine.  The artwork was done by David Hildreth(www.davidhildreth.net), who was also responsible for Love Potion Number 9th.  I appreciate the support for each and every project, song, video, etc that I have dropped and I am really looking forward to hearing what everyone thinks about Stanley Ipkiss.  I figure if we moved 5,000 copies in the first week, we can hit the charts so, spread the word.  Below is the link to download on iTunes and the artwork for the track list.  Thanks again for all the support.  Hopefully everyone enjoys this project as much as the others that I have dropped.

Stanley Ipkiss: Year of the Nice Guy on iTunes

Stanley Ipkiss: Year of the Nice Guy on iTunes

Building Stanley Ipkiss Featuring Rob Bates, Nascent and I’m Trumaine

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Before I officially post the release of my new project, Stanley Ipkiss: Year of the Nice Guy, I wanted to share the second promo video for the project.  This one is called Building Stanley Ipkiss and features some exclusive interviews with the producers from the project, Rob Bates, Nascent and I’m Trumaine, as well as some words from myself.  Check it out below.

Mike Schpitz “Welcome To Tryouts” Promo Video

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In case you haven’t noticed the banner change on the site as of recently, I am getting ready to release my second, all original project titled Stanley Ipkiss: Year of the Nice Guy.  The project will be released on iTunes, August 3rd via Block Starz Music.  The first leak, We On Fire dropped last week on DJBooth.net.  This week, we have a promo video called Welcome To Tryouts, which shows some studio footage and features a snippet of the bonus track, Tryouts.  The track is produced by Rob Bates, who also contributed four other tracks on Stanley Ipkiss.  Stay tuned for more leaks, video footage and release information about Stanley Ipkiss: Year of the Nice Guy.  Welcome To Tryouts was shot, edited and directed by Roger Morales for Ay Kid Shots. 

Mike Schpitz “We On Fire” produced by Rob Bates

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I have to apologize for me absence yesterday, I had a post all ready to go up and didn’t get the chance to post.  I do have some good news however, the first leak from upcoming EP, Stanley Ipkiss: Year of the Nice Guy dropped today.  The track is called We On Fire and was produced by Rob Bates.  It premiered on DJBooth.net last night and has been getting a lot of great feedback.  Today it will hit the rest of the net with the download link.  For those of you unfamiliar with my new project, Stanley Ipkiss: Year of the Nice Guy is an EP that will be distributed by Block Starz Music and will be available on iTunes on August 3rd.  Check the banner up top.  The EP will feature production from Rob Bates(Red Bull Big Tune Finalist), QB and Nascent(50 Cent’s Strong Enough and RedRum) and Chicago newcomer, I’m Trumaine.  Also check out BlockStarzMusic.com for more information on the project.  In the meantime, listen, download, comment and share my new joint, We On Fire produced by Rob Bates.

Mike Schpitz “We On Fire” produced by Rob Bates

DJBooth.net Premiere

Mike Schpitz Interview With Splash Topeka

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In preparation for my new project, Stanley Ipkiss, coming in the next month or so, myself and the guy’s at Block Starz Music have been hitting the ground running and getting in touch with a lot of different people for various interviews, features, etc.  The first of such, is an interview with some of my hometown people, Splash Topeka.  I had an interview last week and the feature just got posted on the site.  Check out my EXCLUSIVE interview with Splash Topeka and learn a little more about me.  Here is a small exerpt as well as the full interview.

The Evolution of Mike Schpitz

Next up from you will be the release of your debut EP on Block Starz Music, slated for release on July 21. How did that come together?

We kept talking a about this project – this little EP I was working on that I really didn’t have any plans for. They were interested in releasing it, so after talking and planning that album, we finally got together a contract so that they could distribute it, promote it, advertise it and put it out there this summer. The EP is called “Stanley Ipkiss: Year of the Nice Guy.

Wait a minute – that names rings a bell. Wasn’t that Jim Carrey’s timid character in the film The Mask – the guy who put on the crazy green tribal mask to act out his wildest fantasies?

That’s exactly it. When I recorded the first song, the EP didn’t have a title. I was working with a producer who sent me a beat and I wrote this song “The Year of the Nice Guy.” We started recording a few more songs, and I couldn’t even tell you how I came up with the title. I just remember Stanley Ipkiss writing the letter to Peggy in the movie called “Nice Guys Finish Last.” And I was like, ‘You know what? That’s a great title for an EP – especially this EP.’ So the title track is “Year of the Nice Guy.” It just kind of came together. We didn’t go into the project with the concept.

How has your musical style evolved over the years, especially after you made the move?

Basically, I kind of started off with sample-heavy, underground backpack, I guess you could call it. I was influenced by several artists who were more mainstream and had kind of a not as serious of an approach or not as personal of an approach to the music. So I kind of tried to combine that stuff together and focused on lyrics and good beats. I want to make it fun, but at the same time, some of the songs have a message. I try to balance it between underground and mainstream.

The Evolution of Mike Schpitz

Stay tuned for more info about my new project, Stanley Ipkiss: Year of the Nice Guy.

Mike Schpitz Signs With Block Starz Music For EP, Stanley Ipkiss

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It’s been a busy year so far for me and it is only picking up steam.  After talking with the people at Block Starz Music for several months, I have OFFICIALLY signed with them to release my EP, Stanley Ipkiss: Year of the Nice Guy.  We talked for a while about what project to drop together, what the music should sound like and what was the best way for me to “come out” on the label.   We both came to agreement that Stanley Ipkiss was the perfect project.  Block Starz is getting ready to release their Midwest Block Starz mixtape, which I have a joint featured.  After Midwest Block Starz is done being released and promoted, Block Starz will start promoting Stanley Ipkiss for a July 7th release.  This project will be the first one that I officialy have a team behind.  I’ve been fortunate to have some great sponsors for Love Potion and Mike Murder b ut this project is officially a joint effort.  Check out the article below on Block Starz Music and stay tuned for further info. 

Mike Schpitz Signs With Block Starz