Mr. Midas has finally put his stamp of approval on his debut, Son of the Crack Era, which details the ills and spills of the crack epidemic on society from a hip-hop perspective. Not only is Midas using his laid-back, honeyed voice to create a line of storytelling that will echo with the hip-hop masses, but he's effectively stripped the glitz and glamour from this typical tale by depicting a side of the game few have seen. Growing up with drug-addicted parents, the Long Beach, California, native-turned-Coloradan is turning his past into fuel for the fire.
Westword: Now that the entire Son of the Crack Era is complete, in what ways has your vision truly come to pass?
Mr. Midas: You know, I would like to think that it has truly come to pass, but I won't know that until the people listen and have responded. I definitely covered all the topics I wanted to touch on. I just don't know if the entire spectrum is represented without the movie, so stay tuned.
What do you expect the masses to garner from this complete package?
I just wanted to bring a light to my era. I wanted to give the people I grew up with and grew up around a chance to have our story told. I say time and time again that I'm neither condoning nor condemning crack. It killed us, but it fed us at the same time; that can never be understated.
The first single, "Run My Town," seems like it makes a statement about power quite well. What are your thoughts on the power structure in the drug game?
Good question. I think the ultimate dealer is our government. I feel like if there's ever a dollar to be made in anything, the government wants a piece. Drugs have become a major export and are absolutely vital to the survival of Third World countries, and, at the end of the day, produce major currency. Crack funded whole political campaigns in the '80s. Its power and its backers are some of the most influential people in the world.
You've shown your growth and evolution as an artist with the release of this album. Who is Mr. Midas?
Mr. Midas is the Son of the Crack Era. I am the product of two drug-addicted parents, and my life following has been a roller coaster ever since. I am a father. I am an urban nerd. I am a thinker and improver. I uplift my people and I fight for what I believe. I am originally from Long Beach, California, and I am allowed to represent Denver, Colorado, because of my merit and authenticity. I am a winner, period.
