Born in Portland, Oregon and raised in Belfast, Bee Mick See has been slinking around the Northern Irish scene in one form or another for a long time. His signature brand of electro-and-punk-infused hip-hop has gained a cult following amongst multiple audiences and demographics, to the extent that a typical Bee Mick See gig could contain everyone from break-dancers to skinheads.
Always the work-horse, the past couple of years have seen him front the awesome “hallion-battalion” known as Bomb City 7, hopping on stage with local Ska legends Pocket Billiards and self-releasing his second full-length Tales Of Self-Preservation Gone Wrong to much critical acclaim. 2013 looks set to be another busy year, with January seeing the release of new EP Birds Over Nupes, which showcases a less aggressive and (at least partially) more contemplative direction for the self-proclaimed Punk-Hop Pioneer.
Co-produced by the man himself and Rocky O’Reilly (the technical wizard behind the first three ASIWYFA releases), the EP flows seamlessly through a melee of different styles. Punk Rock is fused with Filthy electro, thrown into the pot with some chant-along choruses and finished off with a splash of dub-influenced rhythms. The beats are tight, bright and inventive, perfectly matching Bee Mick See’s irreverent and tongue-in-cheek poetic stylings.
Delivered in a heavy Belfast droll, the lyrical content is purely local yet globally relatable. Themes of love (My Favourite), single life (Single), social insecurity (Hey Girl and I’m Weak) and, contrastingly, just letting go and enjoying what’s around you (Who Likes Laughing?) are explored intimately. Bee Mick See has a way of connecting with his audience not just through clever wordsmithery (yes, that is a made-up word) but also through his unwavering truthfulness and dry, self-deprecating wit that’s firmly grounded in, and plucked from, every-day life.
While clearly embellished, Birds Over Nupes gives the over-all impression of being firmly rooted in real-life experiences, a rare glimpse into a life and at the man, unobstructed by gimmicks or false pretences. Whether this is the intention or not remains to be seen, but the very fact it evokes such thoughts is a testament to the conviction of his delivery and the quality of his lyrics.
In an era where most mainstream rappers alienate the masses with dreams of money, “bling bling” (is that still a thing?) and “hoes”, our narrator here is firmly a man of the people. Using a charismatic, downtrodden charm that swaggers it’s way into hearts and into heads (probably with a bottle of Buckfast in tow); Bee Mick See has conquered Belfast. Now it’s time he conquered the world.
Birds Over Nupes is available now through Bandcamp. It will be officially launched on January 26th in Auntie Annie’s, Belfast where you can check out Bee Mick See’s legendary energetic live show in the flesh.
Words by Eóin Boylan.
