An Urbanian Exclusive: Mike Posner & The Brain Trust

Attending Duke University, yes that Duke, while making music, creates one hectic lifestyle. Time in your bed is rare, but you must keep going to excel both in your classes and in the studio. It’s all the norm for Mike Posner.

The Urbanian got to talk with Mike Posner, the brain behind the Brain Trust. If you remember correctly, Posner was featured in our 5 Hip-Hop Artists to Look for in 2009.

Posner is from Southfield, Mich., and people that view videos online via YouTube of him will notice the homage Posner to gives to the area, by wearing fashionable crew necks that rep Belle Isle and Bingham Farms Elementary School.

In high school, Posner first started getting involved with hip-hop music as an intern at a Detroit rap radio station, 102.7. There he was able to make friendships with Big Sean and Pat Piff. The three of them would go on the air together. One day after work, the three hung out at Posner’s house.

“They all knew I had beats so one day they all just came to my house and I played them some tracks,” said Posner. “I ended up giving Sean a beat on a song with a Paul McCartney sample on it from ‘Band on the Run’.”

The beat Posner gave to Big Sean eventually got heard by Kanye West after Big Sean started getting involved with West and G.O.O.D Music.

After graduating high school, Posner got accepted into Duke, which isn’t easy by any stretch of imagination. There, he continued to lay down beats for other people until realizing he wanted more involvement in his work.

“Spring of 2008 I got tired of only producing songs for other people. I hated having all my ideas go through other people so I started writing my own songs.”

From there, he started to work with fellow Blue Devil, Eric Holljes, who Posner describes as a ridiculously talented musician. This is how the Brain Trust was born.

The more the Brain Trust developed, the busier Posner became. I asked him what it was like trying to balance school and making music.

“Time consuming. I don’t spend as much time in my bed as I would like to. My classmates help me out a lot though. All my friends made fun of me because I spent my 21^st birthday in the studio. I have enough fun on show nights though (laughs).”

I asked Posner who his influences and inspirations are while working on the music for the Brain Trust. He ended up citing a couple friends.

“The people around me that are making things happen for themselves. Big Sean, WrighTrax, etc. When they get something popping in their career, I’m motivated to go catch up.”

Jan. 22, 2009 became an important day for Posner. West posted a song Posner made with Big Sean, “Who Knows” on his widely popular blog. I asked Posner what went through his head when he learned West made the post.

“Finally. It also gave me something to work toward. One day, I want to be the guy making someone’s day just because I typed his name.”

It would later be revealed that the Brain Trust was set to release a mixtape, “A Matter of Time” on Mar. 1. The idea for the mixtape came from Wale’s manager, Dan Weisman. Impressively, Don Cannon and DJ Benzi got involved to host the mixtape. For those that don’t know, Cannon has worked with artists such as Asher Roth, Young Jeezy, 50 Cent, Ludacris, and Busta Rhymes. DJ Benzi has worked with a wide range of artists, and is most notably known for his work on West’s mixtape, “Sky High.”

Roth’s manager, Scott Braun, introduced Posner to Cannon. At the beginning of winter break, Posner went down to Atlanta to visit Cannon’s studio.

“There were a bunch of random people there, like Little Scrappy. Anyways, I played Cannon ‘Cooler than Me’, ‘Still Not Over You’, and some other unreleased records. He loved them.”

Posner was also able to meet DJ Benzi through Big Sean. He would then figure out what he needed from the both of them and made it work.

Posner helped spread the word of the release of “A Matter of Time,” by calling upon friends, and using sites like Facebook and Myspace. Friends to Posner made promotion videos for the mixtape and posted them on their Facebook pages.

If you haven’t downloaded the mixtape yet, The Urbanian highly recommends you do so. The mixtape also features guest spots from Holljes, Big Sean, Donnis and Jackie Chain. I asked Posner if he could work with any artist, who it’d be.

“Sage Francis, the guy is flat out one of the best poets of our generation. Paul Simon, one of my greatest inspirations though I would probably be too star struck to work in the studio with him. Young Jeezy, because no one believes he’s one of my favorite rappers. Oh and Andre 3000, no explanation necessary.”

By going to Duke, we know that Posner is a very bright person, and it is also evident that he has all the energy and passion to make it big in the music industry. It’s just a matter of time.

For more information on Posner & The Brain Trust, visit the Myspace page. To download the mixtape, go here.

Related Posts

1. Mike Posner ‘One Foot Out The Door’ Review
2. Big Sean, Mike Posner in the Studio
3. Mike Posner – “Reflections of a Lost Teen”
4. Mike Posner ‘One Foot Out The Door’ trailer
5. Big Sean & Mike Posner at Clutch Cargos Review

This entry was posted on Friday, March 6th, 2009 at 2:08 am and is filed under Features, Music. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.