Hip Hop/Electro/Pop artist Mike Posner appears to have had the kind of “overnight” Pop career success that only seems possible in today’s Internet-dependent age, going from (in the short version) Duke University frat boy to internationally buzzed about superstar-in-waiting in the span of about three years. But Posner got an early start — at 13, he was making beats and hooking up with like-minded musicians online. In 2007, while interning at a radio station, the now-23-year-old met and began working with MC Big Sean. A couple of years later, Posner had his own deal with J Records and released a pair of mix-tapes — A Matter of Time and One Foot Out the Door. Those titles alone are suggestive of Posner’s eagerness to dive full time into music. But he decided to complete his degree at Duke, doing music biz stuff on the side and touring on the weekends before earning his sheepskin in sociology last year.
His school responsibilities behind him, Posner finally was able to dedicate himself fully to his music career. His debut album, 31 Minutes to Takeover, came out last summer, spawning a big Pop hit, “Cooler Than Me.” Posner’s more recent single, ”
Bow Chicka Wow Wow,” has also done well, no doubt helped by a guest verse by superstar Lil Wayne (one of many artists with whom Posner’s collaborated).
Thanks to the dissolution of J Records (as well as Jive and Arista), Posner’s next album will be out on RCA Records. Titled Sky High, the potential smash is due early next year.
MIKE POSNER plays the Cintas Center Saturday, Oct. 30. Buy tickets, check out performance times and get venue details here.
This article appears in Oct 19-25, 2011.
