New York underground rapper MIKE has been building a name for himself among fans of heady, experimental rap, working alongside other backpack rap faves like Earl Sweatshirt and Freddie Gibbs, with whom he toured earlier this year. After dropping the low-key single “Makeda” earlier this year MIKE returns with a more upbeat single, “Stop Worry!,” which features a guest appearance from dancehall legend Sister Nancy, who is best known for her 1982 hit, “Bam Bam.”
The new single features a loopy, reggae-accented beat, over which MIKE reflects on his rising status in hip-hop (“There’s too much buzz around my name now to stay discreet”) and his resistance to the stylistic change such a shift could warrant (“Too much substance for the faint crowd, don’t know when to keep”). Sister Nancy contributes a verse in which she implores listeners to “wake up” and spits some traditional dancehall ad-libs. In the video, MIKE gets his hair twisted, plays videos, and generally relaxes, feeding into the laid-back vibe of the song and its message.
“Stop Worry!” is set to appear on MIKE’s next album, Beware Of The Monkey, which is due on December 21 and follows up 2021’s Disco!. You can watch the video above and pre-save the album here.