Planet Earth was my place of birth/ born to be the sole controller of the universe

– Rakim

My name is Mike Nicholls (yup, that’s me).

I was born in Brooklyn NY 1975, just two years after Hip-hop culture emerged in the Bronx, August 11, 1973 where DJ Kool Herc brought all the elements together in a back-to-school night party for his sister. I’m an Oakland-based creative director, brand designer, visual artist and publisher. I’m also the founder of Umber, a media platform amplifying perspectives that matter, through print, digital and curated in-person events. Hip-hop has been the through line in all the work I do and the life I have lived as a creative and storyteller.

In the early 80s, when hip-hop first came into my awareness, it encompassed rap, breakdancing, graffiti, and DJing. However, for me rap emerged as the most accessible and digestible medium, particularly growing up in Charlotte, NC, where I dabbled in them all. After seeing the films Breakin’ and Krush Groove, I was incorporating all the elements of hip-hop into my creative livelihood. I had breakdancing on lock, graffiti fueled my love for art making and I even started scratching (and ruining) my mom’s records. Through my teenage years, rap took center stage, while my passion for other elements of hip-hop culture persisted in various forms, from drawing graffiti to creating beats later in college. As I delved deeper into rap, it became a vessel for absorbing the rich tapestry of hip-hop culture, spirituality, Afrocentricity, and political awareness. Rap, in particular, played a pivotal role in my thirst for knowledge and self-discovery.

As we celebrate 50 years of hip-hop, rap remains a driving force, simultaneously serving as pop music, protest anthems, and the voice of the youth. In reflecting on what hip-hop means to me, it's within rap music that I find my deepest connection and nerdy enthusiasm. Consequently, I've compiled a list of my top 50 emcees and rap songs, as well as my most influential hip-hop moments, recognizing that this culture has not only shaped my musical tastes but has profoundly impacted the choices I've made throughout my life.

This is A Life in Hip-Hop with Mike Nicholls.