Mike Jay Breaks Down Working With YG & Too $hort, His Sneaker Game & More

Virgin Records’ Mike Jay is making his way out of the background as a songwriter and into the forefront as a singer, and with cuts like the YG and Too $hort-assisted “For A Week” and the recently-released “2 At A Time,” he just might be the next big thing. After a recent NYC night of strip clubs and dolla billsss, the triple threat sat down to discuss his definition of a “real stripper,” clothing endorsements and more with Joaquin Moncada. Check it out below.

Yesterday we hit Perfections and then Startlet’s, and it was a crazy night! A lot of strippers and a lot of bills being thrown! What’s your definition of a “real stripper?”
I mean a real stripper is definitely, one that is actually up there grinding and really working and passionate about what she do and you know, she has a purpose, she’s working for something. She could possibly have another job, a second job, or she could possibly have a school that she’s paying for. A school that she is saving up for, certain things like that. She might be pulling up in a Bentley, or something cool you know? its doesn’t have to be a Bentley but she’s working hard for something, she just ain’t in there wasting time or wasting life. That’s a real stripper to me.

Throughout the night, your record “For A Week” was rotating heavy. People loved it and It received an amazing response the entire night. Who or what was your inspiration behind that record?
“For a Week” really was just inspired off of a party man. We was in the studio and we had friends in there. We had a couple drinks going around, and we were just having fun. We were just in the studio creating organically, and we wanted to have a song that spoke about what we where doing at the moment. Not even thinking that is was going to be a record that was going to be in the radio, or played in the club or any of that good stuff. We just was trying to keep our party going, and that’s how the “For a Week” record came about. We got YG and Too $hort to get on it. Actually Too $hort came first. [Too $hort] came and did two verses for me, and got on the record, which was a blessing. Then YG came, super cool dude, and got right on the record, no problem.

If you could choose two words to describe your style of music what would they be?
SEX and LOVE!

Speaking of style, being a recording artist comes with a lot of perks. One of them being clothing endorsements. If you had the chance to collaborate with any fashion brand, street or high-end, what brand would it be?
I think I would collab with Adidas, because I like the Jeremy Scott’s a lot. Well really Jeremy Scott I guess, because he is super dope and I like the track suits they have or whatever, but really a fan of of the shoes. I’m a shoe guy, I have so many pairs of Jeremy Scott’s and I fell in love with those over time. So I think Adidas, really.

Everyone was complimenting your sneakers last night. You had black sneakers with calf skin, right?
Oh yea, those were – I think they’re called Android [Homme] or something like that. Those are pretty dope too.

They were definitely dope. So off the top of your head, I know you mentioned Adidas, what other sneakers would you consider your top sneakers?
Hmm, my top sneakers, well…I like Adidas of course. I love dunks. I just fell in love with this new shoe called Buscemi or something like that? It’s dope. They are super, super dope. I don’t even know if I’m pronouncing it right. I like Balenciaga’s of course. I mean I love Timberlands. That’s you know, my top few.

Break down your style or your go-to outfit…
My go-to outfit, is really, we’ll I don’t really have a go to outfit because my mind is all over the place. I like certain things, like different ways. Like today, I got on a Red Wings hoodie with a Ralph Lauren leather jacket. This is like high-end mixed with street-wear. I got on Balenciagas and some regular washed jeans, denim jeans. I just like to mix street with High fashion. Sometimes I’m actually getting more into trying to rock suits. I haven’t really gotten in that lane yet to even have a favorite designer or brand or whatever. But really I like to mix street wear with high-end as much as I can sometimes.

You’ve mentioned before how you would steal your uncle’s velour suits and all his Sean John boxers back in the day. Do you feel like your style has changed since you got signed?
Well yea, because the capital is a little different for me now that I’m actually in a different life, but before back then I was just really taking what I got. But my mom made sure I was fly. I had Gucci’s when I was a kid, but I didn’t know what they were and I didn’t really appreciate them like I do now. My mother always kept me fly as much as she could. She worked real hard and really made sure I kept all this stuff at all times.

What artist in the music industry past or present, do you admire as far as their style?
Well Michael Jackson of course, because he’s just super stylish with his swag. He really pushed the envelope and he didn’t really care what anyone else thought. Kanye West’s swag – his old school backpack swag and today’s swag. Like I feel his style is just, I think he got it. He is going to be a great designer also.

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