Hi guys, it's Maddi here, back at it again! So my last couple of posts have been heavily focused on Chapel Hill's indie and alternative music scene, but what about the hip hop and r&b scene? That's where Michael comes in.
He's a current graduate student at UNC who runs for the Track & Field team (they just won the ACC Championships this past week) and creates engaging content on Youtube and Instagram. On top of this, he also writes and produces his own hip hop music!
Credit to Michael Spragley
Much of his online presence and music is grounded in his religion and his athletic accomplishments, and he openly discusses how these have shaped him as a person and rapper.
I actually first met Michael in one of my graduate level classes last semester called "Digital Storytelling", and I was instantly intrigued by his work ethic and creativity. He stopped by our coffee shop this past December and his charismatic energy lit up the room. He picked up an acoustic guitar and started singing, then hopped on the keys and jammed with him. Then, a few weeks later, he sent us the vlog that he put together that encapsulated his day, including his trip to The PITCH (check it out here).
Credit to UNC Athletics
Soon after, he came back to our music studio to play us his song "Let It Go" that he was working on for his upcoming album "Virginia Is For Lovers", and we were immediately hooked. We had so much fun that we ended up collaborating on a whole new song with him (release date TBD haha). It was really cool to be spontaneous with him and create something new together.
Credit to Maddi Lane
He also wants to start his own media production company called Better Mic, and we're hoping we can also partner with him on it in house, since our expertise lies in mentoring new business ventures and providing the network and resources to help scale them.
Bottom line, we're super excited to be building a unique community of creatives in the Chapel Hill area, and we're hoping that Michael is the first of many hip hop and r&b inspired artists who come through our doors! Make sure to keep up with Michael and show him some support:
Michael's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speedysprag/
Michael's "Virginia Is For Lovers" Album on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/4ridGXiFHkGjNoL2oxLlZU?si=254SPCO4SOqEenH_pdDH9A
Credit to AshoFlicks