GOOD COMPANY'S 4/20 SPECIAL: MINNESOTA COLD'S "DOPESAUCE" AND MIJO'S "OMENS"
Now, for those of you who know me through my writing and my music might be perplexed that I’m writing about a project under my group's moniker. Minnesota Cold has evolved in the decade of its existence. A product of boredom and isolation of the stixxx in rural Minnesota, MC grew into a wide umbrella for a couple “nameless” artists. However, since we crash landed in this fertile soil that is the Twin Cities music scene, the “nameless” artists also grew in different shades and at different paces.
Nowadays, when something drops from Minnesota Cold it could be anything really: beat tapes, EP’s, full lengths, solo projects, ect. With that being said, I don’t appear on this version of Dopesauce (Yes there’s another version.) But it’s still a project from my Home team and I'm gonna dish an assist where I can. Speaking of a team, I can’t go too far into this without mentioning the other man of the hour opposite of Shon (@ShonJarmon) and that’s our homie Mijo (@MijoOjimMijo.) Even though we’ve only been rolling with Mijo the past year and some change, he almost instantly integrated with us. From then on, our operations expanded greatly past what Minnesota Cold is. It was ultimately the fruition of a much larger umbrella: “Good Company.”
I’m not going to cover these projects like I do other local artists. Frankly, that wouldn’t be doing an ounce of justice for these projects. I have a special story to tell about these two individuals that will (hopefully) add another dimension and a different shade of shine to their hard work and their pursuit to make the dopest shit possible: And the translation of that pursuit is in the form of Shon’s “Dopesauce,” and Mijo’s “Omens.”
Shon and I went to the same middle school. A small town around an hour west of the Twin Cities area. We met through a mutual friend who lived on the same side of town as Shon. After a game of laser tag in Shon’s basement one Fall day, we were playing Halo and walking the streets past curfew with other punk ass kids causing trouble from then on.
When we weren’t wandering aimlessly around town and playing video games, we were making stuff. We made horror movies, Gears of War spoof videos, you name it. We even made our first rap song at the age of 12. Shon set up his old computer microphone and had to leave the room so I could spit my verse. I was scared to rap in front of people at the time. Imagine that.
The real genesis of Minnesota Cold came when Shon and his family moved almost two hours up North when we were 14. Now in an even smaller town, Shon immersed himself in Hip-Hop. Figuring out how to record songs off just an iPhone app, Shon laid the foundation to what MC was going to become.
We moved to Minneapolis in 2018. I arrived in the city with a Bachelors in English. Shon came with years of experience recording, mixing, and producing on top dope bars he strings together: All self taught. This may be biased of me, but in my opinion, Shon will be a pivotal and influential name around these parts or greater by the end of the decade all while not having any “proper” schooling.
Like many hungry emcees, we wanted people to hear us. So, naturally, we were attracted to the record store that resided on Hennepin in Uptown: The late, great Fifth Element. October was the first time we went to the monthly open mic. Shortly after we performed our first song in the Cities, Mijo went on. I remember vividly because someone heavily under the influence of illicit substances wandered into Fifth Element from the rainy streets and repeatedly asked Mijo what his rap name was while he was on stage. Mijo brushed off the odd encounter naturally and proceeded to rock the 2-3 minutes he had.
It wasn't until March that we started working with him. We were both on the bill for that month’s Local Dope Shit. After that, it’s been all-in since. We quickly, but naturally made a collaborative EP “Amigos” and released it by May. Us three clicked in a way, that no matter what time we met each other in life, we would have become homies at any stage. Mijo brought a different dimension that we weren’t used to. In regards to performing, Shon and I tirelessly rehearsed before every show, so we’re on point during our set. Long story short, we were serious about our live sets. On the other hand, Mijo is a natural rockstar on and off stage. With an uninhibited charisma Mijo brings raw, but charming energy to every live set that is highly infectious. He helped me not to take myself so seriously on stage which subsequently made me feel more at home during a set.
MC and Mijo Performing at Bars & Brews August, 2019 DJ: Ryan Hayes (@djhayesmpls)
This past Fall, Mijo started to bring us on for a couple songs during his sets, and we did the same with him. With a slew of joint rehearsals turned into studio sessions at our crib, we added to our respective vaults immensely. In the haze of all that work, “Dopesauce” and “Omens” were created. Shon curated the sound with mixing and mastering for both finished products. My friends have some dope music to share with you this Holidaze.
“Dopesauce” is Shon’s rendition of a meaning that has been a part of our lore since the beginning. Although this is “take two” it’s a refined and revived version. Shon tributes the late producer and DJ Ras G in “Dopesauce” as he uses Ras’ production on roughly half of the album. From the glossy single, “PopAppeal” to the dirty low end banger of “steel ON steel,” Shon spits surgically, but with Kaioken-level bars throughout. One of my favorite joints is “InvestNow.” Shon and Mijo tag team a smooth-as-butter Flying Lotus instrumental. Shon takes you through his daily routine of bouncing out the fresh cuts and sending them to the homies as he illustrates,
“Ground down my last lil’ tree/
Bounced out the file, mp3s/
Send it to the homie and me/
Feels good to be a G I keep going/
Reap what I sow/
And it’s so, so good.”
Mijo flips the table as he lets you in on his drunken demeanor while at shows. This track serves as projection of two sides of an artist: working on the craft at the studio, and presenting yourself and your music at shows.
Mijo’s “Omens” has the one of the most cinematic intro to a project I’ve heard in a long time in the track “Safe.” Over a thick organ harmony and an epic guitar wailing in the back, Mijo’s presences slowly creeps in as he chants:
“Your secrets safe/
safe and sound/
This life’s a maze/
Might go crazy/
Making rounds.”
Shon makes appearances on multiple tracks as well as produces the grimey, most ‘off-the-beaten-path’ sound of the project in “Jurassic.” This creature from the crypt-like banger clashes around and makes a mess of the place while Mijo smoothly pimps out all the madness.
The most important track on “Omens” has to be the lead single, “Hardaway.” This is an emotionally provoking ballad and tribute to someone who's dearly missed. With some of the wisest words I’ve heard in awhile, Mijo uses them in the form of plea for affirmation of a lost loved one. Mijo ponders his current path and his work up to this point in his life:
“Your presence is missed/
Hope it’s safe and sound/
Can’t help the thought/
That I let you down.”
Mijo delivers a very simple, but most poignant of the album. What is said encompasses what I’ve been trying to express to this point. I’ll leave you with these words Mijo passionately states:
At the end of the day/
I stay on my grind, I stay on my grind
Don’t do this for your’s/
I do this for mine/
I do this for mine.”
“Dopesauce” and “Omens” are available on all streaming platforms.
Article by: Paul Thorson, Hip-Hop Writer @PaulyT03
Edited by: Andrew Perrizo, Owner @PlaylistTC
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