This Springfield, Mass. emcee calls Atlanta home. The car fanatic drives a 1985 BMW and can talk about cars all day, but more about that later. He used to go by the stage name Rolls Royce, but later adopted ‘Money Makin’ to his nickname Nique to avoid lawsuits and being cliché. His name displays his love for Mekhi Phifer’s character from what he considers an epic movie, “Paid In Full”. “I picked my name from my favorite character of my favorite movie. Money Makin Mitch was played by Mekhi Phifer. It’s a dope movie,” Nique clarifies.
Leaving Atlanta’s AIU after the first year, to really push for his music career put Nique in a position with an industry veteran. “My mother always watches me from a distance and she used to be in this industry so I can understand why she doesn’t like what I do. That’s my mother though and we cool. She always gonna love me and I’m always gonna love her, even though she thinks I’m wack,” he expresses.
Now, Nique is at a beginning point where he has found his way in the industry and his niche. “I really found my direction this time around and my concepts are clearer,” Nique says about his recent self-titles mixtape release.
The 19-year-old considers himself an aesthetic individual as he sees the beauty in everything. He can't explain it in detail, but he loves everything about cars from the tattered leather to the smooth woodgrain. He truly see's the art in automobiles with a Rolls Royce Phantom being his dream car.
He’s inspired by more recent artists and performers that have taken over and are in the process of taking over like Curren$y, Young Dro, and the Neptunes. However, to be compared to a Houston rapper’s voice and a gangster character’s face, is funny to him.
“I’ve been compared to Nas which I guess is a compliment, but you know when you sit in a room with your friends and talk about who ya’ll look and sound like? Yeah, I got Slimm Thugg’s voice cause I talk so deep and Money Makin’ Mitch’s face,” he explains.
Nique’s excited about Saturday’s showcase. He is looking forward to building his network and seeing artists that have been blowing his advances off. “This year I’m really looking to collaborate more and work with more people. That’s what this show is doing for me. And I’d really love to work with Mums FP especially but he blows me off. It’s cool though, I can respect he wants me to show and prove. That’s what he’s about.” He’s also looking to work with a close friend of his, the Daredevil.
The newcomer going out and gaining fans after being criticized to get out and about to make things happen. “I’m being a lot more social after someone told me I really gotta get out there. I'm going out more and shaking hands, meeting people. I can’t just sit on my ass and try to speak it into existence.”
You can find him at Mufasa's house recording his upcoming mixtape, The Lion King, represents his horoscope and his personality. “It’s gonna be fierce, like a lion. And I’m a leo,” Money Makin Nique exclaims. Everyone gets to meet this lion Saturday for sure.
On April 3rd, Nique plans to put on a genuine hip hop show like Slick Rick and Doug E. Fresh, some of his favorite performers. The crowd should not expect any jumping or nut-grabbing to take place. Just pure hip hop.
Gas Money from Christopher Simms on Vimeo.
