Michael Mosby, known professionally as Carmike, grew up in the infamous north Memphis neighborhood Smokey City. In 1992, at the age of 16, Carmike officially launched his music career. He formed a music group with three other members: Hurricane, Wolf and Romeo who would later go on to form the infamous hip-hop group G-Style. They became famous for creating the “gangster walk.”
Through a music contact Carmike began a deep friendship and music collaboration with Kingpin Skinnypimp of Three 6 Mafia that still exists this very day. Skinnypimp provided Carmike with an opportunity to record tracks with someone who already had notoriety and success in the hip-hop industry. As a pupil of Skinnypimp, Carmike’s reputation began to grow and after a short amount of time his identity within the Memphis hip-hop realm was established. Not long after his association with Skinnypimp, Carmike began doing features with DJ Paul, Juicy J, Koopsta Knicca, and Lord Infamous of Three 6 Mafia.
Despite loving and supportive family members around him, and a musical career starting to develop, Carmike grew rebellious and fell victim to pressures from classmates at school and individuals running the streets of Memphis like gangs, drug dealers and other life draining people. Carmike experienced several run in with the law starting at only the age of 15 and in 1995, at the age of 19, Carmike was involved in an altercation through his gang affiliation that resulted in the worst possible outcome. A life was lost and Carmike served more than 20 years in prison as a result.
While in prison, Carmike had more time than he needed to reflect on his life and knew a change of direction was needed. He wrote numerous verses and tracks while in prison and prepared his mind for his return to life beyond the prison walls. His new path has led him to the love of his life and new wife, Tori. He has dedicated himself to his new family of 5 as well as regaining his professional music career.
He serves as a mentor to young children by educating them on his negative experiences and choices in life to help ensure that they do not make the same mistakes as he once. His eldest son is a clone of himself and newly minted police officer in Holly Springs, MS. The modern-day Carmike is humble, passionate, caring, loyal, loving, driven, and dedicated. He puts others ahead of himself. He is intelligent, personable, takes a collaborative approach to work and life in general and he is a master of his craft.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Memphis artists including Kingpin Skinny Pimp, Carmike, Zed Zilla, Lil Gin, King Nard and DJ Cottonmane are working on a collaborative album they hope transforms the reputation of the city on a national scale.
The artist known as “Carmike” said he raps mostly about life growing up in Memphis.
“Growing up in the area I grew up in North Memphis, you see a lot of poverty, a lot of tragedy,” he said.
Carmike, 43, whose real name is Michael Mosby, went to Humes Junior High School and came from a working-class family.
“They provided for me, gave me a great home. We sat down for dinner every day. We had structure. My next-door neighbor didn’t have that because his mom was on crack. So I became a target,” he said.
He said he got involved in crime for his own survival. Eventually, that forced him to put rapping on hold. READ MORE
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