“If I talk about God my record won’t get played,” goes the opening and closing refrain of this spiritual ditty unlike most. On new single “Hubris”, the fifth from his new album Shift Change, Mickey O’Brien reveals his spiritual awakening and expresses his belief in, and worship of, God, but he also calls out those blasphemers who distort religion for selfish and self-serving reasons. Accompanying the bluesy album version with its live instrumentation is a new remix from original producer Fresh Kils, a sample-heavy boom bap beat with soulful male vocal replacing the jazzy hook of the original, while the cuts from DJ SLAM! remain a central focus. Both of these records talk about God and surely both should get played!

Canadian rap artist Mickey O’Brien spent the past few years focused on one thing: crafting great art. Even prior to his emergence as a solo artist in 2019, while still a member of rap-rock outfit Kill the Autocrat, O’Brien proved himself a powerful voice of the north for hip-hop. Representing Sudbury, ON, his music captures a fresh and exciting perspective - one that is both universally human and distinctly Northern Ontario. And as a hard-rock miner working thousands of feet underground, O’Brien is a blue-collar worker who also excels at compelling stories, ‘no BS’ observations, and skilful, conversational lyricism.

Catch Mickey O’Brien on tour with Ultra Magnus and Myka 9