MIKE

Most hip-hop stars don't get their start playing college baseball, but mike. is one MC who used his downtime from the diamond to hone his rhyming and rapping skills into catchy yet thoughtful fusions of R&B and hip-hop like 2020's "2 birds." Born Michael Francis Seander, Jr. in Providence, Rhode Island, mike. was a talented athlete who lettered in baseball and basketball in high school. As a pitcher at Duke University, he set a record for the lowest ERA in the history of the school's baseball program, an impressive 1.61. When he suffered an arm injury that required surgery, he began writing rap lyrics to keep himself occupied as he recuperated. It was a move that kick-started his music career. He began performing as Mike Stud in 2010 and rose from viral video fame to chart-topping success with April 2014's Closer. In 2018, he began making music as mike., debuting with the June 2020 single "2 birds." © Heather Phares & Mark Deming /TiVo