For those of you who missed the Final Mission Control here is my full speech (word for word) from last night:
Welcome to Mission Control. First off I would like thank you all for coming out tonight and for supporting us. For those new to this event, my name is Mic Skills, I'm an artist in addition to being the host and coordinator for this event.
Tonight marks the culmination of dreams, hard work, perseverance and determination. Tonight we celebrate the works of emerging artists, hand selected by me and our proud sponsor MikeCalvertScion.com, as part of our Compilation "MikeCalvertScion.com Presents: Mission Control Volume One." Most of the artists on tonight’s bill have performed several Mission Control events before and accounted for many incredible moments on this stage. Also tonight we will recognize a few new additions to the Mission Control family.
For most of this year Mic Skills and Mission Control have been at an all time high and I've been busier than ever. This new amount of perperation, traveling and success has left me very fatigued at times. As mush as I tried to balance the two I always knew one day Mission Control and the monthly format had to end. I told no one of my decision until September when I announced November 6th - The FINAL Mission Control.
Those close to me were surprised and very supportive, but when I made the public announcement I pissed a lot of other people off. I expected a mixed response and a large amount of questions, but it quickly became overwhelming.
Over night I had everyone talking about me with Questions like "is Mission Control really over?" "what are you going to do now?" "what's your next move?""are you giving up rapping?" "why are you ending it?" "aren't things going well?" "I thought you had you a sponsor?" "why don't you pass the torch to me or let someone else run it?" "let me perform the last show?" "what are we going to do?" "what will the scene will be like without Mission Control?"
The answers are simple; 1) this isn't the end of Mission Control, this is the end of Mission Control as you know it. I don't know when or if I will ever throw another Mission Control event, I know I need a much needed break from it. 2) I will continue to do all the things I've been doing which means concentrating more on my life, my music and Mission Controls transition into my label. 3) Despite the way it mayappear things are actually better than ever and 4) This scene was around well before me and it will be around well after me. I know to some of you think it looks easy, in many ways it is, but as a whole this is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. I am not the sole reason for the success of this event, nor am I a self made man. The credit goes to everyone that motivated and supported me to this level of success. Mission Control is my vision, but I COULD NOT have done it without all of you.
This show represents more than 3 years of events I've coordinated, more importantly it represents a movement led by Houston’s emerging artists. I started Mission Control as an outlet for myself and other artists like me and it has well exceeded my initial goals. I remember freestyling at parties, after parties, and showing up for the open mic at Helios. I still remember when we couldn’t get booked for shows we would smash ciphers in the parking lot. I remember when promotors would only let us in to watch the local hip hop shows. I remember when venues in this city would not book hip-hop acts or return phone calls for that matter. Then I remember when we packed over 400 peopleat $5 dollars a head into the polk street warehouse for the Def Trap. My mind keeps replaying all these memories to remind me how far we've come, but also how much further we still must go.
But the glory doesn't go to me, above all I have to thank God. Then I must thank my Mother for giving me a firm foundation of faith, confidence, determination and perseverance. I have to thank my Godfather Dave for trusting me to run his business, giving me sound advice and business skills. Then I have to thank Rad Rich for not only believing in me, but also supporting me and being the first person in Houston to book me on a show and put my name on a flier.
Also I have to thank DJ Notion for being the second person to put me in a show and inviting me to perform in Austin when no one would book me in Houston. Thank you for SPARKing my career.
I have to thank my older brother Earl for encouraging me to create my own show after the end of the Def Trap.
Thank you Ammaad for being my best friend, my brother, for being a huge part of every Mission Control and bringing Sal, Jimmy, Mubasher and our friend who passed away Uti. Ammaad I think you have been the door man, security, street team, stylist, driver, barber, bartender, back up quarterback, starting center.....but I digress. Also I have to thank my best friend Mani for being my brother and an awesome roommate before and after the tours, for putting up with my industry bs and helping me find a better balance in my life. I thank my best friend and brother Ricardo for his support. Without the encouragement of you three, I don’t know who else I could’ve turned to these past 3 years.
Also I must thank BBC, Comp1 and Cee Plus You guys challenged me and motivated me to create Mission Control. I have to thank everyone back in the day on 90.1 KPFT. Grinch, CJ, Soul One & Witness of Late Nite Snax, Cee Plus, Curtis C, Dick Almghtly & Dunnock on Reprogram Radio, Matt Sonzola, DJ Chill & Goldenchild on Damage Control, Zin of SOS Radio, DJ Sun of Solar Grooves and D.L. from Vinyl Frontier on 91.7 KTRU. Not only were you all the first to play my music, but you all helped me promote myself & Mission Control while I refined my interview skills. (No pun intended.)
Also I thank Remix for introducing me to Vango and PKT. Together Remix & Vango fueled my fire, always brought their equipment and DJed almost every show. I thank you for working with me and I especially thank you for helping me take my career, as well as this event, to the next level.
Then I have to thank Vango for his production and for introducing me to Devs and Aktone. Big Shout out to Devs for his photography for my album.
I thank PKT for keeping it 100. I respect him greatly for the continued support and sharing great advice as well as encouragement. You helped us step our game up in so many ways.
I thank my brother Rad for always treating me the same and for inviting me on his album with Hero and then ultimately introducing me to Digi. The 4 of us are truly blessed to have bonded together through recording, performing and traveling together. And especially for not killing each other when we spend too much time together.
I thank Digi for his production and for introducing me to his friends and family.
I have to thank Karina Nistal and Shina Rae for being more than friends, You've been big sisters helping me find my way in this crazy industry and always encouraging me.
I have to thank Mike Barnes for helping reignite the fire inside me and supporting me since day one. You always got my back and I always have yours. I could not have made Defiant without you.
I thank Hafaza for performing 2 of the most memorable Mission Controls and making me step my live show up after we opened for Planet Asia & Rasco.
I thank all the MCs to rock Mission Control; Ace Boogie, Thurogood Wordsmith, Hollywood Floss, Hash, John Dew, Brown Pilot, Uzoy, Kendew, Prime Example, Mike Ro, The Niyat, Cerebral Vortex, Ezekiel38, Astex, Truth Universal, V-Zilla, Sxnxmoh, Tony Bananas, Persephone, Medium Boy, my homie Mark aka Tea Time, Big Shang, Mike & Ike, Zeale, Nosaprise as well as every other MC that ripped the stage with me.
I have to thank all the DJs Rockwell, Urban Legend, Kool Emdee, Akshun Kid, Kleancutt, BIGG, Fly Girl T, Gracie Chavez, The Brotherz Grimm, Diamond Tip, Gonz, Itchie Fingers, Intel, Iron Chic and anyone I may have forgot.
I must thank the band members of Hueman for performing Hero & Rads album release party at Mission Control.
I thank T.Piper for my album artwork and my past Mission Control fliers.
I thank JBCool of True Colors for the artwork and design of the Compilation CD's, as well as the graphics and fliers for the this show and the past four shows. You are officially the reason I uninstalled photoshop.
I thank Sadia Zubair, Opa and King D for the excellent photography, you make us all look like stars.
Alex Ruthridge aka AVR aka MY MAN MONEY! Thank you for filming Mission Control, my music video Crimimal and Hero & Rad's video for Smoothness Coolness.
I especially thank David at Mike Calvert Scion for believing and convincing everyone at Mike Calvert Scion to believe in me, Mission Control and my artist network.
And most importantly I must thank you, the audience. Without you this would be the greatest dress rehearsal ever.
You all have contributed to the success of Mission Control and I thank you.
To be a leader in our community is a responsibility I take very seriously. I am not the face of this scene, I am merely a face. I am no better than anyone here. I was raised to believe we are all equals and I've done my best to treat everyone as so.
I accept the praise for my efforts, but I do not deserve applause. I saw a need and I did my best to fill that void. I did what I should do, what every one of us should do. This is our responsibility to our community, our scene and our world. If we don't determine our own future than our future will be determined for us.
I think about every moment we experienced, and I say WE because Mission Control has always been BIGGER THAN ME. Mission Control represents everyone. As long as you left with a smile on your face it was a success. As long as you were there you were a part of the experience.
I think about the good times and bad, I think of the successes and failures, the surprises and the let downs. The friends made the people that have come and gone. I think about every single moment from the first show until tonight’s show. It is without regret that I can end THIS CHAPTER of Mission Control.
To those that did not have the opportunity to perform at a Mission Control Event, rest assured. The opportunity for you has always been there, but it is your responsibility to seek out and create opportunities for yourself. No one will believe in you until you truly believe in yourself. Continue to work hard, be bold and progress in all things.
In closing I hope we've entertained you all and have shown you the many sides of the Hip Hop community. I hope we have made a positive impact in our scene, our community and more importantly in your heart, mind and soul. Everyone in this room is capable of living out their dreams, and everyone on this stage is an example of someone who is.
I appreciate you all so much. This is Mission Control - Mission Accomplished!
