Mike Check

Mike Check, aka Michael Checklick, popped up on the scene on Cinco de Mayo of ‘81. As a an 80’s baby, Check picked up the drum sticks at the early age of 7 and learned of life with rhythm. Clangin’ on the drums as a youngin’, he was drawn to the hip hop sound that would make an imprint on his heart forever.
At the age of 12, Check substituted the drumstick with a pen and filled in the notes with words. Influenced at the time by artists like Notorious B.I.G., A Tribe Called Quest, Nas, and De La Soul, it was only a matter of time before he developed his skills to make a name for himself. At 16, Check and his childhood friends were recording songs in his Grandmother’s house, rapping into headphones inside of a closet (which they transformed into a poor man’s booth). By the age of 17, Check was known on the east end of LI for his witty word-play and his never ending arsenal of punchlines on the streets.

Then came the formation of Boro 6. Teaming up with Brolic, Gougz and Carlito The Don, Boro 6 became a fast growing name on the underground circuit of LI in 2000. The first compilation came later that year, titled BEST OF THE BORO, which was followed up by several other mixtapes in the years after.

Performing and featuring on a song with vocalist ERIKA, Check started making a buzz for himself in the industry. The Downtown Club in Farmingdale, Def Jam’s Unsigned Hype at the Sugar Bar in Manhattan, and DJ Cadet’s parties at Club Rhone in Manhattan were places you could find Check rockin’ the show. His first mixtape appearance on a major circuit mixtape came in 2002 when he was featured on DJ Storm’s Heatseekers Vol. 1.

In 2002, Check linked up with singing phenom K-Hazz. K-Hazz would bring a different element to the group, and was soon linked into Boro 6. “Confidential”, their 2nd compilation, dropped in early 2003. B6 was making moves and looking to forward their careers, when a major blow was dealt to the group. In February of 2004, longtime member and friend Gougz, was investigated and hit with a federal charge.

During that same year, Check made appearances on different mixtapes across the NY area, and hit the scene with another compilation. Titled “Plead the 6xth,” the name surely connected with Gougz’ absence, and musically showed the growth that Boro 6 fans appreciated. Gougz was released in 2008, bringing back the missing link and completing the circle once again.

Fast forward to 2009, and and the group that once was Boro 6, has since then suffered several breakups. Mike Check now works as a solo artist (as do other former B6 members) and has grown on his own to become what he had always envisioned. Check, with his team around him, which consists of in-house producers Matty Ells and Khazz, promotions manager Gougz, and creative director Gabe Torres, has seen his buzz grow steadily around the NY area into a strong following. The release of his first solo project, ‘CHECK ME OUT’, has served his fans well, and proves to be a collection of fresh records that are sure to keep one’s interest.

What comes next is to be seen, but the talk around town is that you can expect an explosion from him with many more projects in late 2009 and into 2010. Collaborations are already in the works with a plethora of artists and producers from around the tri-state area and into Philly. Stay tuned!