Imagine a young infant born with a series of birth defects affecting the child's mouth, lips, and face. Again, imagine the parents of this young child being told that their son will suffer from a severe speech impedement and will struggle to speak effectively and properly his entire life. No need to imagine any further. Verse. Hip-hop emcee. Lyrical artist.
At a very young age, Mike "Verse" Mills fell in love with hip-hop music and it's accompanying culture. As he grew in age, Verse found himself influenced more and more by the culture in which he has immersed himself. Verse often recounts his testimony, one filled with drugs, alcohol, and depression to name a few. Beyond this, however, he emphasizes God's changing power in his life and the lasting effect Christ has had in his actions and words. Recognizing the impact of God's grace in his life Verse states, "God did not have to give me this gift of music. I take it as a true blessing to be used by God in this way. I pray that through this gift I may be able to impact the lives of anyone willing to listen, so they may come to know Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior."
Hailing from Huntsville, TX and then relocating to Lakeland, FL, a strong influence of southern hip-hop can be heard throughout Verse's music. Heavy bass, rapid-fire rhythms, and Christ-centered lyrics create the palette from which Verse works, each song becoming a canvas that paints a clear picture of God's love, mercy, and redemption.
Musically influenced by a vast array of artists Verse explains, "I try not to limit myself in the music I create in regards to style and genre. My music, of course, will always be centered around God's Word. Some of my early influences include Bad Company, Led Zeppelin, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Queen, Jimi Hendrix, LL Cool J, and Outkast among others. Even at a very young age, I was always studying different sounds and rhythms and this gave me a base from which to work from when I began working on projects in a studio. Now that time has passed and my musical tastes have evolved, I allow bits and pieces of different Christian artists and producers to influence my own music-making. J.R., Flame, Da T.R.U.T.H., Lecrae, Pettidee, Pillar, and Kutless. There are so many." With so many different influences, a colored past, and a powerful testimony, one thing about Verse is certain. He truly envisions himself as a walking miracle transformed by God, and he will stop at nothing to share this Gift to the world through the music he makes. |
