When did you start taking the mixtape game seriously?
Mid 2003, after I fired my former manager. Lol.

You made a lot of noise with the "Roc the Mic" mixtape, what did that mixtape do for you?
It definitely got the name out there. Sometimes, mixtapes, the idea and the marketing plan behind a cd are much more important than the cd itself. And it the cd is good also, then you know you have a winner. That's what I learned from that project.

The Jay-Z "Fade to Black" was real hot, how did you go about making that tape?
I'm a big Hova fan, so I wanted to do a cool tribute tape, because most of the ones that were out were really really wack. So I picked the songs I felt were classic enough or rare enough, and tried to tell the Hova story thru his music. To add to it, I had various Rocafella people do drops for it, telling funny or interesting stories about Jay. It was cool...I was very happy with how it turned out.

You've been in XXL, what did that do for you?
Great exposure. I can't thank them enough. Now people can put a face with the name.

Cleveland isn't known for it's Hip Hop, how is the scene out there?
It's getting there. There's a big underground scene, and a few other scenes as well. People are finally unifying, but you never know how long that is gonna last. We got a few artists out here about to pop though. Saj Supreme, Epik, 216 (who signed to Universal) and my peoples KingDom and Copyrite are about to blow, too.

You're on the radio too, is that necessary for a mixtape DJ?
No, but it really helps. You get access to artists you would never normally get access to, living in Cleveland. The radio connects help my mixtapes, and my mixtapes help me expand my radio audience. It works both ways.

What do you think of the mixtape game now?
For the most part, it sucks. But there are a few people out there who I really enjoy listening to. Shout out to my League crew: Joey Fingaz and DJ Jon.

You're at a point where a lot of people know your name and you're moving units...are you satisfied?
Not at all. I don't want to stop until I have maxed this out and left a positive mark on the mixtape game.

What do you want people to think when they hear a Mick Boogie mixtape?
Not only is this a hot cd, but that they can still listen to it in 6 months and enjoy it. I try not to make disposable cds.

What upcoming projects do you have?
Can't talk about it right now...but it's gonna be a mixtape that changes the game...I hope.

How can heads cop your mixtapes?
www.mickboogie.com . Holla at me!

Shout Outs:
My manager Laura, Gunna, Joey, Jon, and everyone else helping me to get where I'm going. Thanks for taking the time to interview me.

Interview by Brian Kayser