WHO’Z HOT N DA STREETZ
“MITCH E. MITCH (R.I.P. 1977-2009)”
By Moe Nitty
On March 16th of 2009, the local rap scene in Michigan lost one of its most sincere hip hop enthusiast in a fatal car accident. Known as “everyone’s friend”, Detroit rapper/producer Mitchell “Mitch E. Mitch” Marcinkowski Jr. had few enemies if any at all. Those who had met Mitch for the first time, including myself, surely left feeling like they’d gained a true friend.
With tattoos covering most of his exposed pale body parts (arms and neck) Mitch E. Mitch could have been mistaken for a traveling circus sideshow freak. His clean face, accompanied by his inviting facial expression complete with eyeglasses would easily have had him hand-picked as a nerd. But all stereotypes aside, Mitch was neither a freak nor a nerd. Mitch was Mitch. To those who knew him that said it all. A product of Detroit’s eastside, Mitch’s list of collaborations (Mike Powell, Bobby East, Amp Fiddler, Brian and Mark Pastoria, and Nicci Gilbert to name a few) looks like a who’s-who of the music scene. The list of mainstream artists he’d performed with such as Jim Jones, Trina, B.G., and Paul Wall was equally impressive by anyone’s standards. A good friend of Mitch E. Mitch, local rapper Gutta Grimm added, “He was a talented and very humble person”. With those two attributions working in Mitch’s favor it was easy to see why doors continued to open for him.
In 2003 Mitch E. Mitch had written the playoff theme song for the Detroit Red Wings hockey team. But before settling with the name “Mitch E. Mitch”, Mitch had undergone a few name changes. Mitch’s first EP titled “The Krackerhead E.P.” was released in 1997 with his stage name then being Kracker. In 1999 he changed his name to Wight Boi Mitch and released two more albums titled “Suicycomutherfu**a”(1999) and “Hooked On Chronics”(2000). He later changed his name to Mitch E. Mitch and released even more cds, including his “Coleman Young Mixtape” in 2006. A close friend of Mitch name Sheanna was quoted as saying: “Mitch was a local legend all the way to the grave!” At the time of his unsightly passing, Mitch had been working with numerous local artists as a producer. “Mitch was one of the first people to try to mentor me as an artist. He definitely made me a better rapper”, says Hooligan of Last Laugh Records. As a testament of Mitch’s character, hip hop artist Spec-illest stated, “Mitch was very unselfish. He would give the shirt off his back if you needed it.”
Mitch E. Mitch, along with fellow rap artist Mic McClain, had recently formed a new group, The Pillpoppers. Understandably shaken by his partner’s passing, McClain didn’t go into details about the music but issued an assurance that Mitch’s music will live on through the release of The Pillpoppers debut cd, slated to drop this year some time, as well as a Mitch E. Mitch mixtape and others.
This upcoming Friday March 27th 2009, Rendezvous (36217 Gratiot) in Clinton Township will be hosting an open mic night in honor of the late Mitch E. Mitch. No cover will be charged at the door. Donations to assist Mitch’s family will be accepted. Doors open at 9pm. Hear some of Mitch E. Mitch’s songs at myspace.com/mitchemitchworld.
(You can reach Moe Nitty at myspace.com/mrmoenitty or moenitty1@aol.com)