Mickey Factz Speaks on New Record Deal

It’s been a long road for XXL’s 2009 Freshman alum Mickey Factz, but fans can expect his debut album The Achievement (Battery/Jive) to hit shelves and digital outlets this fall. XXLMag.com recently caught up with the Bronx-bred MC to find out what took so long.

“Patience is a virtue,” he said. “I just didn’t want to rush into the first deal that fell into my lap. I wanted to see the best possible situation that fit for me and my movement. I feel like Battery/Jive was the perfect place to make that happen at.”

Mickey signed to Jive’s incubator label; Battery in May and has since released “Paradise,” the album’s warm-up single. The up-and-comer’s first official single “Made” will drop in July. “‘Paradise’ is the record that just solidifies that Mickey Factz can actually rap,” he said. “Made” however will usher in a new sound for the MC. “I think it’s more of a celebratory, party record. I made that record because I was feeling really good in the studio thinking about being Miami and being in Vegas.”

While the track listing for The Achievement is still being finalized, Mickey confirms that rapper Yelawolf makes an appearance and producer Precize contributed to about 75% of the project. He remains tight-lipped about the rest of the album’s producers and guests however.

For fans that can’t wait until Fall, Factz will be dropping a free viral mixtape entitled I’m Better Than You on Mickeyfactz.com in the beginning of August. While the album’s title is sure to cause controversy, Mickey insists that the tape is simply a nod to hip-hop’s competitive spirit and nothing more. “At the end of the day competition is still prevalent in hip-hop," he explained. "People always say on records that they are better, but in the interviews they are afraid to say it. But me I’m just coming out with it. I’m better than you and I can come out and prove it. If you feel like you’re better than Mickey Factz than prove it.” —Rob Markman