This attention-grabbing new release fully displays the NY artist’s charisma and versatile lyrical ability.
At just 23 years old, rapper Mike Osei, formerly MJangles, has quickly made his mark in the music industry. Born in South Ghana and raised in the vibrant streets of the Bronx, Osei embarked on his musical journey in 2018 with the release of his acclaimed debut EP, “Product of Environment.” Having garnered significant buzz with an impeccable flow and tongue-twisting yet meaningful lyricism, he’s faithfully honed his craft, steadily improving and evolving with each new release.
Following his solo debut, Osei co-founded the independent collective Maybe There’s Life alongside his Harvard roommate, Lincoln, and fellow New York artist, Tobias Defoe. After making his triumphant debut with the riveting collaboration EP “Harlem Nights,” he’s gone from strength to strength, skillfully blending pop, R&B, soul, classic rock, and hip-hop elements, making for a unique listening experience. A magnetic personality who never shies away from the bright lights, he’s also captivated audiences with his electric live performances, opening for notable industry acts like Vic Mensa, Bazzi, and Kiiara.
“24 Hours” is the latest product of Osei’s artistic brilliance and also serves as a herald for his sophomore full-length mixtape, set to be released in late 2023. Starting with a groovy guitar and drum combo, the instrumentals for this track are flawlessly produced. The instrumentals perfectly match Osei’s energy and provide a sharp headspace from which his lyrical performance is elevated to even greater heights. As he drops bars like “Give a fuck of what they claimin’ that the rumors are / Good luck tryin’ find a way to resist,” Osei’s charisma is palpable, and it’s easy to find yourself swept up in his pace.
The music video for “24 Hours” is in typical Osei fashion, a sharp, calculated, and ultimately entertaining spectacle. Featuring crisp videography and an effortlessly charismatic performance from Osei, the camera follows Osei as he wakes up and goes about his day. Whether he’s chilling at his apartment, in the city, or heading out at night, bars like “I’m here for one night, so let’s turn it to a splash / Bout 24 hours til it’s back to the cash” ensure viewers are locked on to his every move. Additionally, vintage effects and dark shading add a nice touch to the viewing experience. When Osei raps directly at the camera, he does so with an intensity and poise that makes it impossible not to be enthralled.
Mike Osei’s “24 Hours” is a riveting and attention gripping release that’s sure to resonate with fans of hip-hop and lyrical ability. Whenever you’re ready, tap in and stream Mike Osei’s “24 Hours”, available now on all major streaming platforms, and don't forget to check out "24 Hours" official music video.
Welcome to BuzzMusic, Mike Osei! We loved “24 Hours,” and we had to ask! What was the creative process like for this song? Did the final version turn out exactly how you first envisioned it?
Thanks for having me, and thanks for the love. If I had to describe the process behind “24 Hours” in a few words, I’d say: spontaneous, sudden, and empowering. I had just finished school at Harvard, wrapped up a very long project, was balancing three jobs, and was about to get evicted from my crib outta nowhere. I needed some release from it all, but since work makes it tough to turn up like I’d love to, I turned to the music to let it out. So I told a story about linking up with the homies, meeting someone new, saying something sweet to her, and enjoying it like you only have 24 hours to do. I wrote it over a beat I found online, and the crazy thing is, I had no plans to release it until I posted a snippet of me rapping over that main loop—just on some “gotta post content” type timing, and it hit the algorithm, ended up getting over 30k views, and I was like…aight I have to drop it now. Hit the studio with Lincoln, banged out the 2nd verse breakdown, recorded it ASAP, and it was a wrap. Very happy with the sound and the vision.
What was the inspiration behind the music video, and what was your favorite part of bringing the vision for that inspiration to life?
The music video was an idea that hit me about a day or two after I heard the final master and started thinking about how I wanted to promote the song. I dropped a couple earlier this year for my songs “Somebody” and “To Infinity,” where the visuals were the focus, but this time I was thinking, “How can I hit visuals and tell a story at the same time?” So I thought about making a video that visualizes me over 24 hours a day. I wanted to show the wake-up, the panicked run to the studio because I’m chronically late, the work in the studio, the links and turn-up with my gang and lady, and everything in between. My favorite part was def working with the guys—shout out to Vidhu Kota, Wallace Hallot, and Siwoo Kim for their work. It was Vidhu’s idea to have me wake up at the start, then end with me knocking out into the same frame I woke up from, to make it look like a 24-hour loop, and I thought that was certified genius, for real.
You mentioned that you grew up in The Bronx, NYC! How did growing up in such a vibrant musical city influence your growth as an artist?
Living in the city is a cheat code for marking art. There isn’t any other place that has what we got here. When you grow up in a place where anywhere you go, you are liable to see a gorgeous mural, chat with someone with an inspiring back story, peep a fire live performance for free, and on top of that, you get access to an entire world of people, sights, bright lights, and all that; you set up to be an artist in a way that’s crazy tough for any other upbringing to compete with. Being from the boogie down is why I love hip-hop as much as I do and feel so in touch with the craft.
What goals do you want to achieve through your music, and how would you describe it to someone who hasn’t heard it before?
I want to meet my potential. Wherever that leads me, we’ll see, but I’m betting on it being somewhere people can’t even imagine right now. I feel like the world of music, especially hip hop, has felt like it’s been needing something with substance for a while now. Real stories, honest songwriting, a fresh sound, a fresh story, and a fire in the heart that burn harder than anyone else. That’s precisely what I’m bringing, and the same goes for the collective I represent, Maybe There’s Life.
What’s next for Mike Osei? You mentioned your sophomore full-length mixtape is slated for release later this year, right? Anything you want to say to your fans?
What’s next is a brand new single called “Level Up,” that’ll be a collab with me and Lincoln. Brilliant artist, a brilliant producer, and exciting work we put together. After that, we got more singles on the way while we prepared for the entire album drop. Big thank you to everyone supporting.