My ears are still ringing. I never wear earplugs. I probably should, but I just can’t get myself to do it. If I wanted to hear muffled music I’d drive around in Ike’s car. That guy blew his car stereo speakers years ago and never replaced them. He said it never bothered him. For real! He never appreciated the art of listening to music like I did… Anyway, the concert was awesome. I saw these guys at Coachella, but it was a completely different vibe seeing them in an indoor arena. The Arctic Monkeys opened the show, and they rocked. I mean, put it this way. Normally I might go grab a drink or catch up with friends during the opening act, but I was planted in my seat for this one. And being that the Black Keys are a two-man band, I wasn’t sure how they’d sound in the arena. Just as they did at Coachella, they knew how to take over the entire crowd. Dan’s guitar riffs were so crisp, so sweet. His vocals were spot on and I can still feel the drums pounding in my chest. All in all, a sweet time. Time to update my playlist. ~Mike

Honestly? Not sure what to make of Nicki Minaj’s latest album, “Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded”. Reviews are mixed — some great, some not so much. It’s def not what I expected it to be. I mean, is she a rapper or a pop star? Make up your mind, girl! I’ve said before, I love all styles of music. But when I listen to an album, I need to get in the zone. Listening to this felt like more flavors bustin’ out on this album than in a bag of MIKE AND IKE® candies. True, there are some rollin’ on the Westside Highway beats like “Champion”, feat. Young Jeezy, Drake and the braveheart Nas. Solid verses and hooks, overall it’s an OK album if you like both rap and pop. But if you expected to hear Nicki, the lyricist, throughout, you’ll find yourself skipping around to find her. But hey - you could always pull out your favorites and combine with some of her earlier stuff to create your own Nicki playlist. That’s what I did. ~ Mike

Heard about Ike and me splitting up? Yeah, it’s true. We just don’t agree on the candy. My red, his red, my lime, his lime, my box ideas, his box ideas. So over it. Instead of all this hassle, now I’m just gonna jam. Been laying down heat with my friend Blaze. Planning to hit all the music capitals in the next few months. No sitting at home solo playing Words With Friends (that’s something Ike would do). No joke, I do still love MIKE AND IKE® candy. Haven’t forgotten that it’s still my name on that box (even if it’s scratched out on some). Ike, get over it my friend. You’ll always be my bud, but I just stopped getting you ever since you stopped focusing on the candy. Time to move on. Check out my blog. I can’t wait to share with you all the stuff I have in mind – sick music festivals, dope new songs, a music video…. So follow me right here on my blog and you won’t miss a beat. The company will make the candy – I’m sure of that. I mean, it’s great candy! Even though I’m off rocking and rapping, let’s all keep downing MIKE AND IKE® candies. I know I will.

~Mike

Check out this link, it’s a playlist of some songs I’m really into right now.

~Mike

I’m rediscovering my passion for writing and collecting new music. I’m cranking out new stuff almost daily - playing and writing- and I just feel like I want to eat a big box of MIKE AND IKE® and just jam, jam, jam! I’m just torn up about what kind of music I like best. I love rap. In fact I’m working on a new piece with one of my friends right now. Strawberry fruit candy theme. I have another one in mind about orange. But I was at SXSW last week and I got completely into rock again. I grew up ripping on a Fender Stratacaster and now I have so many guitars I don’t know which one I like best. I like some country, but country ain’t rockin’ many new hits about fruit candy. It may sound strange, but to me, music is like fruit candy: it’s hard to decide which flavor is best when they are all so good. And chewy. Actually I know what I like. It’s Ike that can’t seem to make up his mind. 

~Mike

Just saw the pics of Willow Smith’s new neon yellow hair, which I guess is her follow up to the lime green locks she was stylin’ earlier this month. Is it just me,  or is she intentionally rockin’ the MIKE AND IKE® colors (whatever, this is something Ike should notice, not me). She’s Cool — been working with Nicki Minaj and now Jay-Z. And her new Knees and Elbows album is coming out in a few weeks. Not bad for an 11-year old. Makes me all the more fired up to get out there and do my thing… hopefully someday soon.

~Mike

Bangarang. Is there a better name for a song? Word on the street is that Doomtree — Minneapolis-based hip hop crew of 7 — is hitting it hard on their No Kings tour. Hope to check them out at The Paid Dues Festival on 4/7 in San Bernardino, CA…that is if the candy drama dies down by then. It’s getting old – I could use the escape from Ike. Until then, I’ll leave you with my newfound wisdom courtesy of Bangarang: “When it breaks we’ll know it’s time. We’ll know it’s up to us to fix it. When it aches to make its mind we’ll pick it. ‘Til then, we’ll steer it.” www.doomtree.net 

~Mike