By Packie Williams
 |
| File photo: Mic-D |
CHICAGO – Late rapper Mic-D returned onstage at a
concert for long-time collaborator, Gray Matter, in the guise of an android.
Gray Matter was performing the song, “Hilltop Love,” when
he brought the Mic-D android out on stage.
“Hilltop Love” is one of the many collaborations between the two famed
rappers, and up until now, had always been performed by one of Gray Matter’s
road MCs or, occasionally, another famous rapper at a music festival or awards
show.
Mic-D, whose real name was Trevor Willis, died in 1997 from
a gunshot wound while partying in Miami.
No one was ever charged for the apparent homicide, and his death sent
shockwaves throughout the hip hop community.
Willis became a symbol to music fans all across the world as he rapped
about his life, growing up poor in Los Angeles and struggling to deal with
racism, poverty, and fame. He was
posthumously inducted into the Rock ‘N Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 and named one
of Rolling Stone Magazine’s most influential artists of the 20th
Century.
Now, he is an android, rapping from a music file embedded
in his cybernetic brain.
At first, concert-goers were thrilled to see a robotic
simulation of the beloved rapper on stage.
“I thought he had come back to life,” said Jennifer Rodgers. “I mean, superheroes come back to life all
the time, right? But there’s was just
something off about him. He was too
good, too on his game, you know? His
movements were weird.”
“Of course, he’s going to look robotic,” said Gray Matter
after the concert. “He’s a robot for
Christ’s sakes. But he’s the best damn
robot you’ll ever see. It’s like Mic-D
came back to life!”
As concert-goers began to realize that Mic-D was
resurrected as an android, devoid of the humanity that endeared him to his
fans, they grew uncomfortable. “This
just feels weird,” said Matt Humel.
“It’s one thing to come back to life, but this is just wrong.”
“Did his family know about this?” said Tony Chard. “Did we pay for this? I feel kind of gross having paid for this
weird robot thing of Mic-D. The man was
a legend. Can’t we leave well enough
alone?”
Gray Matter dismissed all suggestions that he was taking
advantage of his late friend. “Look, his
death was one of the greatest losses the world has seen,” he said. “His music is still played on radio to this
day, bringing joy to millions of people.
I’m just doing my part to bring more joy to those people by making him a
super cool android.”
