Step, step up - step, step up. With the recent announcement of his solo album, Mike Shinoda has set out to prove that he has the ‘skill and facility’ to earn a name in the world of hip hop. In interviews Mike throws down the gauntlet - but instead of calling other M.C.s to the mic, he challenges himself to step up his game.

Having admitted to Soundslam that he was nervous working with hip hop icon Jay-Z, Mike “would have loved to go back into all [his] lyrics and make them more complex and really step it up”. Collision Course also gave Mike the opportunity to freestyle with the man who influenced his rhymes, but cameras were turned off to ensure that nothing could be committed to tape. Although relatively confident and successful, Mike concedes that he has room to grow as an M.C.

His humility is both surprising…and expected. To the non-fan, Mike represents the M.C. that is described in the song “Step Up” - an inexperienced rapper who has capitalized on the popularity of rap and rock hybrids. Mike himself acknowledges that his unconventional lyrics and flow may not impress the most critical of hip hop heads; in his interview with Soundslam, he says “I know what I do with LP is more simple, in order for it to work with the rock element. But I think in the future, I will have to show people that I’m capable of more…I guess we’ll have to see later!”

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Forfeit the Game Online Magazine - Who Can Rock a Rhyme Like This?