Mic Check celebrated its two-year anniversary on the top floor of the Allbritton Center, showcasing a killer set of artists with a vibrant crowd to match. On Saturday, Feb. 10, purple lights flooded out through the lofty windows, and a set by Lloyd Jones (DJ Lloyd) got the audience moving as people gathered around the stage.

Those at the event may have experienced some déjà vu, as Mic Check debuted in that very same spot just two years prior. Abbi Abraham ’23, who was involved with the student organization The Shed at the time, first had an idea for a show dedicated to hip-hop and R&B artists at the University. Abraham reached out to Leevon Matthews ’23, an accomplished and well-known hip-hop artist on campus, to help organize the event. Matthews officially formed Mic Check in Fall 2022, earning him the title “The Godfather.”

Since that pivotal moment in February 2022, Mic Check has put on an impressive 12 events, making the concert on Feb. 10 its 13th show. Woody Woody ’25, Mic Check’s current president, recalled the energy of that first show in Albritton—the battle between Matthews and Milton Espinoza (Milly Milz) ’22 and a performance by Nolan Lewis ’25. Initially, he was unsure of how to get involved.

“I just remember seeing it and just feeling so happy, because there’s music on campus, and these people look larger than life…and it looks like everyone’s having a great time,” Woody said. “[I] didn’t know how to get involved, didn’t know anything about how to navigate to get to that point. I’m just seeing it and wishing.”  

In the spring, Woody began getting closer to Matthews, who asked him to perform at Mic Check’s spring performance at Music/Art House.

“[My] first time performing, like maybe 11 people were there, you know, the most fun that I ever had—literally changed my life,” Woody said. “Ever since then, Mic Check [has been] an anchor for a lot of the ways that I saw creative people at Wesleyan, how I thought I could communicate with people, collaborate.…I could tell that [Mic Check] was very much in the process of growing, and just seeing how I could help be a part of it.”

Since Matthews graduated last spring, Woody has stepped up as Mic Check’s president. He shared what this new responsibility has looked like. 

“The one thing that I wanted to embrace the most [was] trying to step into, like a leadership role,” Woody said. “What Leevon had done in the past was trying to stay true to the overall intention of my check… It’s not just about one artist, it’s not just about one person, it’s about the overall culture and community.”

Matthews described the music scene at the University before Mic Check entered the landscape.

“There wasn’t a space where you could go see hip-hop and R&B music,” Matthews said. “So as a person who loves that form of art and as a person who recognizes how much hip-hop and R&B and soul music, blues, that type of music connects to Black people and Brown people at Wesleyan, or in the world in general. I knew that that was a gaping hole.”

Matthews went on to describe the impact of Mic Check on the University music scene in general.

“I see, not only is there a rise in creators that are Black and Brown, students of color, and also hip-hop and R&B artists, but there’s more of a recognition of what that art form does for the student body,” Matthews said.

Brianna Johnson ’24, who has emceed and performed at Mic Check many times, also described the impact of Mic Check on music at the University.

“It changed the game entirely,” Johnson said. “Mic Check really did bust down the doors for students of color. And like, I think the fact that Black Raspberry not only existed and came out of the woodwork, but now it’s a top-tier requested group on campus. I think that kind of thing is all due to Mic Check.”

Johnson went on to describe the importance of the organization in her artistic pursuits.

“As an artist, [Mic Check] definitely gave me the platform that I definitely wouldn’t have given myself,” Johnson said. “It’s inspiring for me as an artist to go there and see other people doing things, and I’m like ‘Okay, maybe I should get back into live events and start writing again.’ Which is what I’m doing now; I’m trying to get back into the sphere of writing music and putting something out.”

Emmett Favreau (Tiz) ’26 first performed at Mic Check this past fall. He’s had a mix of musical inspirations throughout the years, and his first single “beatemup!” got the crowd moving and grooving at this latest show in Albritton.   

“I think part of what it’s taught me, especially leading up to this latest one and with the release of music, is that I do have an attachment, or a dream to be doing stuff like this,” Tiz said. “And it’s really like a way that I express myself.”

Tiz commented on some of the challenges he sees Mic Check face as a hip-hop organization on campus, where the mainstream music scene seems to center on white indie artists. 

“Being at a [predominantly white institution], a lot of people don’t really gravitate towards something like a Mic Check,” Tiz said. “I think it’s really hard. This one succeeded for a lot of reasons…. My last show was on the same night as a single other thing, and the fact that there was a single other thing meant that nobody showed up for a bit. It was really challenging because when we’re between the two events, we are usually not the one that people go to…what I see is us doing bigger things.”

Johnson expressed how students and the University can better support Black artists on campus by showing up.

“For Mic Check, just showing up is the biggest way you can support. Showing up for others is the easiest thing you could do,” Johnson said. “I feel like if you’re in a position [where] you have certain access or privileges to recording equipment or spaces on campus, share that shit, spread the wealth.”

Matthews also emphasized how organizations like Mic Check can be better supported by peers. 

“People should embrace sharing our posts when we post on social media as much as we do,” Matthews said. “Going to these concerts, not just to support their friends, but to hear the voices of the people who are expressing what they have to say. Try to connect with the people that you’re seeing and the people that are performing in a way that benefits you…. I will ask to try to be open-minded about what you can gain from the experiences of hearing these performers, because that’s valuable, because we have something to say.”

Many Mic Check performers already have music out. Be sure to check out Leevon, LorWood (Woody), Tiz, Kennice (Brianna Johnson), and Nolan Lewis on Spotify and Apple Music.  You can keep up with Mic Check events by following @miccheck_wes on instagram.  

Nicki Klar can be reached at nklar@wesleyan.edu.