Sir Michael Rocks has always been a little ahead of his time, a little more original than his peers, a little bit more creative. As a teenager, he started making music under the name Mikey Rocks as one half of groundbreaking duo The Cool Kids. Formed over the Internet and powered by a strong grassroots fanbase online, the group helped redefine the image of rap for the Internet era with an effortlessly cool throwback style and an iconic, laid-back fashion sense. Rechristening himself as Sir Michael Rocks in 2011, the restlessly creative artist, now based in Miami after time spent in Chicago and LA, has been pushing the boundaries of rap originality even further in recent years with a string of popular, critically acclaimed mixtapes.

Born Antoine Reed, Rocks grew up as the youngest of three outside of Chicago, where he developed a lifelong interest in the outdoors. Nature looms as an influence in his music, and Rocks aims to infuse the creativity, strength, and beauty he finds in settings like the beach, the deep sea, or the woods into the world of rap. Fittingly, over the last few years, he's sold off all his old diamond-studded jewelry in favor of handmade wooden pieces that offer personal significance and power. A defining style icon for the contemporary era, Rocks has moved toward a simpler look in other areas as well, embracing a comfort-driven look that fans will be eager to adopt.

But even if Rocks is driven in many ways toward a simpler aesthetic, the ideas internalized in his recent music are increasingly evolved. He's worked to incorporate the theoretical underpinnings of alchemy—the idea of an exchange, that nothing can be made without giving something up—into his music, noting that people can make anything they want if they're willing to do so. A lifelong love of video games and anime has nurtured other values as well: hard work, respect for others, and, above all, a refusal to let his surroundings temper his innate sense of joy.

Mac Miller, Iamsu!, DJ Mustard, Twista, Too $hort, and Chuck Inglish, are among the diverse range of collaborators Rocks has worked with.

Rapper