Mykko Montana is Back To Do It Once Again.
Humbled and hungry, Mykko’s been intentional about the type of music and life he wants his fans to see from him.
There are only a few things on Earth that allow us to connect with people instantly regardless of their background and culture and that’s music. When it’s done right, a song can become something known all over the world and something that becomes a part of generations to follow. Ten years ago, Mykko Montana’s breakout hit, “Do It” featuring K Camp, became one of the premier songs exploding out of the second wave of Atlanta club music.
An instant success, the song catapulted Mykko to the top and with it exposed him to the good and bad parts of the music business. Years later, Mykko’s smarter, more focused and ready for his second run.
Exposed to music at an early age through his family tree, Mykko grew up hearing the rich sounds of the Atlanta bass music scene that his cousin MC Shy D helped pioneer.
“I used to catch glimpses of the video footage and saw so many people on there. I saw footage of Uncle Luke and saw jewelry, cars, sweatsuits and clothes around the house.”
Hearing the music he created made me want to make music like what he heard, says Mykko. Listening to music from his cousin and other southern emcees like OutKast, Goodie Mob, DJ Kizzy Rock, and more only fed the flame inside of Mykko and inspired him to want to make music himself.
Bouncing back and forth from Decatur to Clayton County, he eventually found a home on the Southside and ended up meeting the friends who played a role in his musical success.
“I grew up in Decatur and Clayton County, but Clayton County is all I rep.
Rex Road is all I’ve ever said, says Mykko.
Mykko was the typical child who rode his bike and played sports with the people in his neighborhood. As a teenager, Mykko met one of his earliest positive friends and influences, Waka Flocka Flame, who was already making a name for himself in the rap game with his single, “O Let’s Do It”.
Calling themselves the Fab Five, Mykko found a home and a creative circle where he could grow.
“Waka made sure everyone was doing something around him. It got everyone on their journey to rap, says Mykko.
Eager to make a way for himself, Mykko got on his hustle, working the club scene on the Northside of Atlanta for three years as well as releasing two mixtapes, The Overdraft, and Applying Pressure. Around 2010, Mykko and a collective of like-minded musicians like K Camp, DJ Ricky Moss and A1 SuperGroup all moved in and roomed together in Marietta, living and working together as they all pursued their dreams.
“Back then that was our creative house. Everybody was learning from each other. We all went out. So whatever club one went to, we all went to. We borrowed each other clothes and practiced each other songs.”
Atlanta was going through its second wave of club music, led by the futuristic sounds of artists like J Money, Yung LA, Travis Porter and K Camp whose single “Party All Night” was dominating the airwaves. Clubs like Primetime, Essos and Mariachis became the stage for Atlanta’s next threats, including Mykko. K Camp lent his support to Mykko, who at the time was working the open mic scene with his song Do It.
Originally not a fan of the song, Mykko listened to the advice of his friends and the audience who loved the song.
“The people stopped me from releasing different music. It made me realize that y’all matter.”
After hearing the reception of the song, a mutual friend connected Mykko to producer extraordinaire Nitty, who then helped Mykko broker a deal.
“Rey Lo asked me who I was signed to. He introduced me to Nitty and Nitty let me record. He came into the studio and heard Do It. We shortened the verses up some and released it then. After that, I signed with Universal Records.”
An instant hit, Do It became the song you heard everywhere, whether it was on the radio, on television shows or at college parties. The success of the song brought Mykko directly into the limelight which included nationwide tours, Birthday Bash 17, and a BET performance.
“It was an overwhelming feeling. DJ Drama brought me out for the Birthday Bash then BET. That’s when things got crazy.”
Mykko toured the country and countries like Japan and Germany for two years afterwards. In 2018, Mykko dropped Rich Chocolate and continued promoting his name and sound, but the craziness of fame, business, and personal adversity affected Mykko, forcing him to take time for himself.
The pain of losing a business relationship along with personal acts of violence made Mykko step away and take the time to center himself and prioritize relationships with his family and business partners.
In 2020, Mykko popped back out, heating the streets up with singles and a project No Stylist. Thankful and appreciative, Mykko looks at the current momentum he has as a sign that he is back on the right path and back in God’s blessings. His most recent single, “Raccades” is slowly garnering spins and reestablishing Mykko as someone capable of making versatile music for his fans.
Ten years after his first single, Do It hovers around 10 million views on YouTube and almost 18 million streams on Spotify. Sales and streams aside, Mykko’s grateful to be alive and to still be an integral part of the culture. A quick survey of his social media accounts shows the generational impact the music artists like Mykko, K Camp, and others have made and serve as a reminder of how hard work, faith, and skill can change people’s lives.