Houston’s own Mike Jones recently took some time out of his schedule, while up here in New York City doing a show for 10.Deep Clothing and sharing the stage with Paul Wall for the first time in close to 7 years, to chop it up with us here at The Source.

There aren’t many people on the planet, at least that have followed and listened to hip hop for the better part of the last 10 years, that can’t regurgitate Mike Jones’ phone number off the top. Two-Eight-One-Three-Three-’Oh’-Eight-Zero-Zero-’Fo’ (281-330-8004) infiltrated the minds of millions of people around the world back in the mid-2000′s, and never quite left. Jones himself on the other hand, did, leaving both fans and critics alike confused as to how someone with as much global success and notoriety in his southern region of Houston could just up-and-leave the game.

But there was more to the man we all thought we knew so well, and we really mean know. Rewind the clock to 2004 or 2005 and tell us how many other artist hit you with such a viral, witty marketing initiative as his “Who?” campaign – or were as accessible to his fans as that phone number previously mentioned: very few. In fact you could probably count them on your hands alone. In a world before social media platforms were at the forefront of interaction and promotion, Jones got himself to “trend”, if you will, and brought Houston hip hop center stage. Jones went platinum-plus with 2005′s Who Is Mike Jones?, boosted by the drive-slow classic “Still Tippin’,” which featured Slim Thug and Paul Wall.

In our exclusive interview with the Ice Age Ent. CEO we spoke with him about all things since those days, including the lessons he’s learned, the reasons behind his musical hiatus, his early discovery and support of Riff Raff, and much more.

Peep the video below and be on the lookout for his Money Train project in the near future.

Mike Jones x The Source: Talks Musical Hiatus, Supporting Riff Raff, & Lessons Learned

– Scott Randell (@DefinedByMvsic)