Mikkey Halsted has been one of Chicago's best-kept secrets for years; he worked with Kanye in the late '90s then signed to Cash Money, where he ghostwrote and recorded with Lil Wayne and Turk. He's been active since, getting press in the mid-2000s for his controversial "Liquor Store,", and has recently been working with No ID and Legendary Traxster on his upcoming album The Force. "Pain," a track from Halstead's new Castro mixtape, is produced by No ID and features Cocaine 80s. The track, which focuses on the motivation and struggles spawned by poverty, best epitomizes Halsted's particular brand of conscientious street rap.
Download: Mikkey Halsted f. Cocaine 80s, "Pain" (Prod. by No ID)