Stage Name Journey

Mike Posner shares how he decided to use his real name instead of a stage name as a young artist.

"When I was 13, I was already a rapper - started rapping when I was 8. Around 13, I started to consider creating a stage name. I'd go 6 months with one name - I had this rapper name 'Acrimony,' then 6 months later I threw it out. Then I said 'from here on out, my name is MCMP, the world will know MCMP.'

But then I had this thought to myself - my music isn't an act. The stuff I write was just what was happening in my life, it was real to me. So I shouldn't have a stage name. I said 'I'm gonna go by Mike Posner, that's my name and that's who I am. Who I am in life is who I am in my music.'

This came back almost 20 years later when I wrote 'I Took a Pill in Ibiza.' My career had plummeted, and I was known for doing frat songs and party songs. I started contemplating changing my name for this project - maybe I'll change my name to 'The Truth.' But then I quickly got my head out of my ass and went 'hey, this is my story' and I've owned it for better or worse."