Mike City

Michael Flowers, aka Mike City, achieved great success as a songwriter and producer behind Carl Thomas’ “I Wish,” Sunshine Anderson’s “Heard It All Before,” and Brandy’s “Full Moon.” He started well before that and continues decades later with work that has included not just mature contemporary R&B, but gospel, rap, pop, and house as well. A few years after he graduated from North Carolina Central University, Flowers established himself by producing, presenting, and appearing on the rap compilation The N.C. All Star Project, Vol. 1 (1997), after which he released an R&B-oriented solo album, City Limits (1998). Following those recordings, he worked primarily behind the scenes. He made his commercial breakthrough with work for Thomas and scored subsequent major hits with Anderson and Brandy around the time albums from Bilal, Babyface, and Usher arrived with his touch. Flowers worked steadily through the next couple decades without being confined to one genre; Karen Clark-Sheard, the Game, and Rihanna were among those who sought his skills. During the mid-2010s, Flowers concentrated on soul-rooted house music, and featured as a lead vocalist on several singles from labels such as Tribe and Defected. For the BBE label, he also produced The Feel Good Agenda, Vol. 1 (2017), with vocals from several of his past associates, including Thomas, Faith Evans, Lalah Hathaway, and Dwele. ~ Andy Kellman