Key Takeaways:
- “Need Me” blends West Coast energy with introspective lyrics about independence.
- Mike Steezy opened up in a recent interview about his creative process and staying authentic.
- The single follows his 2025 EP with Gotd**nitdupri and marks a return to solo work.
Mike Steezy has returned with “NEED ME,” his first solo single of 2026. Released on Friday (Jan. 16), the Los Angeles rapper dished out bars about getting to the bag and holding down the West Coast.
“I think you see how serious it get / Me and Benjamins about to link up once again / Every single step I take, a blessing, what a gift,” he raps over the Bobby B-produced instrumental. “She only wants Steezy / I think your shawty only want me / To live this life I live, it ain’t easy / The homies say the Westside need me.”
“NEED ME” marked Steezy’s first release since last year’s Let Me Remind You, his joint EP with producer Gotd**nitdupri, and a promising one at that. Take a listen to the new single below.
In an interview shared to his Instagram on Wednesday (Jan. 14), Steezy opened up about his sound and lyrical approach. “I really don’t chase trends, and I don’t chase the next best producer. I don’t really try to chase what everybody’s on,” the rapper explained. “I just try to be who I wanna be musically.”
“If I hear something, I’ma do it just like I wanna do it. I’m not gonna do it how I see other people do it, and [I’m] not saying that’s a bad thing ‘cause I do take inspiration from a lot of different artists,” he continued. “The way I wanna separate myself is just always being who I am and showing the world that the way of life and the way of Steez can change you.”
Steezy went on to list some of the many artists who shaped him growing up, including The Notorious B.I.G., 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube. He also named Kendrick Lamar as one of the acts from the “newer generation” that he listened to in high school.