Michael Aristotle - 001 (EP)
“No rookie, I’m a veteran man” - VET
If you didn’t give Michael Aristotle and Wili Hendrixs their flowers with their 2024 release “Dekalb”, they are starting 2026 the right way - giving you a reminder with their latest release “001”. A double-single pack that encapsulates two vibes but still clears the message that he is the one.
I got a chance to get some insight from the main man himself and asked him how “001” came to be:
“The day before Christmas Eve, I was at the crib and just spontaneously decided that I was gonna drop two songs on New Year’s Eve. I was tired of the same routine of dropping one or two songs and then going ghost. For the new year, I wanted to start over, start clean. I called it “001” not only because I planned to release it on the first day of the first month of the new year but I felt like it’s the first day of new thinking; a new life for my brand in a sense. The first day I started saying “fuck it”. I finished a mixtape in September but technical difficulties in the mixing process put that release on hold. I made sure not to let those technical difficulties deter me from dropping music. If I didn’t just say fuck it, y’all wouldn’t get these songs until next year.”
001 Tracklist - Produced by: WILI HENDRIXS
EAST CHAIN RECORDINGS, 2026.
VET - One of those wavy “if you didn’t know, let me remind who I am” tracks where Michael just talks his shit. Showcasing his flow and forever repping the Eastside, he shows love to the ones that’s been holding him down through his journey.
CAN YA’ TELL? - Sampling “Tell Me If You Still Care” by SOS Band, Michael gets in his lovey-dovey bag for the ladies. Very reminiscent of the 2000’s hits that were infectious on the radio.
In Michael's Own Words:
“VET was originally made in Spring 2024 - the same night that I made “For The Night” that dropped this past summer. “CAN YA’ TELL” came about in July. Wili [Hendrixs] and I had an easy working process. I think it works because we both care about our individual crafts so when he has a beat, I make sure that whatever I write can enhance or compliment it. In turn, when I record, he compliments or enhances the record by moving the beat around my words. There’s days where we can knock out three songs in one evening or fix a song that we made years ago. I still have records from 2020 that I plan to release. In the meantime, I am focusing on giving myself a good chance this year.”
Let this be your warning shot: he’s coming. With his mission to do a 2026 takeover, he’s holding himself accountable to consistently drop all year so get your playlists ready. Make sure to tap into Michael Aristotle and his newest drop with Wili Hendrix's “001” available on all major streaming platforms now.