Fresh off an appearance at the Rose Quarter (that’s the “Moda Center” if you’re a newbie), Mic Capes doubled up on his NBA swag, dropping the Damian Lillard-assisted Reloaded 2.0.

With no plans to mail it in, Mic delivered new verses over the beat by upcoming Portland producer/DJ Donta, providing a spirited renewal of a popular album cut that was originally pegged as a freestyle. “I wanted to come fresh,” said Capes. “I feel like it’s cheating the audience when artists come with the same verse on a remix. I had experienced new things as well since the original song dropped that I had to express in the new verse too. I write from real experiences. Since the release of In Spite Of… I’ve gotten a lot more attention. Some hate and a lot more love. I wanted to speak on that and it came out the way it did.”

Apparently, this collaboration with Dame has been in the works for some time. I’d heard rumors previously that something was cooking, so Mic added some context. “Over time I sent him a few different tracks but the Reloaded beat was the one that he gravitated towards the most. After that, things pretty much just fell into place. I think I sent that to him in the summer of 2021.”

The song has great energy and the styles pair well. I wondered if there was a plan for more. “I’m not really sure but this one has been in the works for a while,” Capes explained. “I knew it would happen eventually, I just didn’t know when. Dame has been a big supporter of mine from the gate and vice versa so it’s dope to finally see the collab materialize. You never know, there may be much more in the future. I’m down with it.”

I’ve been discussing for years how Lillard’s willingness to step directly into the local rap scene sets him apart from other superstars in Portland. In many ways, he’s become a steward of the local hip-hop scene; Portland’s version of Marshawn Lynch (in Seattle). I for one, think it’s good for the city.

Reloaded 2.0 surpassed 11,000 Spotify plays, a milestone Mic celebrated over this last weekend.