Mike Ladd Scholar, poet, recording artist and... professor? Mike Ladd personifies the new breed of Black Intellectual: able to fuse the worlds of hip hop and academic discourse. His three albums, Easy Listening for Armageddon, Mike Ladd: Live from Paris, and the newly released Welcome to the Afterfuture have drawn critical raves. His live shows have become legend and have Mike touring throughout Europe and the U.S. His blend of Gil Scott Heron consciousness paired with the subliminal beats of trip hop and trance make Mike Ladd a star on the rise. Is the world ready for Mike Ladd?