Jayson Jenkins, better known as Mick Jenkins (his stage name), is an American hip-hop recording artist born in Huntsville, Alabama on April 16th, 1991. He was then raised on the south side of Chicago, Illinois. He is a member of Free Nation, a hip-hop group that promotes creative thought without accepting narrow views imposed by the powers that be. This group believes that when you find a way to combat the status quo, you are free.

At an early age, Jenkins’ mother introduced him to contemporary soul greats such as Prince, Erykah Badu, Sade and Jill Scott, thus promoting her son’s musical sensibility. The young artist was charmed by the emotions carried out in this musical genre and later found hip-hop music to be another effective vehicle for these same feelings due its lyrical richness. As he grew older, his passion for music developed into an ever-increasing rap talent. This led him to enter a rap competition called "Who got Bars"During his sophomore year at the University of Oakwood in Hunstille, Alabama. When he was awarded second place, the prospect of a career in hip-hop crossed his mind and the chemistry he had forged with FreeNation throughout the competition inspired him to take his lyrical persuasions seriously.

In the Fall of 2012, Mick returned to Chicago and began attending YCA (Young Chicago Authors) a youth center where his first acapella verse caught the attention of local artist and leader of Chicago’s Pivot Gang collective, Saba. Shortly after, the two collaborated on “Heaux” for Saba’s 2012 mixtapeGETCOMFORTable.