Kalistani Major History

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Immigrant Mic Control Splits Up
Embezzlement charges prove too much for band
Kaliburg, Ananto
February 7, 5370


Queen L Lora Monte and Michel-Guillaume perform date without Tophe, becomes band's last show

The greatest Hip Hop band in Kalistani history has called it quits. Two and a half years after coming in third in FOMAT in Lourenne at the end of a grueling world tour, Immigrant Mic Control has performed their final show. A fairly long, convoluted series of events led to the break up of the band, but the band's Manager Veronica Fucilar has confirmed the split after eight years, two studio albums, a live album and a shelved concert film.

Apparently the break up started with the arrest of Christophe Roland, who is the band's Producer and one of the three MCs, and who goes by Tophe, three weeks ago. Tophe, who cofounded the group with Monte and Bernard was arrested on suspicion of embezzlement of more than 3.7 million Rubles. He was charged with the crime after the manager noticed accounting irregularities in the band's accounts. Fucilar immediately contacted Kalistani authorities who advised her to not inform the band until more information had been uncovered, and upon investigation, signs pointed to the Producer, who was in the process of making illegal contributions on behalf of foreign countries in Artania, Seleya and Majatra. "Tophe treated this band's bank account like a piggy bank, and in return he got payments exceeding 1.9 million rubles which he siphoned off into private bank accounts off shore," said Fucilar. The rest of the band was brought in and shown the evidence of the laundering and theft, and the decision was made immediately to cooperate with police to set up Roland and catch him in the process of making transfers.

Once Roland was captured, the band itself was in crisis. "We felt betrayed by this whole thing," said Monte. "He was our friend, and in a lot of ways, the music that we made was a product of that dude's head, but stealing from your homies, like, why? We were doing so well, he just got greedy. But now what do we do? Who do we trust?" As some of the stolen money was recuperated, the remaining members of the band decided to part ways with their manager. "We love Nika like a sister but this happened on her watch," said Michel-Guillaume. "We couldn't continue doing business with her in absolute trust." A new temporary manager was selected to help the band fulfill its remaining two concert dates, one in Sulari and one at a youth club in Addisjah. "We didn't leave our fans high and dry," said Queen L. The two sets were acoustic sets and the band donated the proceeds of the final show to the Youth Club for After School activities. At the show, they announced their decision to break up.

"We had a good run," said Queen L. "8 years, 3 albums, 1 FOMAT. What other band going now can say the same thing. But there's just a lot of exhaustion and bad blood and I want to be a mom and not be on the road. So its time to do something else." As Roland was being found guilty on 42 counts of Embezzlement, which makes him under Kalistani Law a Class 1b felon, the band he had been a part of was playing their last set. "We are not sure what is going to happen to the movie," said Bernard. "Republican has agreed to shelve it, rather than release it because they would be contractually obligated to give Tophe his 20 percent of the profits and we really REALLY would like to stop that. He got his payout when he robbed this band." Roland is looking at restitution of 2.1 million, which he will unlikely be able to pay and has the option of performing National Service for 10 years on King's Rock in exchange for a discharge of restitution. "We aren't ever going to see any of that money," said Queen L. "The thing is, he stole from us, and it ruined our lives. I loved that guy like a brother. Now he's dead to me."

Queen L or Michael-Guillaume may embark on solo careers, but it is unlikely that anything they do will be as big as the music they made as part of Immigrant Mic Control. For now, both members of the group have returned to their homes, Monte to Addisjah and Bernard to Dulnerstaad.