The story of MixEZ, born Jake Colongione, is not just about music. It’s about survival. It’s about what happens when someone refuses to let trauma have the final word.
Through brutally honest hip-hop, MixEZ has turned a lifetime of pain into connection, purpose, and hope. His music doesn’t dress things up or soften the edges. It tells the truth. And that truth has resonated with listeners around the world, earning him over one million streams and a growing community that sees their own struggles reflected in his voice.
From Brooklyn Trauma to a Hard-Earned Voice
MixEZ grew up in Brooklyn, New York, in an environment shaped by abuse, addiction, and emotional chaos. Stability was rare. Safety was uncertain. Those early years left deep marks, setting the stage for a life spent fighting to survive rather than simply exist.
But even then, something else was forming. A drive. A refusal to disappear.
That same pattern of instability followed him into adulthood through two deeply turbulent marriages. Both relationships involved physical assault and repeated death threats. Once again, he found himself trapped in cycles that mirrored his past. And once again, he chose not to stay there.
Music became his outlet and his lifeline. Writing turned into therapy. Recording became confession. Every verse was a way of taking control of a story that once felt powerless.
Music That Speaks for the Unheard
MixEZ doesn’t make music to escape reality. He confronts it head-on.
His songs read like journal entries turned into anthems. They speak directly to people who know betrayal, emotional damage, and the weight of repeating patterns they never chose.
Tracks like “Two for Two” and “Badge of Betrayal” dig into the aftermath of abuse and broken trust. There’s no posturing, no false bravado. Just honesty. For many listeners, those songs don’t just entertain. They validate.
Then comes “Into the Light,” a turning point in his catalog. The song captures the moment when survival turns into resolve. When breaking the cycle becomes non-negotiable. For fans, it’s become an anthem of perseverance, proof that choosing a better life is possible, even when the odds are stacked.
“Single Tear”: A Song That Saved His Life
At the emotional core of the Sunrise album sits “Single Tear.” It’s the song MixEZ points to most often when asked why he’s still here.
Written for his daughter, the track is a raw declaration of love and gratitude. The lyrics are drawn from a poem Colongione wrote years before MixEZ even existed. Long before the album. Long before the streams.
In it, he lays bare the moment everything changed. The moment he found a reason to live that was stronger than the pain he carried.
“Single Tear” doesn’t aim for perfection. It aims for truth. And that’s why it lands so hard. It reminds listeners that even in the darkest moments, one pure connection can become salvation.
More Than a Rapper
By sharing his story without filters, MixEZ has become more than an artist. He’s a survivor who chose healing. A voice for people still finding their way out. A reminder that peace isn’t handed out. It’s earned.
His music doesn’t promise easy answers. What it offers instead is something more real: proof that the fight is worth it, that cycles can be broken, and that a life built on honesty and resilience is possible.
For the people listening, that message matters. And judging by a million streams and counting, it’s one they’ve been waiting to hear.