Skip to main content
Elan Eichler, a rapper who performed as Mighty Misc, died by suicide on April 7 in Cleveland, Ohio. Eichler’s life was celebrated in Portland on April 21 at The Hungry Hungry Hip-Hop showcase, which he founded 13 years ago, at Mississippi Pizza Pub’s Atlantis Lounge. An online obituary organized by the Eichler family lists his parents, Dan and Karen; his fiancée, Dakotah Kennedy, and a wide-reaching circle of friends and extended relatives as his survivors.
Eichler was born in San Francisco in 1989, and moved with his family to Portland in 1992. Eichler began performing as Mighty Misc in 2004 when he was in high school, heavily influenced by Portland group Lifesavas. He performed solo and as part of a group, State of Mind. A nerdcore rapper who often blended sci-fi, superheroes and his Jewish heritage into his lyrics, Eichler was also open on tracks about his mental health.
“The biggest struggle I have faced is my lifelong struggle with bipolar disorder, especially the depressive side of bipolar,” Eichler said in a January interview with the magazine Voyage Ohio. “Making music during periods of depression has been really tough, and I have been forced to take breaks to focus on getting back to a good place where I can be creative.”
Along with HHHH, Eichler was a big supporter of Morpheus Youth Project, a hip-hop program that served incarcerated Oregon juveniles for over a decade. He was also a proud supporter of Friends of Noise, the local nonprofit supporting Portland’s all-ages music shows. Mighty Misc quickly established himself in Cleveland, performing in local showcases and releasing his final album, Boom Bap Derby, last December.
“Elan left this world far too soon, our hearts break for his loved ones and all who knew him,” Friends of Noise writes in a statement to WW. “Elan personified the spirit of hip hop as well his deep commitment to arts, the youth, and social justice. We hope each day brings more healing to Elan’s loved ones, and will continue to support the creative youth of our community just as Elan did.”
Musicians mourned Eichler’s death across social media platforms. They remembered Eichler’s love for life, sense of humor, and knack for building community among musicians and music lovers. Many of the musicians’ posts encouraged their fans to check on their loved ones and take their mental health seriously.
“He was an incredibly vibrant and jovial guy and it just goes to show these types of ppl aren’t always happy inside,” wrote Portland rapper Jahdi in an April 12 Facebook post. “Dealing with depression and bipolar a lot of times ppl mask these things with a happy exterior. Check on those ppl sometimes man cuz everything ain’t always what it seems.”
“Heaven just got a lot more fire bars and Laughs in [its] ranks,” wrote Benjamin Mauro, aka Diction Uno. “You’ll forever be missed. Thank you for everything.”
The rapper Milc, with instrumentalist Televangel, released a tribute song to Eichler, “Just One More Time,” on April 26.
“Let me freestyle with Misc just one more time,” Milc raps, “Let me hear one more self-deprecating rhyme/Listening to these songs feels like going back in time/Pour my brew out for the mighty just one more time.”
The Eichler family is accepting donations in Mighty Misc’s name for Friends of Noise, Ethos Music Center, Cleveland Jewish Collective, and The Buckeye Flame.
The state of Oregon’s suicide prevention website offers links to crisis phone lines for county and national centers, including centers for veterans, a text line and online help links. Culturally specific resources are also available.