Fort Minor is Mike’s hip hop side project. The album The Rising Tied was released on the 21st (22nd-US) November 2005.

Mike played almost every instrument on the album and produced it, with Jay Z as his executive producer, Brad Delson also gave his input into the track listing. The album had a number of guests on each track, with Styles of Beyond being on 6 of them.

Mike took Styles of Beyond on tour with him, as well as the drummer Beatdown. Holly Brook also made several appearances on tour with them, and Chester filled in her vocals on “Where’d You Go” at the 2006 Summer Sonic show.

In the UK the “Believe Me” single and video was released. In the US “Petrified”, “Where’d You Go” and” Remember The Name” were released. The “Where’d You Go” video had to be retired from TRL due to it’s immense popularity and Mike picked up a VMA in 2006 for “Ringtone of The Year” for the track.

Mike also did the artwork himself for the album cover and 10 other pieces under the same theme which was then used for his art show, Diamonds, Hearts, Spades, Clubs.

Prior to the release of The Rising Tied, the Fort Minor mixtape, DJ Green Latern Presents: Fort Minor: We Major was released (30th October, 2005), which included the popular Spraypaint and Inkpens (feat. Lupe Fiasco), remixes of songs from The Rising Tied, and other tracks featuring Mike and Styles of Beyond rapping over rock tracks and beats.

During Linkin Park live shows Mike puts a verse of Petrified, Dolla, Bloc Party or There They Go over the top of the Points of Authority intro.

Although there are no current plans for a follow up to The Rising Tied Mike has produced Styles of Beyond’s new album.