Mike James Kirkland (born 1949 in Yazoo City, Mississippi) is an American R&B singer.
He began his recording career in 1965, as leader of Mike & The Censations, a quartet which included his brother Robert, their sister and her husband.
They released two albums, "Hang on in There" (1972) and "Doin' it Right" (1973), following the style and social comment of artists like Marvin Gaye and Curtis Mayfield.
The reputation of the albums "Hang on in There" and "Doin' it Right" slowly grew and spread over the following years, culminating with reissues in the '90s by Luv N Haight.
In 2010, John Legend & The Roots released an album that includes a cover of one of Kirkland's songs, "Hang On In There.