Open Mike Eagle Explained

Open Mike Eagle
Birth Name:Michael W. Eagle II
Alias:Mike Eagle
Birth Date:14 November 1980
Origin:Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Occupation:Rapper
Years Active:2003–present

Michael W. Eagle II[1] (born November 14, 1980),[2] better known by his stage name Open Mike Eagle, is an American hip hop artist and comedian. Originally from Chicago, Illinois, he is now based in Los Angeles, California,[3] where he is a member of the hip hop collective Project Blowed.[4] He has also been a member of Thirsty Fish, Swim Team,[5] and Cavanaugh.[6]

Early life

Mike grew up in Chicago's Robert Taylor Homes and lived with his grandparents until he was 13 at which point he moved in with his mother.[7] Mike also has a younger brother and sister. He attended Whitney M. Young Magnet High School and went on to Southern Illinois University Carbondale where he majored in psychology.[8]

He attended graduate school for one year, but quickly moved to Los Angeles to live with his dad. He began working for AmeriCorps for six months before getting a job at a non-profit halfway house.[7] As he continued to work odd jobs, Mike rapped as a hobby before discovering Project Blowed and then creating Thirsty Fish.[7]

Career

Music

Open Mike Eagle, with Dumbfoundead and Psychosiz, formed the rap trio Thirsty Fish.[9] They released the first album Testing the Waters in 2007 and the second album Watergate on Mush Records in 2011. All three members of Thirsty Fish are also co-founders of the battle crew Swim Team. In 2008, Swim Team released the mixtape Ocean's 11.

In 2010, Open Mike Eagle released his first solo album, Unapologetic Art Rap, on Mush Records.[10] The album features Nocando, Busdriver, and Serengeti.[11] His second album, Rappers Will Die of Natural Causes, was released on Hellfyre Club in 2011.[12] It features vocal contributions from P.O.S and MC Paul Barman.[13] [14]

In 2012, he released an album, 4nml Hsptl, on Fake Four Inc.[15] It is entirely produced by Awkward.[16] In that year, he co-authored and participated in a study conducted by the National Institutes of Health that observed the locations of increased brain activity during freestyle rapping.[17]

In 2014, he released an album, Dark Comedy.[18] In 2016, he released Hella Personal Film Festival, a collaborative album with Paul White.[19] In 2017, he released Brick Body Kids Still Daydream, a concept album about the Robert Taylor Homes, a public housing project in Chicago, Illinois.[20] It was placed at number 34 on Rolling Stones "50 Best Albums of 2017" list,[21] as well as number 49 on Pitchforks "50 Best Albums of 2017" list.[22] In 2018, he released an EP, What Happens When I Try to Relax.[23]

Podcasts and comedy

In June 2015, Eagle along with John Moe, launched "Conversation Parade", a podcast in which the two discuss the Cartoon Network animated television series Adventure Time. The podcast has featured guests like Jeremy Shada, John DiMaggio, Hynden Walch, Adam Muto, Kent Osborne, Niki Yang, Olivia Olson, Jesse Moynihan, Jessica DiCicco, Elizabeth Ito, and Neko Case.[24] More recently, Open Mike Eagle podcasts regularly on his podcast Secret Skin.[25] Mike Eagle also co-hosts the pro wrestling podcast Tights and Fights with Hal Lublin and Danielle Radford on the Maximum Fun Network.[26] Mike Eagle also hosts the podcast "What Had Happened Was," during which he conducts in-depth interviews with hip-hop artists about their careers. During Season 1, Mike Eagle spoke with producer Prince Paul, and during Season 2 he interviewed rapper and producer El-P.[27] Season 3 featured Mike interviewing producer and record executive Dante Ross.

Film and television

Mike Eagle has expressed his appreciation for Adventure Time.[28] During Adventure Times tenth season, he appeared in the episode "Son of Rap Bear", voicing a rapping gingerbread man.[29] On April 18, 2017, Comedy Central announced they were greenlighting The New Negroes, a stand-up and musical series co-hosted by Open Mike Eagle and Baron Vaughn.[30] The New Negroes premiered on Comedy Central on April 9, 2019 and includes a new music video each episode in which Eagle collaborates with other hip-hop artists including MF Doom,[31] Danny Brown,[32] Phonte,[33] and Lizzo.[34] He also appeared in three episodes of Netflix's 2020 show History of Swear Words.[35] He writes original songs for AppleTV+'s Strange Planet.

Personal life

He met his ex-wife Tiffany at a TransAfrica conference at UCLA, and they have one son together.[7] Mike Eagle and his wife divorced in 2020.

Style and influences

Open Mike Eagle has coined his own term for the style of some of his music, which he calls "art rap".[36] In a 2016 interview, he stated that They Might Be Giants influenced him.[37] [38]

Discography

Studio albums

Solo

Collaborations

Mixtapes

EPs

Singles

Guest appearances

Compilation appearances

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Annalise. Kamegawa. Open Mike Eagle turns an American hero in 'Brick Body Kids Still Daydream'. The Daily Californian. September 18, 2017. October 20, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181020140855/http://www.dailycal.org/2017/09/18/open-mike-brick-body-kids-still-daydream/. October 20, 2018. live.
  2. Web site: David. Jeffries. Open Mike Eagle – Biography. AllMusic. October 20, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181020062628/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/open-mike-eagle-mn0002113916/biography. October 20, 2018.
  3. Web site: SXSW 2011: Politicking with Shabazz Palaces and Open Mike Eagle. Los Angeles Times. March 19, 2011. February 16, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20110326031738/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2011/03/sxsw-2011-politicking-with-shabazz-palaces-and-open-mike-eagle-.html. March 26, 2011. live.
  4. Web site: Open Mike Eagle Unapologetically Talks About "Art Rap". LA Weekly. July 8, 2010. February 16, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120722121107/http://blogs.laweekly.com/westcoastsound/2010/07/open_mike_eagle_unapologetical.php. July 22, 2012. dead.
  5. Web site: Monster. A Conversation With Open Mike Eagle. Complex. June 28, 2012. April 4, 2020.
  6. Web site: Timmhotep. Aku. First Watch: Cavanaugh (Open Mike Eagle & Serengeti), 'Screen Play'. NPR. November 4, 2015. April 4, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20191014065400/https://www.npr.org/2015/11/04/454636266/first-watch-cavanaugh-open-mike-eagle-serengeti-screen-play. October 14, 2019. live.
  7. Web site: BA #064:'Open' Mike Eagle. Box Angeles podcast. February 16, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150219065245/http://boxangeles.com/2015/02/15/ba-064-open-mike-eagle/. February 19, 2015. live.
  8. Web site: Open Mike Eagle, Baron Vaughn hybrid TV series showcases comics, singers. Chicago Sun-Times. Moira. McCormick. April 18, 2019. May 18, 2020.
  9. Web site: Fly Like an (Open Mike) Eagle: Soaring with Rap's Comedic Genius. Noisey. Max. Bell. June 9, 2014. October 31, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181031052455/https://noisey.vice.com/en_us/article/rbed56/open-mike-eagle-interview-profile. October 31, 2018. live.
  10. Web site: Kevin. Jones. Open Mike Eagle – Unapologetic Art Rap. Exclaim!. May 2010.
  11. Web site: Open Mike Eagle. UGSMAG. May 10, 2010. February 16, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120221094030/http://ugsmag.com/2010/05/open-mike-eagle/. February 21, 2012. dead.
  12. Web site: Dan. Weiss. Open Mike Eagle – Rappers Will Die of Natural Causes. The Phoenix. August 30, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20120107043739/http://thephoenix.com/Boston/music/125947-open-mike-eagle-rappers-will-die-of-natural-caus/. January 7, 2012. live.
  13. Web site: Open Mike Eagle – "Why Pianos Break ft. P.O.S.". UGSMAG. June 7, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20120208132931/http://ugsmag.com/2011/06/open-mike-eagle-why-pianos-break-ft-p-o-s/. February 8, 2012. dead.
  14. Web site: Fred. Castano. Open Mike Eagle – Rappers Will Die Of Natural Causes. Potholes in My Blog. June 19, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20130522072326/http://potholesinmyblog.com/open-mike-eagle-rappers-will-die-of-natural-causes/. May 22, 2013. live.
  15. Web site: Premiere: Open Mike Eagle ft. Serengeti – "Universe Man". Pigeons & Planes. May 14, 2012. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120516234105/http://pigeonsandplanes.com/2012/05/exclusive-premiere-open-mike-eagle-ft-serengeti-universe-man.html. May 16, 2012.
  16. Web site: Open Mike Eagle, 4NML HSPTL. Impose. Matt. Sullivan. July 2, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120723052647/http://www.imposemagazine.com/reviews/4nml-hsptl--open-mike-eagle. July 23, 2012. live.
  17. Liu. Siyuan. Chow. Ho Ming. Xu. Yisheng. Erkkinen. Michael G.. Swett. Katherine E.. Eagle. Michael W.. Rizik-Baer. Daniel A.. Braun. Allen R.. Neural Correlates of Lyrical Improvisation: An fMRI Study of Freestyle Rap. Scientific Reports. 2012. 2. 10.1038/srep00834. 23155479. 3498928. free. 834. 2012NatSR...2E.834L.
  18. Web site: Open Mike Eagle Is Indie Rap's Sharpest, Funniest Social Critic. LA Weekly. Jeff. Weiss. December 24, 2014. October 30, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181031010600/https://www.laweekly.com/music/open-mike-eagle-is-indie-raps-sharpest-funniest-social-critic-5304481. October 31, 2018. live.
  19. Web site: Open Mike Eagle and Paul White Team for Hella Personal Film Festival, Share "Check to Check". Pitchfork. C. G.. Matera. February 4, 2016. October 30, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181225215042/https://pitchfork.com/news/63348-open-mike-eagle-and-paul-white-team-for-hella-personal-film-festival-share-check-to-check/. December 25, 2018. live.
  20. Web site: Open Mike Eagle's New Album 'Brick Body Kids Still Daydream' Due This Year – XXL. XXL. July 31, 2017 . August 26, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170906052549/http://www.xxlmag.com/news/2017/07/open-mike-eagles-new-album-brick-body-kids-still-daydream-this-year/. September 6, 2017. live.
  21. 50 Best Albums of 2017. Rolling Stone. December 14, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171213234414/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/50-best-albums-of-2017-w511763/open-mike-eagle-brick-body-kids-still-daydream-w511797. December 13, 2017. live.
  22. Web site: The 50 Best Albums of 2017 (page 1 of 5). Pitchfork. December 12, 2017. October 30, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181031005223/https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/the-50-best-albums-of-2017/?page=1. October 31, 2018. live.
  23. Web site: Salvatore. Maicki. Open Mike Eagle shares new EP What Happens When I Try To Relax. The Fader. October 18, 2018. October 20, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181020140554/https://www.thefader.com/2018/10/18/new-open-mike-eagle-ep-what-happens-when-i-try-to-relax. October 20, 2018. live.
  24. Web site: Conversation Parade: An Adventure Time Podcast. Eagle. Mike. Moe. John. 2015. Infinite Guest Podcast Network. June 27, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150630025834/http://www.infiniteguest.org/conversation-parade/. June 30, 2015. live.
  25. Web site: Secret Skin ® Podcast APM Podcasts. APM Podcasts. February 3, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170203164459/https://www.apmpodcasts.org/secret-skin/. February 3, 2017. live.
  26. Web site: Tights and Fights. August 5, 2016. Maximum Fun Network. November 2, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171107015442/http://www.maximumfun.org/shows/tights-and-fights. November 7, 2017. live.
  27. Web site: What Had Happened Was Starburns Audio . Starburns Audio . 12 June 2021.
  28. Web site: Rapper Open Mike Eagle Talks Adventure Time, Art Rap, and XTC. Staggs. Matt. June 13, 2014. Suvudu. June 27, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150630114356/http://suvudu.com/2014/06/rapper-open-mike-eagle-talks-adventure-time-art-rap-and-xtc.html. June 30, 2015. live.
  29. Son of Rap Bear. Adventure Time. Cartoon Network. 10. 3. Lafyatis, Diana (supervising director); Sandra Lee (art director); Seo Kim & Somvilay Xayaphone (storyboard artists). September 17, 2017.
  30. Web site: Comedy Central Picks Up 'Corporate', 'The New Negroes' & 'Taskmaster' To Series, Orders 9 Pilots. Deadline Hollywood. April 18, 2017. April 17, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200131003037/https://deadline.com/2017/04/comedy-central-corporate-the-new-negroes-taskmaster-series-pilots-1202071296/. January 31, 2020. live.
  31. Web site: Open Mike Eagle & MF Doom – 'Police Myself' (Music Video). YouTube. April 25, 2019. May 15, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190522230736/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wAU5I696xg. May 22, 2019. live.
  32. Web site: Open Mike Eagle & Danny Brown – 'Unfiltered' (Music Video). YouTube. April 15, 2019. May 15, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190514124156/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oYxYtelBOU. May 14, 2019. live.
  33. Web site: Open Mike Eagle & Phonte – 'Woke as Me' (Music Video). YouTube. May 2, 2019. May 15, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190510000251/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nOOrOOQqsE. May 10, 2019. live.
  34. Web site: Open Mike Eagle & Lizzo – 'Extra Consent' (Music Video). YouTube. May 9, 2019. May 15, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190617153440/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HslbuwTMhrw. June 17, 2019. live.
  35. Web site: IMDB History of Swear Words. . 7 January 2021.
  36. Web site: WTF Is Art-Rap?!. LA Weekly. Jeff. Weiss. July 8, 2010. February 16, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20150215110135/http://www.laweekly.com/music/wtf-is-art-rap-2165868. February 15, 2015. live.
  37. Web site: How They Might Be Giants influenced art-rapper Open Mike Eagle. Vox. Estelle. Caswell. June 7, 2016. October 30, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181031005340/https://www.vox.com/2016/6/7/11870416/they-might-be-giants-art-rap-open-mike-eagle. October 31, 2018. live.
  38. Web site: Put a little birdhouse in your rhymes: How They Might Be Giants influenced Open Mike Eagle. The A.V. Club. Chris. Dart. June 23, 2016. October 30, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181031005312/https://news.avclub.com/put-a-little-birdhouse-in-your-rhymes-how-they-might-b-1798248676. October 31, 2018. live.
  39. Web site: Pop & Hiss premiere: The Hellfyre Club's 'Prometheus' mixtape. Los Angeles Times. March 11, 2011. February 16, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20111209144147/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2011/03/pop-and-hiss-premiere-the-hellfyre-clubs-prometheus-mixtape.html. December 9, 2011. live.
  40. Web site: Open Mike Eagle teams with Oddisee for "Celebrity Reduction Prayer" – listen. Consequence of Sound. Ben. Kaye. February 27, 2015. March 12, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150302010110/http://consequenceofsound.net/2015/02/open-mike-eagle-teams-with-oddisee-for-celebrity-reduction-prayer-listen/. March 2, 2015. live.
  41. Web site: Open Mike Eagle – 30 Days, 30 Songs . 30 Days 30 Songs . June 22, 2020.

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