Open Mike Eagle has never been shy about getting personal with his music. After emerging from LA's Project Blowed collective, the rapper/producer released his first solo album in 2010 and has been dropping projects at a steady clip ever since. With a comedic wit and quirky eclectic nature to his songs, Mike has also been equally proficient in the worlds of comedy and television. He co-created comedy and music showcase 'The New Negroes,' first as a live event and later as a show for Comedy Central, which we discuss in this episode. He's also no stranger to podcasts – from his own Secret Skin podcast, as well as 'What Had Happened Was,' his acclaimed interview series with the legendary producer Prince Paul, all on his own Stony Island Audio podcast network, which is also home to 'Can't Knock the Shuffle.' Here are the songs that we dive into in this episode:

"Sounds Like Rap" (Thirsty Fish, 'Watergate,' 2011)

"Art Rap Party" ('Unapologetic Art Rap', 2010)

"Single Ghosts" ('What Happens When I Try To Relax', 2018)

"Woke As Me" feat Phonte Coleman ('The New Negroes' Season 1 Soundtrack, 2019)

"Leave People Alone" ('Hella Personal Film Festival', 2016)

"Overland" (Cavanaugh, 'Time and Materials', 2015)

"Raps for When It's Just You and the Abyss" ('A Special Episode', 2015)

We also discuss the increasing difficulties for indie artists trying to navigate the music industry, the lessons Mike learned in creating a show (and accompanying music videos) for a cable network, and how his writing has evolved over the years.

Open Mike Eagle:

www.mikeeagle.net

instagram.com/seandammit

twitter.com/seandammit

instagram.com/thequestionshiphop

Email: cantknocktheshuffle@gmail.com

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