Open Mike Eagle has always been on the verge of something. He’s clearly an intelligent guy, or at least the self-proclaimed art rapper came off as such in his first album, ‘Unapologetic Art Rap’. Tracks like ‘I Rock’ proved that he had some smarts and showed that Mike was on the verge of something unique. The same is true of his sophomore release ‘Rappers Will Die of Natural Causes’ where he comes to the realisation that he’s actually the “smartest broke guy ever” for choosing a life of art-hop.
However, in such a realisation a natural bitterness crops up frequently. Luckily he redirects that resentment towards mainstream hip-hop, how the first generation will wait in retirement homes & perceptions of black culture as a whole. The results, although humorous, are eloquently made and intelligent. Which is why it’s even tougher to take when Mike does throw up a few cliché ridden topics.
Conflicting? Yes, maybe, I mean he does comment how rapping about guns is played out but then makes whole tracks about smoking weed, something that’s probably just as tiresome, if not more. It’s pretty infrequent but enough to damper the LP.
However, for a new artist a competent and intelligent sounding album on the second attempt is seldom seen and there is more than enough to warrant a listen. Even if it is only for a glimpse of that illusive brilliant album Open Mike Eagle has been threatening to deliver.
Rappers Will Die of Natural Causes was released on the 14th of June and is available to buy on iTunes.
