Michael Eagle II, better known by his stage name Open Mike Eagle, is an
American alternative hip hop artist. Originally from Chicago, Illinois, he is
now based in Los Angeles, California, where he is a member of the hip hop
collective Project Blowed. He is also a member of Thirsty Fish and Swim Team.
Early life Mike grew up in Chicago and lived with
his grandparents until he was 13 at which point he moved in with his mother.
He attended Whitney M. Young Magnet High School and went on to Southern Illinois
University Carbondale where he majored in psychology. There he became good
friends with Hannibal Buress after being his resident adviser.
He did a year of grad school, 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. As he continued to work odd jobs, Mike
rapped as a hobby before discovering Project Blowed and then creating Thirsty
Fish. Career
In 2010, Open Mike Eagle released the first solo album, Unapologetic Art Rap,
on Mush Records. The album features Nocando, Busdriver, Serengeti and
Hannibal Buress. His second album, Rappers Will Die of Natural Causes, was
released on Hellfyre Club in 2011. It features vocal contributions from P.O.S
and MC Paul Barman. In 2012, Open Mike Eagle released the album, 4nml Hsptl, on
Fake Four Inc. It is entirely produced by Awkward.
In 2012, 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. Open Mike Eagle, Dumbfoundead and
Psychosiz make up the rap trio Thirsty Fish. 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.
On June 13, 2014 & August 15, 2014, Mike Eagle appeared live on Ron and Fez show.
Personal life He met his wife Tiffany at a TransAfrica
nationalist conference at UCLA and they have one son together. He has a younger
brother and sister. Mike Eagle has expressed his
appreciation for the Cartoon Network animated television series Adventure
Time. In June 2015, Eagle along with John Moe, launched "Conversation
Parade", a podcast in which the two discuss the show. The podcast has
featured guests like Jeremy Shada, John DiMaggio, Hynden Walch, and Adam Muto,
Kent Osborne, Niki Yang, Olivia Olson, Jesse Moynihan, Jessica DiCicco,
Elizabeth Ito, and alternative country musician Neko Case.
Style and influences He has coined his own term for the style
of some of his music, which he calls Art Rap.
Discography = Albums=
Unapologetic Art Rap Rappers Will Die of Natural Causes
4NML HSPTL Dark Comedy
= Collaboration albums= Testing the Waters
Ocean's 11 Watergate
= EPs= Art Rap After Party
Extended Nightmares Getdown: The Dark Blue Door
Rent Party Extension Sir Rockabye
A Special Episode Of = Singles=
"I Rock" "Home Movies"
"Ziggy Starfish feat. Thundercat" = Guest appearances=
Abstract Rude - "Thynk Eye Can" from Rejuvenation
Nocando - "DSD2" from Jimmy the Lock Busdriver - "Deer God" from Computer
Cooties Flash Bang Grenada - "In a Perfect
World" from 10 Haters Mega Ran - "Now Hiring" from Mega Ran 10
Myka 9 & Factor - "5 Mikes" from Sovereign Soul
Zilla Rocca - "Full Spectrum 2" from Full Spectrum
Busdriver - "Werner Herzog" from Arguments with Dreams
Cars & Trains - "Stay Awake" from We Are All Storms
Sole - "Definition of Slave" from A Ruthless Criticism of Everything
Existing Premrock & Willie Green - "Jogger" from
Premrock & Willie Green Ras G - Kampala Blackouts
Random - "Super Move" from Language Arts Volume 2
Illogic & Blockhead - "From Scratch" from Preparing for Capture 2
Curly Castro - "My Beloved" Loden - "An Evening with Open Mike
Eagle" from The Star-Eyed Condition Milo - "The Otherground Pizza Party"
from Things That Happen at Night Kool A.D. - "Red Wine" from 63
Billy Woods - "Fool's Gold" from Dour Candy
Steel Tipped Dove - "Hyperbolic Chamber Music II"
Gregory Pepper & Madadam - "Stirring Dead Leaves" from Big Huge Truck
MC Frontalot - "Much Chubbier" from Question Bedtime
Megabusive w/ Awkward - "Apexes and Peaks" and "So Much" from Hell on Hell
Drummachinemike - "The Anti-Socialite's Theme Song", "Bowling Tips" and "The
Kids Don't Like Me" from Drum Machine Music
Busdriver - "When the Tooth-lined Horizon Blinks" from Perfect Hair
Milo - "Objectifying Rabbits" from A Toothpaste Suburb
= Compilation appearances= "Silent Protest" on Prometheus
"Celebrity Reduction Prayer" and "Dark Comedy Late Show" on Persona
References External links
Official website Open Mike Eagle on Mush Records
Open Mike Eagle discography at Discogs