Lucille Ball (Hades)

From the upcoming album "Dark Comedy," available June 10th from Mello Music Group.

ABOUT THE ALBUM:
One famous Oscar Wilde aphorism claimed: “if you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise, they’ll kill you.” Open Mike Eagle lacks the capacity to tell anything but the truth. In a nation that prizes self-aggrandizing buffoons and artful liars, morbid humor might be the sanest response—a tourniquet to stop the toxicity from spreading. 

If this sounds heavy, it’s probably because it is. Dark Comedy, the Mello Music debut from the critically revered Los Angeles rapper, is mostly about the failure of Karl Marx’s Proletariat Revolution. Yet its brilliance stems less from the novelty of its ideas than from the ingenuity of its wordplay, its caustic whimsy, and infectious melodies. 

Opening track “Dark Comedy Morning Show” operates as a shorthand manifesto. For those who haven’t heard, Eagle’s bad at sarcasm, so he works in absurdity (when trying not to wish death on the upper class). The airing of grievances includes racial stereotypes, inner-city warfare and Facebook logging all of his favorite sandwiches. It’s Slug’s “Modern Man’s Hustle” if the Atmosophere frontman had been haunted by James Baldwin’s ghost instead of heavily tattooed exes. 

Lead single “Qualifiers” finds Eagle subverting the notions of traditional rap braggadocio and lyrical terrain. His revolution isn’t just some abstract political ideals, but at the crux of his approach to art. This is intended to dump Coconut Water and whiskey on the unsuspecting heads of those with false ideas of authenticity or what rap should be.  

Lest you mistake him for a meditating yoga-panted rapper, the rapper raised on the Southside of Chicago, wields wordplay as sharp and weird as any of his peers. He proclaims himself “the King of all rappers who don’t condone date rape.” Molotov Cocktails are helpfully tossed from fellow conspirators Kool AD and comedian, Hannibal Burress.

Former hockey star Luc Robataille is rhymed with the Kobra Kai Dojo from Karate Kid. In the same breath, Eagle cracks about being too old to die. It’s absurdity in the sense that Joseph Heller deployed it in Catch 22. He will live forever or die in the attempt. 

If you’re just tuning into Eagle’s stellar career on album number four, the LA Weekly anointed him last year as the hottest thing in indie rap. Pitchfork called him a “whiz with matching easy-going hooks to intimate personal reflection.” But Dark Comedy could be the best thing he’s ever done—a record that captures the perennial struggle between art and commerce, the last half-century of widening class rift, and the need to be funny or die. 


Open Mike Eagle - Dark Comedy Morning Show (feat. Toy Light)

single from the L'Orange album "The Orchid Days"

L'Orange - "Mind Vs. Matter (feat. Homeboy Sandman)"

“Now or Never” is the second single off of the second Converse CONS compilation, CONS EP Vol. 2, coming later this fall. The song was partially recorded at Converse Rubber Tracks in Brooklyn, New York. 

Produced by: Black Milk & BADBADNOTGOOD 
Music by: BADBADNOTGOOD
Lyrics by: Black Milk
Vocals by: Black Milk


Black Milk x BADBADNOTGOOD – “Now or Never”

The Past… is the first of three EPs leading up to the fourth studio album from prolific, Indie MC, Substantial. This time around the veteran wordsmith has partnered with HiPNOTT Records producer duo and fellow Maryland natives, The Other Guys for his latest release. Substantial’s musical past, pre-Hyde Out Productions, included many collaborations with Isaiah of TOG, which makes their project’s title quite fitting. The Past… features Von Pea of Tanya Morgan, Substantial’s protegé, See King, cuts from DJ Jav and plenty of that soulful boom bap The Other Guys have been known to provide. Lyrically, Substantial is as sharp as ever and covers subjects such as the dying art of MCing, dreams limited by stereotypes, and the exploitation of his former producer, Nujabes. 

Substantial’s full length album The Past Is Always Present In The Future drops fourth quarter 2015. Until then, enjoy this appetizer and look forward to more flavorful Hip Hop music to feed your soul.

Substantial & The Other Guys: MLK (Dream Big) feat. See King

Produced by The Doppelgangaz 
Mixed by The Doppelgangaz 
Recorded by The Doppelgangaz @ The Brothel, NY 
Mastered by Ricardo Gutierrez for RicardoMasters 
Executive Produced by Matter ov Fact & EP

What Am I

From the album "Keep The Feel: a legacy of hip-hop soul" - out 4/28 on Keep The Feel Ent.

Abstract Rude "Walk Slower Daddy"

Written & Performed By: NorCal Nick // Produced By D-Rock // Art By Pvtso // Photo Credit By Stephanie Angulo                                                                                                                                                                   -- Going Nowhere is the second single from D-Rock's upcoming solo project titled "The No-No Beat Tape" which is out NOW! featuring myself & Hassan Mackey and more. Head on over to D-Rock's Bandcamp for the full tape (d-rockmelodeez.bandcamp.com)

dl here

NorCal Nick - Going Nowhere (prod. D-Rock)

Tom Hardison & Kno unroll a new joint for the first time since 2010's "Around I Go" & "Rhythm Of The Rain" with "Rolled Up". Produced by Kno.

Rolled up, we already rolled up
We already rolled up, we already rolled up
We already told the whole globe just hold up
Lighters in the air for the fighters & the soldiers
Coughin up a lung put the fire to the Folgers
Back up in your face with some fire for your folders
WinZip'n listeners gettin stricken with Ebola
Kids trippin over facts we already told em
Last year, year before we already showed em
We already showed em
I already showed you that I'm capable
Unmistakable style, entity irreplaceable
Untraceable face, blunts'll stay away from you
Daily ritual, making magic's what I was made to do
Everyday, back shootin in the gym every day
Tired of making small change, time to be a heavyweight
Time to be a heavyweight? Big Girl calendar
Punch-Out, lend me an ear like Evander
Hand her, over for a 30 minute ride
If she 30 minutes late I probably shift the stick aside
And told her suck a dick and die
Might make us crash
Too worried bout the past 
The present won't be as bad as
Long as you change what you need to change
Quit reminiscing on how things'll never be the same
Cus they never will and they never should
I'm never goin back in time 
I love myself and I got something good
Rolled up
We already rolled up
We already told the whole globe just hold up
Lighters in the air for the fighters & the soldiers
Coughin up a lung put the fire to the Folgers
Back up in your face with some fire for your folders
WinZip'n listeners gettin stricken with Ebola
Kids trippin over facts we already told em
Last year, year before we already showed em
We already showed em
We already

Tom Hardison & Kno - Rolled Up

Prod By Philanthrope
Feat Supastition & REKS

NorCal Nick - Going Nowhere (prod. D-Rock)

NorCal Nick

Recent comments

Walter White

AV$4

oxpharm*

Walter White

Related tracks