Open Mike Eagle's Rappers Will Die Of Natural Causes is a record that makes a B-line for the back of the skull, leaving a bread crumb trail of melodies to satisfy a few basic needs before arriving at his “treatise on perception and black male identity.” Those are his words, meant for you; particularly if you are an interviewer that keeps asking him about the conceit of his record.
If it was never apparent until now, take those words back through the record before we go any further. Return to this article when you are caught up, so that you are prepared for the first of four EPs built upon a remix of a song on the album that inspired it. Before rolling out the red carpet Grammy coverage, Pop & Hiss snuck in a debut of Open Mike Eagle's Extended Nightmares Getdown: The Dark Blue Door EP. The first EP of the series features Busdriver manipulating the doo-wop “Nightmares” single into an 8-bit chase scene, in which Open Mike Eagle is having one those running in cement shoes on the beach dreams.
The EP features production from N/A, Awkward, Busdriver and Blockhead, while fellow LA-transplant by way of Chicago MC Serengeti makes a guest appearance. Is it just us or did Blockhead sample the drums from Smashing Pumpkin's “Ava Adore”?
Open Mike Eagle, “Nightmares” (Busdriver Remix)
Open Mike Eagle, “Billy's Quagmire”
Download Extended Nightmares Getdown: The Dark Blue Door here.
