“i promise you / i will never fit in your descriptions”
True to that affirmation, Open Mike Eagle has put together a strong, diverse body of work with art that seems to never have a second thought to conformity of fulfilling any expectations. Perhaps that’s why “Brick Body Complex,” a track from his upcoming Brick Body Kids Still Daydream project, is a perfect mission statement.
Over churning 808s and guitar play, Eagle works through a pointed social analysis of the marginaliation and typecasting of people from so-called brick bodies, or public housing projects The album is an examination of life for residents of the Robert Taylor homes, a temenent in Chicago that was demolished a decade ago.
“Brick Body Complex” was matched with a video that expanded on the city “breaking his brothers down,” tackling gentrification, predacious police. Eagle channels his inner Luke Cage as “Iron Hood,” a super hero that serves as a slight comic foil – even if his apparent mission to stop the demolition of his project building isn’t all that funny given the reality of Chicago and every other metropolitan city.
The song and video works in tandem to present the realities of impoverished people veritably pushed toward one space via capitalism — then seeing that space demolished. What are they to think of themselves then? They’re still sovereign, still giants.
You can pre-order Brick Body Kids Still Daydream here before it’s September 15th release on Mello Music Group.
