San Diego music fans will have a chance to see underground L.A. rapper Open Mike Eagle at the Kava Lounge on Tuesday.
Open Mike Eagle made a name for himself last year when he dropped his excellent full-length album, Rappers Will Die of Natural Causes. He's currently touring to promote his latest release, 4NML HSPTL (pronounced "Animal Hospital"), which dropped only a couple weeks ago.
I didn't actually get ahold of OME's breakout album until late last year, several months after it had dropped. One day when I went to Access Hip-Hop in PB, the clerk recommended it. He let me preview some songs, which sounded good on first listen. Plus, I knew that he comes from the much-lauded Project Blowed scene in L.A. which boasts greats old and new, everyone from Aceyalone to Abstract Rude to Nocando.
After I heard Natural Causes, it became one of my favorite albums of 2011. OME has a very unique style in which he comes across as more of a stand-up comedian than he does as a rapper. His lyrics are full of very smart, biting humor that points out the absurdities OME sees in his life and in society. At the same time, he raps in this low, whisper-like, monotone voice that gives him a perfectly deadpan delivery. Often, he'll start singing too in a soft, almost whimsical croon, just to further point out how absurd it all is. But he's the type of comedian who sneaks in a lot of truth in his jokes. If you've ever thought that you could be "the smartest broke dude ever," I think you'll relate very much to what OME has to say about politics, education and life.
Do yourself a favor and check him out at Kava on Tuesday (you can join the Facebook event here). Also performing are Verbs, another underground L.A. rapper and close associate of OME and local band Preacher vs. Choir.
Quan Vu Quan Vu is the founder and editor of local music blog SD Raps.com. He has also written about local and national hip-hop acts for San Diego CityBeat and the San Diego Reader. You can nerd out on rap trivia by becoming BFF's on Facebook or e-mailing him directly.
