Chris Daly lusted after Lisa Bonet long after she joined A Different World
I have no idea why it’s taken me this long to come to the conclusion that Open Mike Eagle may very well be my favorite MC in the game today. His lyrics often speak directly to me, from his love of comic books to his overall pensive, “what the fuck is going on here” vibe. The nostalgic tone in his work strikes me as comfortable as a well worn and beloved sweater.
Which gives his new video, “A History of Modern Dance,” a whole new level of meaning. The premise of the video is Mike and some friends re-enacting the intro to every season of the Cosby Show, a program I not only watched religiously even in re-runs growing up, but to this day, if Ma Daly sees that episode where Theo graduates, she breaks out in tears every damn time.
Spitting over a sinister beat produced by Jeremiah Jae that could just as easily soundtrack Michael Myers moon walking, Mike displays his if not now than soon to be trademark sing-song flow. He’s always been one of the most underrated lyricists in the game in my book, but with lines like, “Put on Erykah’s album, I can tear up a mountain/Get your eagle on, naw, more peregrine falcon,” I have to imagine that’s going to change sooner than later.
While I applaud the efforts of the cast for their various reinterpretations of the Cosby dances, a very special shout out to whoever the hairstylist was on this shoot. One does not easily capture Lisa Bonnet’s various coiffed ‘dos of the 80s and 90s, but I’ll be damned if they weren’t recreated here with uncanny perfection.
Open Mike’s new album, Dark Comedy, is due to hit the streets June 10 on Mello Music Group. Don’t be surprised if it turns out to be one of the best rap albums of the year, and that’s worth it’s weight in pudding pops any day of the week.
