Today (June 26) marks the release of Open Mike Eagle‘s latest opus, 4NML HSPTL. It serves as the follow-up to last year’s sleeper hit, Rappers Of Die Will Natural Causes, which featured the melodic Los Angeles rapper waxing on the rap industry at large. And while he does plenty of that on the new album — just listen to “Your Back Pack Past” for evidence – 4NML HSPTL is a far more personal record for Mike.
It arrives not just as another entry in his ever-consistent, strong catalog, but also on the heels of his return from Uganda. He traveled to the African country with blunted space producer Ras G and, together, they recorded an EP with several native rappers and vocalists.
Seeing how busy Mike’s been in just the past few months, I wanted to catch up with him and see how it’s all been coming together. We spoke about his trip to Uganda, 4NML HSPTL and its deep meaning, what he’s working on next, and who has inspired him over the years.
Hit page 2 below to begin the interview.
