Open Mike Eagle - "Degrassi Picture Day" (Music Video)

On one level, Open Mike Eagle's song "Degrassi Picture Day" is a playful, tongue-in-cheek song that shoots us through a time warp back to our grade school picture day.  It's an experience we all share and Mike's clever writing ("A couple home girls cheesed they little faces off/ they happy cuz they finally got they braces off" and "It's my class' turn, we walk in single file/ that photo lady flirting with me cuz she need a smile") makes the memories more majestic than I ever could have imagined.  When you put the song in the context of the modern rap scene though, its genius truly reveals itself.

Mike's drawn out flow is much more than than a dumbed down version of his usual style, it's his take on the presently in vogue style-over-substance commercial rap that floods the airwaves.  Mike proves he can effortlessly mimic their shallow-but-witty rhymes all while metaphorically exposing the current radio friendly rap circuit for what it is- a childish, image based, popularity contest.  It's almost as if Mike is saying "You wanna rap like a child?  Here's how it's done."  "Degrassi Picture Day" first appeared on Open Mike's amazing EP Sir Rockabye from earlier this year, but it also shows up the Hellfyre Club's new compilation Dorner Vs. Tookie which will be released on November 5th.  The straightforward video gives Mike another chance to show off his versatile live performance chops as well as his assumed 2013 picture day digs.