Secret Skin

I'm currently on a drive in tour with Hannibal Buress and its new and different and weird. Me, him and DJ Tony Trimm catch up in a hotel room in Butler Pennsylvania to talk about touring during a pandemic and the (apparently) famous DJ Carshmello who is the opening act on the tour . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike is joined by the Podfather himself, WTF host Marc Maron. They discuss Marc’s unusual life balancing a podcast that is at least somewhat about him and a TV show where he plays a podcaster and comic named Marc Maron, who is an awful lot like him.

Host Open Mike Eagle has really found something of a soulmate in actor and comedian Baron Vaughn. The two talk about growing up with cable television, setting fires no one knew about, and coping with rampant drugs in their communities.

Mike welcomes the comedian and actor Nick Thune for a broad-ranging discussion. The two of them cover everything from why Nick gave up one-liners and the guitar in his act to who Jesus would want to hang out with if he was around today.

Mike chats with rapper, activist, and spoken word artist B. Dolan about what white rappers owe the Black Lives Matter movement, how white privilege can give you a leg up in the hip-hop world, and their mutual love of Ol' Dirty Bastard.

Mike talks with writer and critic Chuck Klosterman about changes in publishing and criticism, the gamble that comes with being interesting, and the fear of accidentally living life wrong. Plus, more new music from Hella Personal Film Festival.

Mike hangs out with Slug while the latter does his tour laundry, tells a story about a near-collaboration with a very, very famous musician, and plays a song from his new release, Hella Personal Film Festival.

It’s the 50th episode of Secret Skin and Mike is joined by his friend, the rapper and all-around artist Jean Grae. They discuss everything from black Netflix tropes to Mike’s picky eating/Jean’s crushing dismay when she learns about Mike’s picky eating.

Mike talks with his friend, actor/comedian/author John Hodgman, about the overabundance of entertainment, the necessity of doing terrifying things, The Daily Show, and growing into yourself by being someone else (or many, many other people).

Mike talks with Chris Gethard, and their wide-ranging conversation covers Chris’s eccentric television program full of human fish, 36-hour no-sleep marathons, and fans who become staff members. Plus, Mike visits his sister in Gary, Indiana.

Mike responds to some listener questions, including one about how to feel about white people singing along at rap shows using the n-word. Then, a conversation with Anthony Fantano, creator and host of The Needle Drop.

Mike welcomes world-famous comedian and old college pal, Hannibal Buress. They talk about growing up in Chicago, getting started in comedy, and sad private jets. All this plus the first single from Mike's collaboration with Paul White.

Mike welcomes the rapper J-Zone on this edition of Secret Skin. J-Zone opens up about discouragement, and how he ended up writing a book of advice for all the rappers who don’t end up becoming superstar millionaires.

Mike joins us from Europe where the tour with Serengeti is wrapping up and things have been going much better. We also hear Mike’s interview with Islands/The Unicorns' Nick Thorburn, composer of music for another podcast you might have heard of: Serial.

Open Mike Eagle joins us all the way from Germany, where he is on tour with his Cavanaugh bandmate, Serengeti. They have many stories to tell. Then we hear Mike’s interview with Houston-based rapper Fat Tony.

Mike and his good friend T-shirt are on hand to not only answer questions from their mailbag but to sing about it as well. In the interview portion, Mike is joined this time around by the rapper, podcaster, and video maven known as Intuition.

Mike is in New York City talking to his old friend, professionally known as Uncommon Nasa. They talk about identity, balancing running a record label and being an artist, and what the musical form known as Prog Rap is all about.

Marcella Arguello comes from the world of stand-up comedy, and met Mike Eagle while doing comedy battle rap. It’s a form that Mike has struggled with, losing every match he enters.

Mike takes a road trip with his Cavanaugh bandmate Serengeti, plus an interview with John Robinson, the rapper formerly known as Lil Sci of Scienz of Life.

The artist known as Free the Robots joins Open Mike Eagle to talk about a variety of topics, including growing up in Orange County, taking risks with music, and owning and running the restaurant/music venue known as The Crosby.

It’s all about freestyling on this episode, as we meet comedian and comedy rap impresario Eliza Skinner. She talks about life in a rap battle, life in a television writers’ room, and the hilarious and difficult world of standup comedy.

Host Open Mike Eagle sits down with the rapper 2Mex for a broad-ranging discussion about making music, listening to music, and living life. Other people might sell more records, but when it comes to putting on shows and creating something to record, no one outworks 2Mex. We also find out if 2Mex sees himself more like The Dandy Warhols or The Brian Jonestown Massacre.

Host Open Mike Eagle chats with Kitty, aka the artist formerly known as Kitty Pryde, about being there for her fans and how that has both advantages and disadvantages. Kitty tells about shedding her child prodigy past and her Florida hometown and how those experiences informed her music.

Mike talks with esteemed DJ The Gaslamp Killer about entering hip-hop with no footsteps to follow in, the perils of knowing too much about someone through social media, and how to get fired from a bunch of record stores. Plus, the premiere of a brand new song!

DJ House Shoes talks about the Detroit sound and his work and friendship with J Dilla. Mike's T-shirt returns to the show, although he won't take Mike's calls anymore.

Ras Kass talks about the struggles of being on a major label, ghostwriting in hip hop, and Semi Hendrix, his collaboration with Jack Splash. Also, Open Mike Eagle's new t-shirt raps.

Comedian Hari Kondabolu talks with Mike about pro wrestling, Hollywood, and reasonably priced hotels in New York City.

Rapper Billy Woods tells his origin story and explains why he hides his face from the media. Plus, Open Mike Eagle debuts a new song.

Mike takes us to Bananas, one of LA's most creatively important club nights, and he interviews the man who puts it all together, VerBS.

Minneapolis rapper Greg Grease talks about music, life, and indie-rap racial politics.

The origin story of Mega Ran, the 8-bit pioneer of chip hop. Also, Open Mike Eagle plays piano but does not rap.

Sam Herring from Future Islands talks about his music, his love of hip-hop, and his alter ego, rapper Hemlock Ernst. Open Mike Eagle also answers a listener question and shares another unreleased song.

In a wide-ranging interview, Aesop Rock opens up about his bouts with depression and anxiety, moving back to New York City, the artists who have influenced him, and what success looks like for a working rapper in 2015.

MC Frontalot, the world's 579th greatest rapper, talks about the character behind his character.

Yonnas Abraham of BLKHRTS talks about goth rap, dead drops, and Satan. Also, an invitation to write and record lyrics for an Open Mike Eagle song that started with a selfie on Instagram.

Mike interviews Three Ninjas (aka Jason Brunet) about changing musical styles, moving across the country, and some very dark Christmas songs.

Part two of Mike's interview with Daedelus covers record labels, music making, and the Crimean War (1853-1856). The bonus track at the end of the show is Mike circa 2010. It's The Bestest.

Mike interviews Daedelus about making beats, the LA underground, and making art by setting boundaries. First of a two-part interview. Also, Mike covers Pavement’s Cut Your Hair.

Mike interviews Sims of Doomtree about the benefits and challenges in being part of a big crew. Plus, Mike reads his iTunes reviews. They’re mostly good. Mostly.

A second bonus episode of Secret Skin, with more material from Secret Skin Live! Minneapolis-based hip hop artist Carnage the Executioner performs two songs live.

Mike interviews Dessa from Doomtree. She explains how time at a karaoke bar led her to the name Dessa, and why she performs some of her songs at a higher pitch live than recorded.

Two Psalm One bonus tracks from her live performance on Secret Skin Live, including a new unreleased track!

Open Mike Eagle hosts Secret Skin Live Part 2, featuring a live performance from Carnage the Executioner and comedy from Brandi Brown.

Psalm One and Aby Wolf perform and chat with Open Mike Eagle on Secret Skin Live, recorded for the first time ever in front of a live studio audience.

An interview with Andrew Broder, producer and leader of Fog. Open Mike Eagle also raps live from a dirty hotel room in Texas.

Open Mike Eagle interviews his friend and mentor Busdriver. The conversation ranges from Martin Luther King Jr. to the dadaist nature of rap to Mike’s new EP, from which he premieres a new song, "Ziggy Starfish (Anti-Anxiety Raps)."

Before he was a comedy star, W. Kamau Bell asked himself what project he would work on if he were famous. The answer changed his life, and eventually led to his TV show, Totally Biased. Open Mike Eagle talks with Bell about the show, its cancellation, and life itself.

Open Mike Eagle talks with Milo to review 2014, preview 2015, and debate the value of sitting down while recording a track. Mike also shares an unreleased song that chronicles a night at the 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis, MN.

This episode of Secret Skin has a wide-ranging chat between Open Mike and his friend and fellow hip-hop artist Milo. It also opens with Mike's thoughts on Ferguson. You should listen.

Open Mike brings you tour stories from the heart of Germany and part two of his interview with Yoni Wolf.

Open Mike Eagle talks about stupid injuries, both his own and other's, then interviews Anticon Records co-founder/musician Yoni Wolf.