The shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri has once again ignited a racial and political firestorm in the United States. Many a think piece has been written and the social media outcries have reached a fever pitch, most of which claiming the origins of a true post-racial society must begin with open dialogue. Yet despite all of these expert opinions, we haven’t seen or heard much open dialogue—and definitely not within the context of popular culture. With that notion ringing in our heads, we asked Open Mike Eagle and our founder, Derek Evers, if they would be willing to have one such open discussion.
While both had reservations the conversation would be “too agreeable,” they gladly obliged. The following video was filmed in the Impose office prior to Mike’s most recent Brooklyn performance. It was shot in one take and edited down only to remove repetition and any stops and stutters. Neither side claims this will break down barriers in modern race relations, it’s simply an attempt to move the conversation forward.
