Open Mike Eagle has teamed up with Video Dave and STILL RIFT to launch their new rap supergroup, Previous Industries. They’re making their two-single debut on Merge Records with “Showbiz” and “Braids.”
Both singles – produced by Child Actor and Quelle Chris, respectively – bring together the long-standing friends and frequent collaborators on a warm, comfortable sound. Although new to the game as a trio, both tracks invite the listener to experience what they’ve been about all along. In “Showbiz,” they declare: “Gather round/ We’re the new fools in town/ And our sounds lay down by the underground.” Pre-orders can be made here.
“Video Dave first met Mike on the campus grounds of Southern Illinois University where an innate creative bond was formed on campus while honing their skills alongside other notable figures Hannibal Buress and Serengeti,” reads a press release on how the group came to be. “Enter STILL RIFT, a high school friend of Mike’s whom he has lovingly described as ‘a mystery wrapped in an enigma.’”
“Showbiz” b/w “Braids” will also be available on a limited-edition light gray marble 7-inch, to be released on Friday, January 26th. Pre-orders are ongoing, and you can stream the tracks below.
Last year, the trio collaborated on OME’s 2023 studio album, Another Triumph of Ghetto Engineering.