As we reported last month, comedian Baron Vaughn and Open Mike Eagle‘s long-awaited comedy series The New Negroes debuts on Comedy Central this week. The show, whose title was inspired by the seminal Harlem Renaissance text of the same name, is supposed to serve as a space for black artists to share their “lives, perspectives, and ideals” through stand-up comedy, music, and music videos. Artists involved in the project include Lizzo, MF Doom, Method Man, Hannibal Burress, and Sasheer Zamata.
Ahead of the series premiere on Friday, Comedy Central shared the show’s first music video. “Unfiltered” is an elegy about the myriad of daily micro-aggressions and neurosis-inducing slights that can push a black person to their breaking point. In the video, Open Mike Eagle plays a mild-mannered, afro-clad professional whose frustrations are boiling just under the surface. “Sometimes I speak my mind. I’d like to go further / And say shit when I feel it… I’m tired of holding back. I’m going unfiltered,” he raps. As suddenly as he says it, a force erupts from deep inside him and is unleashed. Something he can’t control comes spilling out of his mouth — Danny Brown.
“Feel real good to say it how you really feel. Get it off my chest, let me express / That means I’m saying go f*ck yourself,” Brown screams with his head sticking out Eagle’s distended jaw. It’s a freaky sight, and one can only imagine only a taste of what’s to come on the show.
