R.I.P. Eyedea

Eyedea The world's finest "MC FREESTYLER"


Micheal Larsen[1] (November 9, 1981 – October 17, 2010), known by his stage name Eyedea, was a well-known freestyle battle champion and underground rapper. His notable wins included the televised Blaze Battle sponsored by HBO (2000) and a victory at Scribble Jam (1999). He had appeared as a solo artist, and as the emcee half of the duo Eyedea & Abilities (along with longtime friend and collaborator DJ Abilities). His non-battle rhymes were generally philosophically or thematically based, and often told a definite narrative.

For much of his youth, Eyedea lived with his mother, Kathy, just east of Downtown Saint Paul, Minnesota, where he attended Highland Park Senior High School.[1]
Eyedea became known as a battle emcee, touring the circuit between 1997 and 2001. During this time he won top prizes at Scribble Jam ‘99, the Rock Steady Anniversary 2000, and Blaze Battle Chicago 2000. He contributed a track to the anticon. compilation, Music for the Advancement of Hip Hop. Additionally, he toured extensively as second emcee and support DJ for Atmosphere.
In 2001, he released First Born with his partner DJ Abilities (collectively, they were initially called the Sixth Sense, but they are now known as Eyedea & Abilities). In 2002, under his pen name "Oliver Hart", he released the self-produced The Many Faces of Oliver Hart. In 2004, he and Abilities reunited to release the self-titled album E&A (released March 23, 2004).
All of Eyedea's releases have been on the Rhymesayers record label, with the exception of Carbon Carousel's "The Some of All Things or: The Healing Power of Scab Picking", which was released on his own independent label, Crushkill Recordings. In addition to touring independently and with Rhymesayers labelmates and members of Face Candy, Eyedea and Abilities participated in the Def Jux-sponsored Who Killed the Robots? tour, titled by Eyedea.
He was signed to Rhymesayers Entertainment, and collaborated with Slug of the underground hip hop group Atmosphere, as well as Sage Francis, Aesop Rock, and Blueprint.
After Eyedea released "This Is Where We Were," recorded with his live freestyle/jazz group Face Candy, he created Carbon Carousel, an alternative rock band. They have released one EP titled "The Some of All Things or: The Healing Power of Scab Picking". This brought on speculation that Eyedea & Abilities was no longer together. However, in August 2007, the duo announced on their Myspace that they would be at the Twin Cities Celebration of Hip Hop performing old songs, as well as new material.
In December 2007, Eyedea & Abilities embarked upon their Appetite for Distraction Tour with Crushkill labelmate Kristoff Krane and Minnesotan duo Sector7G.
The summer of 2009 saw Eyedea & Abilities joining the massive touring hip hop festival Rock the Bells for a limited amount of dates, performing alongside such acts as Sage Francis, Evidence, M.O.P. and the Knux.
Larsen died on October 17, 2010. He was found dead by his mother, according to friends.[2] The cause of death has not been determined, but a preliminary autopsy result released October 18 ruled out trauma.

Albums:
First Born (2001) (By Eyedea & Abilities)
The Many Faces of Oliver Hart (2002)
E&A (2004) (By Eyedea & Abilities)
This Is Where We Were (2006) (By Face Candy)
The Some of All Things or: The Healing Power of Scab Picking (2007) (By Carbon Carousel)
By The Throat (2009) (By Eyedea & Abilities)
Waste-age Teenland (TBA) (By Face Candy)
[edit]Singles
"Pushing Buttons 12" (2000) (By Eyedea & Abilities)
"Blindly Firing 12" (2001) (By Eyedea & Abilities)
"Now" (2003) (By Eyedea & Abilities)
"Carbon Carousel Single Series #1" (2007) (By Carbon Carousel)
"Nervous." (2007) (By Carbon Carousel)
[edit]Other
E&A Road Mix (2003)
"The Whereabouts of Hidden Bridges" By (Eyedea and Oddjobs)
"When in Rome, Kill the King" (By Micheal Larsen)

Rest in peace.