Killer Mike's new album is deeply influenced by the southern rap scene, Sunday church services, and barbershop conversations in he grew around. Guests include Future, Young Thug, Ty Dolla $ign, Curren$y, Andre 3000.
Run The Jewels' Killer Mike returns with MICHAEL, his first solo project since 2012's well-received R.A.P. Music. The album is meant to introduce listeners to who Michael Render really is, someone deeply influenced by the southern rap scene, Sunday church services, and barbershop conversations in his community.
Killer Mike describes MICHAEL as his most personal work yet, comparing it to the character Logan from the X-Men. For the first single, "DON'T LET THE DEVIL," he teamed up with EL-P, his partner from Run The Jewels, as they rapped over a soulful beat produced by No I.D., EL-P, and Little Shalimar. The release is part of the celebration of Run The Jewels' 10-year anniversary and celebratory tour.
Previous to that, Killer Mike released "RUN" (featuring Young Thug) and "TALK'N THAT SHIT!" last year, marking his return to solo work after forming Run The Jewels with EL-P in 2013. Run The Jewels has been very successful, with four acclaimed albums.
Outside of his music career, Killer Mike is also a notable cultural commentator, with appearances on shows like Love and Respect, Trigger Warning on Netflix, and frequent appearances on Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Real Time with Bill Maher. He's also been active in politics, serving as a campaign surrogate for Bernie Sanders and addressing important social issues. He's also been taking on acting roles, including appearances on FX's Dave and Netflix's Ozark.