Killer Mike has just shared a new video for “Nobody Knows” in conjunction with today’s final show of his sold out “STILL TALK’N THAT SH*T!” co-headline tour with Dave Chappelle.
The video recaps Mike’s whirlwind year crisscrossing the US, Canada, and Europe on tour with his gospel ensemble The Mighty Midnight Revival, from the aforementioned tour with Chappelle, to festivals like Lollapalooza, Newport Folk Festival, and Outside Lands, to performing accompanied by the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center, to a six show residency at NYC’s iconic Blue Note Jazz Club, and more.
The video is a fitting capstone to a landmark year for the accomplished MC, which kicked off with sweeping the rap categories at the Grammy Awards, taking the Album of the Year honors at the BET Awards, releasing a standalone EL-P produced single “Detonator” as part of the Call of Duty:Black Ops 6 rollout, teaming with TI to reopen Atlanta’s historic Bankhead Seafood, speaking at the Hollywood Walk of Fame induction for Otis Redding, and much, much more.
“Nobody Knows” is sourced from Michael & The Mighty Midnight Revival: Songs For Sinners & Saints, which debuted at #5 on the Rap Charts with the CD and LP’s release on November 22. The 11-song project, initially issued as free download to fans alongside its streaming release in July, is intended as an epilogue to last year’s autobiographical MICHAEL album.
Speaking on the project Mike states that, “for me this is a testimonial. When I was growing up an important part of church service was people having the opportunity to stand up and give public testimony on their trials, tribulations, and triumphs. After the celebratory atmosphere that followed MICHAEL I was reminded that tribulations never cease, but God is always with me and this is a testimonial of my tumultuous times, my trials, and my continued triumph in spite of doubt, outright hate, and fear. I am here to speak to and with my fellow sinners and Saints.”
Killer Mike does not believe in taking a day off. Well, that’s what the official video for his latest single, “Nobody Knows,” portrays.
Between the Grammy winner’s thriving music career and public outreach efforts, Mike is making the most of his time here on Earth. With the help of director Andrew Thomas Clifton, the Songs For Sinners & Saints standout is brought to life.
In the grayscale visual, Mike lets fans into his endless daily hustle. From tour life to advocacy work, family time and heartfelt interactions with fans, Mike has a lot to juggle. But, he wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I don’t be knowin’ if I’m comin’, or I’m goin’ / I’m on a path and I don’t know where I’m goin’ / Talkin’ to God, Mr. Mighty, all knowin’ / I’ma say it even though I know you know it / I got some people that I probably should avoid / I did some things that keep me, I’m paranoid / I’m goin’ blank, I’m just tryna fill a void / My junkie auntie do the same with opioids,” he raps.
Nobody knows just how much Mike has overcome a lot to obtain this level of success. However, with each release, listeners are given a microdose of his trials and tribulations.
Watch the “Nobody Knows” video above.
Songs For Sinners & Saints is out now via VLNS/Loma Vista. Find more information here.
According to reports, a biopic chronicling DMX’s life is in the works. But that isn’t the only project honoring the late rapper slated to drop.
According to Billboard, a second posthumous album from DMX is on the way. The eight track body of work, titled Let Us Pray: Chapter X, supposedly will be released on December 13.
While Exodus was produced by Swizz Beats, Warryn Campbell will take over the role for Let Us Pray: Chapter X. In a statement, Campbell talked about the album.
“Working on Let Us Pray: Chapter X has been one of the most fulfilling experiences for me as a creative,” he said. “When you hear the voice of DMX, it inspires instant creativity and what better way to showcase who X really was than through prayer.”
Tracklist
1. “Favor” featuring Killer Mike, Mary Mary, & RoyzNoyz Orchestra
2. “Bear With Me” featuring LeCrae
3. “One Life To Do It” featuring MC Lyte & RoyzNoyz Orchestra
4. “Until I’m Gone” featuring Snoop Dogg, Terrace Martin, and Lena Byrd Miles
5. “Favor” (Instrumental)
6. “Bear With Me” (Instrumental)
7. “One Life To Do It” (Instrumental)
8. “Until I’m Gone” (Instrumental)
Let Us Pray: Chapter X is due out 12/13 via Def Jam/UMe. Find more information here.
Today, comedy icon Dave Chappelle and rap legend Killer Mike announced their joint 2024 tour, blending humor and hip-hop in a unique experience. The tour, produced by Live Nation, will cover seven cities, beginning November 15 at the Fox Theatre in Detroit. Stops include major cities like Atlanta, Boston, and New York before concluding on November 24 at Long Beach Terrace Theater in Long Beach, CA.
This groundbreaking collaboration between Chappelle and Killer Mike with the Mighty Midnight Revival offers a fusion of comedy and music in one unforgettable show. Each night, both artists will share the stage for a joint set, giving fans a one-of-a-kind live experience.
Tickets for all tour dates will go on sale via Ticketmaster on Friday, October 25, at 12 PM local time.
2024 Tour Dates:
Fri Nov 15 – Detroit, MI – Fox Theatre
Sun Nov 17 – Atlanta, GA – Fox Theatre
Mon Nov 18 – Rosemont, IL – Rosemont Theatre
Wed Nov 20 – Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall at Fenway
Thu Nov 21 – New York, NY – The Theater at Madison Square Garden
Sat Nov 23 – Oakland, CA – Paramount Theatre
Sun Nov 24 – Long Beach, CA – Long Beach Terrace Theater
Upon arrival, attendees’ devices, including phones and smartwatches, will be secured in Yondr pouches and accessed only in designated phone-use areas. This measure aims to enhance the live experience for all attendees.
Chappelle’s team, Pilot Boy Productions, Inc., reserves all rights to the content performed during the tour. Any unauthorized use or distribution of materials will face legal action.
Dave Chappelle has long maintained an active connection to the music world, ever since he made musical guests a highlight of Chappelle’s Show. Now he’s preparing to make the center of the Chappelle/music Venn diagram even larger: Today (October 23), he and Killer Mike announced Still Talkin That Sh*t!, a joint tour.
A press release describes the show as “featuring a fusion of music and comedy across a joint set.” Currently, seven shows are scheduled, in Detroit; Atlanta; Rosemont, Illinois; Boston; New York; Oakland; and Long Beach. Tickets will be on sale starting October 25 at noon local time via Ticketmaster.
This comes after Mike teamed up with Chappelle (and Young Thug) in 2022 on the single “Run.” In an interview, he said of the comedian, “I went to one of his shows, and afterward all the comedians were hanging out. Everyone was telling funny stories, and the next thing you know, Dave is like, ‘Mike, you need to run for governor.’ I was like, ‘We got somebody running for governor already,’ and he just gives me this monologue backstage. […] I laughed like sh*t and I called him after we had done this record. I was like, ‘Yo, would you mind repeating that same speech you gave me?’ […] He sent it back to me, and it was as good as the night he cussed my ass out and told me to run for governor.”
Find the list of tour dates below.
Dave Chappelle And Killer Mike’s 2024 Tour Dates: Still Talkin That Sh*t!
11/15 — Detroit, MI @ Fox Theatre
11/17 — Atlanta, GA @ Fox Theatre
11/18 — Rosemont, IL @ Rosemont Theatre
11/20 — Boston, MA @ MGM Music Hall at Fenway
11/21 — New York, NY @ The Theater at Madison Square Garden
11/23 — Oakland, CA @ Paramount Theatre
11/24 — Long Beach, CA @ Long Beach Terrace Theater
HBCU institutions have a rich music culture. Over the last few decades, its various schools across the country have helped boost the careers of numerous artists by providing a space for their music to thrive. The shortlist of artists who have seen this effect include Jeezy, Lil Boosie, Rich Homie Quan, Migos, Young Thug, Young Dolph, and more. Additionally, the importance of music can be seen through HBCU bands that are extremely important to the fabric of school life. It comes to life through big displays like the annual Battle Of The Bands competitions and smaller instances like the infamous Grambling vs. Southern rivalry football games.
With all this being said, it’s no surprise that HBCUs have also produced some of the music’s most famous artists. From legends like Lionel Richie and Common and present day stars like Megan Thee Stallion, SZA, and Metro Boomin, the spirit of HBCUs runs through a number of artists — even if their tenure at the institution was short.
Ahead of homecoming season, we decided to spotlight ten artists who have connections to an HBCU. Scroll down for the list of artists and the institutions they attended.
Megan The Stallion (Texas Southern University)
In 2021, the same year that she went No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts for her “Savage” remix with Beyoncé, Megan Thee Stallion graduated from Texas Southern University with a Bachelor’s degree in Health Administration. During an interview with Rolling Stone in 2021, Megan spoke about being in school “for so long” and how she balanced her rap career after deciding to ramp up her semester load to finish sooner. “Every time I had an assignment or something due, one of my managers would just pull me to the side and be like, ‘Hey Megan, you know you got to do this presentation today.’ Or ‘Hey Megan, you know you got to turn this assignment in today,’” she said. “I would have not been successful this semester without my team.”
SZA (Delaware State University)
SZA attended Delaware Statue University after graduating from high school in 2008. The singer majored in marine biology and earned straight As for her first two semesters before losing interest. In a 2023 interview with Elle, SZA opened up about her experience in college. “I’m like, ‘I told you I was smart and I proved my point. I have to leave now,’” SZA said, recalling a conversation with her mother. A few years later, the singer met TDE president Terrence “Punch” Henderson Jr., signed to the label, and the rest is history.
Metro Boomin (Morehouse College)
Multi-platinum producer Metro Boomin spent just one semester at Atlanta’s Morehouse College before dropping out to pursue music. He spoke about the decisions that led to him leaving the school during a 2017 interview with GQ. “As grateful as I was to be there, I didn’t want to be there,” he said. “It was bittersweet, because I knew for a fact that I need to put all of my time into music. School is the same as producing: If you want to make it far, there are a million, trillion people trying to do the same thing. If you’re not in over-grind mode, it’s probably not going to work the way that you want it to.”
Rick Ross (Albany State University)
Grammy-nominated rapper Rick Ross attended Albany State University on a football scholarship, but dropped out of school soon after. Ross’ pursuit of a music career kicked into gear at the turn of the century, and in the decades after, Ross’ ties to Albany State University have remained strong. In 2022, he spoke to students at the school for the homecoming convocation ceremony, where he told students that “the greatest job you will ever have is being CEO of your life.”
2 Chainz (Alabama State University)
Just like Rick Ross, 2 Chainz also attended an HBCU off an athletic scholarship. His, however, was a basketball scholarship to Alabama State University. In a 2017 interview with The Daily Beast, 2 Chainz said that he left ASU after his freshman year after he “got into some trouble.” He later returned to the school to complete his degree. In another conversation, this time with Rolling Stone, 2 Chainz addressed rumors that he graduated with a 4.0 GPA. “Don’t believe anything on Wack-ipedia,” he said. “There’s a lot of false stuff on there, to the point that every time I try to fix one thing, something else comes out.”
Wale (Virginia State University & Bowie State University)
Our collection of HBCU scholarship athletes continues with Wale. The DMV rapper initially attended Robert Morris University on a football scholarship before transferring to Virginia State University. His football career would come to an end when he transferred to another HBCU, Bowie State University, but Wale would later drop out to pursue a music career. It was at VSU that Wale discovered his musical talents. In a 2021 conversation with The Ringer, Wale recalled spitting freestyles art the school’s Foster Hall. “The guy that was across the hall from me in my dorm was like, ‘Keep going, keep going. You tight,’” he said. “People really started f*cking with me at Virginia State.”
Killer Mike (Morehouse College)
Earlier this year, Killer Mike won his first Grammys as a lead artist for Best Rap Album with Michael and Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song with “Scientists.” Those awards came more than 20 years after Mike won his first Grammy thanks to a feature on Outkast’s “The Whole World.” That song was the result of Mike and Big Boi’s friendship which came about through Mike’s attendance of Morehouse College in the 1990s. “The deciding factor for me getting into Morehouse was probably my homeroom teacher,” Killer Mike told the Seattle Times. “He was a Morehouse man. His name was Mister Lee-Roy Arnold.”
He added, “I think [Mr. Arnold] saw something in me, because he pushed me and messed with me for five years, to the point where he bet me all my book money for the first year that I would not get into Morehouse.”
Common (Florida A&M University)
Before Common achieved his dreams of being a successful rapper, the Chicago native was enrolled at Florida A&M University under an academic scholarship as a business administration major. Common would only stay at the school for two years before dropping out to pursue rap. In 2019, nearly 30 years after he attended, Common would be honored with a doctorate degree in fine arts and invited him to speak at that year’s commencement ceremony. In his speech, Common said that his activism, which went on to be ever-present in his music, began right at FAMU where he says his experience was unlike anything he went through in hometown of Chicago.
Erykah Badu (Grambling State University)
Erykah Badu nearly graduated from Grambling State University with a major in theater, but she left the school in 1993 to focus on her music career. Four years later, she delivered her debut album Baduizm, a masterclass in neo-soul that’s still heralded as a classic today. In an interview with the school’s newspaper The Gramblinite, Badu recalled her time at the university. “I auditioned for several plays while at GSU at the Floyd L. Sandle Theatre,” she said. “I danced with the Orchesis and was involved in a rap group called ‘CP Posse,’ which stands for Cultural Production.”
Lionel Richie (Tuskegee Institute)
While all the artists on this list did not experience the HBCU life until their adult years, Lionel Richie’s time at an HBCU dates back to his childhood. The legendary singer grew up on Tuskegee Institute’s campus before attending the school and earning a Bachelor’s degree in economics with a minor in accounting. “In my world growing up on campus, we were surrounded by gospel music because of the choir,” Richie said of his experience to The Austin Chronicle. “R&B music was the music they played on the college campus.”
The final stages of the grieving process are underway for the family and friends of Rich Homie Quan. The Atlanta rapper was laid to rest with thousands attending. His funeral service was live streamed on the late MC’s website and the entire public was even able to stop by to pay their respects. Multiple photos and videos surfaced throughout the day and from what we could see, it was almost more inspiring than saddening. Corey Lamar, RHQ’s father, put together an appropriate service for a truly celebrated figure.
That could also be attributed to the big-hearted celebrities that made their way out. According to HipHopDX, comedian DC Young Fly, Killer Mike, and ex-NBA star Stephen Jackson, were just some that gave speeches at Quan’s celebration. If you want to hear Fly’s and Mike’s, you can at the 2:19:16 and 1:45:22 marks in the YouTube link. The Wild ‘N Out star’s has been making the rounds online, thanks to how moving it is.
Speaking to the mother of Quan, Fly urged her to continue to be a strong leader to the family. Furthermore, he made sure to give everyone peace of mind that the rapper lived a fulfilling life. “He did what he was supposed to. We all on borrowed time. Nobody in here know how they gon’ leave”. Later, Young Fly ended by saying, “So we gon’ keep his name alive and I wanna tell the family I love y’all and here with you forever… Quan, I love you big bruh, you a legend”.
What are your thoughts on DC Young Fly, Killer Mike, and more attending the funeral service for Rich Homie Quan? How much did DC’s speech move you? What did you think of the rapper’s homegoing celebration overall? We would like to hear what you have to say, so leave your thoughts in the comments. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Rich Homie Quan, DC Young Fly, Killer Mike and more. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.
Whether you like it or not, Killer Mike has been having one of his most successful years in his storied career. Since the release of MICHAEL and its deluxe last summer, he’s been on one heck of a tear. The solo sophomore album went onto take multiple categories at this year’s GRAMMY Awards, upsetting one fan base in particular along the way. Those incredible achievements didn’t make him complacent, though. He went on to drop Michael & The Mighty Midnight Revival, Songs For Sinners And Saints on August 2, a continuation of that rap/gospel mixture. Now, Killer Mike is working with video game giant Activision for a new single called “Detonator”. The record is essentially the theme song for the upcoming Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6 which drops on October 25.
Hip-hop and this iconic video game series have been linked together for quite a while. Eminem did a similar thing for Call Of Duty: Ghosts with “Survival” back in 2013. Now, its Killer Mike’s turn and he’s recruiting some close friends to help him. Rapper Rock D The Legend and MC/producer El-P are here to bring this thing to life, and it’s always a blast to see the Run The Jewels reconnect. It’s been quite a bit since we’ve gotten a new project from the duo. If you remember, 2020 was the year when they put out the fourth RTJ tape. El-P did contribute to MICHAEL, but hearing Mike over his good buddy’s production is always a treat. “Detonator” comes with a music video, which you can view below, and the song is also out now on DSPs.
Killer Mike has just released “Detonator,” a new single produced by his Run The Jewels collaborator EL-P, inspired by Activision’s highly-anticipated Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. Mike premiered the track during Activision’s Call of Duty NEXT livestream event, where 250 top global content creators showcased the game’s first gameplay footage.
“When Activision told me the theme of the game and what they were looking for I knew exactly who to call, plus I’ve been itching to rap on some El-P beats,” explains Killer Mike.
“Call of Duty has become far more than a video game, influencing many aspects of broader culture, especially music and hip-hop. With Black Ops 6 we knew we needed to work with an artist who had a strong voice given the political backdrop of the game and Killer Mike was the perfect artist to bring this project to life as he layered complex themes of control, power, corruption, and greed into the lyrics of the song,” said Tyler Bahl, SVP and head of Activision marketing.
“Detonator” represents a shift in style for Mike, following his recent gospel-infused project, Michael & The Mighty Midnight Revival: Songs For Sinners & Saints. Unlike the church organ sounds of his previous work, this single features EL-P’s signature steely synths, creating a post-futuristic soundscape for Mike’s incisive critique of the military-industrial complex.
The release follows their recent collaboration at Mike’s final performance of a six-show residency at NYC’s Blue Note jazz club, where Run The Jewels delivered a mini-set alongside Mike’s gospel group, The Mighty Midnight Revival. The new single continues to build on their dynamic partnership and innovative musical direction.
“As an artist, I deeply have reverence for Travis Scott, he’s amazing,” he said. “[But] I’m never going to think anybody deserves anything in front of me, especially when I put in my best. A lot of his fans, they don’t like Mike now. And I have to accept that, that’s fine.”
He continued, “There’s going to come a time in their life when their mother dies. There’s going to come a time in their life when someone that they cared for deeply dies. And the question is, what song you going to pivot to? I happen to have a record called ‘Motherless‘ that acknowledges that. A lot of those fans are young men, and they’re trying to find their way. I listen to Travis and I jam, but man, does the record hit you like shedding tears when she won’t let you see your child? When child support on your black ass for the mistakes you’ve made? That’s what my music does. It’s there for you. It’s the blues, baby.”