Killer Mike

[WATCH] Ace Hood & Killer Mike Pay Homage to Young Dolph, Nipsey Hussle In “Greatness” Video

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Ace Hood Greatness

Ace Hood and Killer Mike pay homage to slain rappers Young Dolph, Nipsey Hussle, and other Black icons in their new “Greatness” music video.

The “Hustle Hard” rapper shares his final music video off his recent 10 song project, M.I.N.D. EP. “Greatness” featuring Killer Mike released via Hoodnation/EMPIRE.

Ace Hood has always delivered bars and this street sermon is no different as he spits with pure emotion. “Them folk gon’ underestimate you, play you like you dumb, I nod my head and get my bread, you will not feed me crumbs.”

READ MORE: Ace Hood Releases New Single “Glory” and Announces M.I.N.D. (Memories Inside Never Die) EP.

Killer Mike, known as a philosophical poet in his own right, raps vibrantly, “Judas to Jesus, even true to believers, Brutus to Caesars, backstab and deceive us.”

“Greatness” pays homage to the black excellence that came before us and a resounding cry that there’s only more greatness to come. Paintings depicting some of our brightest Black cultural icons, stylized in black and gold, line the walls. Clips flow of the trailblazing politician Shirley Chisholm, to the ceiling-shattering athlete Arthur Ashe raising a clenched fist appear in the video below.

Check out the official visual “Greatness” from Ace Hood and Killer Mike.

You can listen to Ace Hood’s full M.I.N.D. EP below.

The post [WATCH] Ace Hood & Killer Mike Pay Homage to Young Dolph, Nipsey Hussle In “Greatness” Video appeared first on The Source.

Killer Mike Discusses Nas In A Clip From His ‘Ozark’ Cameo

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Last summer, it was reported that Killer Mike would be making a cameo in the fourth (and final) season of Netflix’s Ozark, with Mike saying at the time, “I went from waiting to find out what happens next to being part of it… I’m excited.” Well, that fourth season is currently underway and now Netflix has shared a clip of the Run The Jewels rapper’s appearance.

(Warning: There are potential spoilers below.)

In the scene, Mike (playing himself) is approached by Ruth (Julia Garner) in a diner, who tells the rapper, “I just want to say I really love your sh*t.” After showing gratitude for the compliment, Mike asks what Ruth is playing in the one earbud in her ear. Mike grabs the headphones to listen to a few seconds of the song, Nas’ “NY State Of Mind.”

Ruth offers her interpretation of the 1994 track, saying, “It always feels to me like he hates it and misses it all at once, and he’s only f*cking 20.” Mike offers, “You know, when I listen to that record, his projects are in Queens, and you can kinda see Manhattan. And I’ve always thought it was so hopeful and f*cking cruel at the same time.”

Check out the Ozark clip above and revisit “NY State Of Mind” below.

Happy Birthday To Killer Mike!

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On this day in Hip Hop history, Dungeon Family member Killer Mike was born in Atlanta, Georgia. From Grammy’s to politics, Killer Mike maybe one of the most slept on figures of this culture we call Hip Hop.

Killer Mike’s Hip Hop career began with a feature on OutKast‘s 2000 album Stankonia, on the track “Snappin & Trappin.” His follow up feature with OutKast on “The Whole World” won him a Grammy at the 2003 Grammy Awards for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. That same year Killer Mike released his debut studio album Monster, which peaked at #10 on the Billboard 200 chart and #4 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart.

Over the next few years, Killer Mike released I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind 1 & 2 before announcing in 2008 that he was signing to T.I.‘s record label Grand Hustle Records. Not much was heard from Killer Mike musically until he teamed up with El-P in 2011 to become Run the Jewels.

Killer Mike and El-P were introduced to each other by Cartoon Network executive Jason DeMarco. Later that year, El-P produced Killer Mike’s album R.A.P. Music. In the same year Killer Mike featured on El-P’s album Cancer 4 Cure. Due to the fact the albums were released within weeks of each other, the two decided to go on tour together. The success of the tour led the two to team up under the moniker Run the Jewels. The duo has since released two self-titled albums and plan to release a third this year. Run the Jewels 2 peaked at #50 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Aside from music, Killer Mike is one politically active and conscious brother. Most recently, he has been heavily campaigning for Bernie Sanders, introducing him at speaking engagements, sitting with at interviews, and even going to his fundraisers as an honored guest. Over his career he has passionate against police brutality against people of color, systematic racism, and has fought for social equality. It is obvious in his music and when he speaks in interviews that Killer Mike is passionate about humanity and wants to get us all on track and acting like civil, equal human beings.

Killer Mike has also appeared on T.V. and in movies and is currently active as a rapper. His next solo project, Elegant Elephant, has been in the works since 2013 but there’s no word on when it will be released. Killer Mike is an icon and his image in Hip Hop is one of the more positive ones the genre has to offer. Take some time today to enjoy some of the fruits of his labor if you don’t already listen on the daily. From everyone here at The Source, happy born day, Killer Mike. May you see many more years of success.

The post Happy Birthday To Killer Mike! appeared first on The Source.

Happy Birthday To Killer Mike!

by
Screen Shot 2022 04 20 at 8.17.27 PM

On this day in Hip Hop history, Dungeon Family member Killer Mike was born in Atlanta, Georgia. From Grammy’s to politics, Killer Mike maybe one of the most slept on figures of this culture we call Hip Hop.

Killer Mike’s Hip Hop career began with a feature on OutKast‘s 2000 album Stankonia, on the track “Snappin & Trappin.” His follow up feature with OutKast on “The Whole World” won him a Grammy at the 2003 Grammy Awards for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. That same year Killer Mike released his debut studio album Monster, which peaked at #10 on the Billboard 200 chart and #4 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart.

Over the next few years, Killer Mike released I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind 1 & 2 before announcing in 2008 that he was signing to T.I.‘s record label Grand Hustle Records. Not much was heard from Killer Mike musically until he teamed up with El-P in 2011 to become Run the Jewels.

Killer Mike and El-P were introduced to each other by Cartoon Network executive Jason DeMarco. Later that year, El-P produced Killer Mike’s album R.A.P. Music. In the same year Killer Mike featured on El-P’s album Cancer 4 Cure. Due to the fact the albums were released within weeks of each other, the two decided to go on tour together. The success of the tour led the two to team up under the moniker Run the Jewels. The duo has since released two self-titled albums and plan to release a third this year. Run the Jewels 2 peaked at #50 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Aside from music, Killer Mike is one politically active and conscious brother. Most recently, he has been heavily campaigning for Bernie Sanders, introducing him at speaking engagements, sitting with at interviews, and even going to his fundraisers as an honored guest. Over his career he has passionate against police brutality against people of color, systematic racism, and has fought for social equality. It is obvious in his music and when he speaks in interviews that Killer Mike is passionate about humanity and wants to get us all on track and acting like civil, equal human beings.

Killer Mike has also appeared on T.V. and in movies and is currently active as a rapper. His next solo project, Elegant Elephant, has been in the works since 2013 but there’s no word on when it will be released. Killer Mike is an icon and his image in Hip Hop is one of the more positive ones the genre has to offer. Take some time today to enjoy some of the fruits of his labor if you don’t already listen on the daily. From everyone here at The Source, happy born day, Killer Mike. May you see many more years of success.

The post Happy Birthday To Killer Mike! appeared first on The Source.

Run The Jewels Has Started Recording What Could Be Their Fifth Album

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After performing at Coachella this past weekend, it looks like El-P and Killer Mike are now hard at work on their next Run The Jewels album. In a new interview with Consequence, Killer Mike revealed that he was recently in the studio with his partner-in-rhyme, where they apparently planted the seeds of the follow-up to their 2021 album, RTJ4. “I say this with a smile and a wink — me and El-P were in the studio together,” he said. “We may have messed around and started Run the Jewels 5. So we’ll see what happens.”

However, he also said that plans weren’t exactly solidified during that session. “I never know what I’m planning,” he admitted. “But what I do plan right now is actually completing one of the greatest tours ever in Run the Jewels and Rage Against the Machine.” That tour was rescheduled after postponing part of the tour due to the ongoing pandemic (which, you know, never actually ended). Coachella marked the duo’s return to the stage after performing at Atlanta’s Shaky Knees Festival in October and are planning to take the stage again at Boston Calling after weekend two of Coachella.

Just because they aren’t sure that their latest session will result in a new RTJ album, though, Mike allowed that there would more music from the duo in the future. “I would say look for Run the Jewels to pop up on some guest appearances,” he said. “I’ve done some solo guest appearances as well. So just look for more music to be coming out period.”

Killer Mike Marijuana Docuseries Debuts On 4/20

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Atlanta hip-hop legend Killer Mike has joined forces with VICE media group to debut the brand new docuseries “Tumbleweeds, with Killer Mike” where he evangelizes weed culture in cities across the US. Killer Mike is debuting a new docuseries titled,“Tumbleweeds, with Killer Mike”.  The show will be hosted by Killer Mike who will visit cities […]

The post Killer Mike Marijuana Docuseries Debuts On 4/20 appeared first on SOHH.com.

Watch The Trailer For Killer Mike’s New Weed Docu-Series ‘Tumbleweeds,’ Dropping Just In Time For 4/20

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4/20 is on the horizon and as you gear up with some great weed and good snacks to enjoy on the big day, don’t forget you’re going to need some content to watch while you relax and roll up. Enter Killer Mike’s new four-part docuseries, Tumbleweeds.

Made in collaboration with Weedmaps and premiering on Vice TV, Tumbleweeds finds Killer Mike exploring cannabis smoking hotspots like Las Vegas, San Francisco, New York, and Chicago and speaking with comedians, cannabis advocates, and business owners, and exploring dispensaries, clothing stores, restaurants, and whole neighborhoods to learn how cannabis positively shapes, affects, and builds community and inclusivity while exploring the impact and evolution of cannabis culture in America.

It’s a simple premise, but America has a long history of anti-cannabis (and frankly, racist) propaganda that has often positioned cannabis as something that outright destroys communities, so it’s dope (pun very much intended) to see Killer Mike and Weedmaps flip the script and modernize that conversation, bringing it to a more honest place in line with marijuana’s increasingly mainstream status.

Check out the exclusive trailer for Tumbleweeds above and be sure to catch the first two episodes (Las Vegas and San Francisco) on 4/20 on Vice TV and Vice TV streaming apps.

Big Sean, Jay-Z, And Meek Mill Throw Support Behind A Bill To Prohibit Rap Lyrics In Criminal Trials

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A recently proposed New York state bill to prohibit rap lyrics from being used in criminal trials has support from some of the biggest names in the music business, including Jay-Z, Big Sean, Fat Joe, Killer Mike, Meek Mill, Yo Gotti, and more. Proposed in November, Bill S.7527/A.8681 — “Rap Music on Trial” — passed through a Senate Codes committee today, according to Rolling Stone, clearing the way for a vote in the bicameral state legislature. Should it pass Senate and Assembly votes, it’ll go to Governor Kathy Hochul, who Jay and his fellow signatories urged to sign the bill into law in a letter from Jay-Z’s lawyer, Alex Spiro, who co-wrote the letter along with University of Richmond Professor Erik Nielson.

Professor Nielson is the author of Rap On Trial, which examines and criticizes the use of rap lyrics to paint rappers as violent individuals, biasing juries against them in trials that often have little to do with the contents of their music.

“This reform is urgently needed,” reads the letter. “Rather than acknowledge rap music as a form of artistic expression, police and prosecutors argue that the lyrics should be interpreted literally – in the words of one prosecutor, as ‘autobiographical journals’ – even though the genre is rooted in a long tradition of storytelling that privileges figurative language, is steeped in hyperbole, and employs all of the same poetic devices we find in more traditional works of poetry.”

The timing of the bill is especially poignant in light of the recent death of Drakeo The Ruler, who spent two years in jail in Los Angeles as the city’s District Attorney prosecuted a case against him built largely around the lyrics of his music rather than hard evidence. Drakeo was later released after a new District Attorney was voted in, but had lost two valuable years of freedom, a case made all the more tragic by his death in December.

In a statement, Senator Jamaal Bailey of the Bronx, who co-authored the bill alongside Senator Brad Hoylman and Assemblymember Catalina Cruz, said, “Presuming a defendant’s guilt based solely on musical genre or creative expression is antithetical to our foundational rights and perpetuates the systemic racism that is embedded into the criminal justice system through discriminatory conflations of hip-hop and rap with criminality.” In short, don’t believe the hype; all rappers aren’t “thugs” and none should be considered guilty just because they rap about their conditions.

Robert Glasper Searches For A ‘Black Superhero’ In His New Video From ‘Black Radio III’

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Grammy-winning producer Robert Glasper returns with a new single to announce the release date for his upcoming album, Black Radio III, which drops February 25 via Concord Loma Vista. The timing couldn’t be better, as 2022 marks the 10th anniversary of the original Black Radio album, which earned Glasper his first-ever Grammy for Best R&B Album. After sharing “Better Than I Imagined” featuring HER last year, Glasper follows up today with the video for “Black Superhero.”

Opening with a quote from culture critic Ta-Nehisi Coates and featuring verses from Killer Mike, BJ The Chicago Kid, and Big KRIT, “Black Superheroes” contemplates the everyday heroism of normal people creating a life in a nation where that’s not always the easiest thing to do. Despite the unwelcoming conditions of life in America for many Black Americans, whether they are barbers, politicians, teachers, or even just children, thriving is close enough to a superpower.

The video’s director, Charlie Buhler, offered this explanation in a press release: “‘Black Superhero’ is a visual love letter to the Black community. It’s an ode to our strength, vibrancy, and joy. We have struggled, and yet we are still here, and not only are we here, but we are so much more than the adversity heaped upon us. I am grateful to Robert and the team at Loma Vista for trusting me with such a powerful and important song, and everyone who came together to help bring the concept to life. It was a true labor of love.”

Watch Robert Glasper’s “Black Superhero” video above.

Black Radio III is due 2/25 via Concord Loma Vista. You can pre-order it here.