Killer Mike is currently on his High And Holy Tour, promoting his new album Michael. Most recently, he stopped at The Fillmore in San Francisco, while tonight (July 31), he’s playing the Ace Hotel in Los Angeles. We’ve got the setlist — courtesy, as always, of Setlist.fm — below. In addition to tracks from Michael, Killer Mike has also been playing tracks by Big Boi (“Kill Jill”), Bone Crusher (“Never Scared”), and Purple Ribbon All-Stars (“Kryptonite [I’m On It]”), on which he had standout verses throughout the early 2000s.
Despite very recently releasing a full-length album, Mike said he had even more songs recorded, including one featuring a seven-minute André 3000 verse. He followed up by claiming that André was working on an album of his own, but later insisted that he was only joking. Of course, with André 3000, anything is possible; even the Killer Mike collab that appeared on Michael, “Scientists & Engineers,” was nearly nixed by the mercurial Outkast-er until he heard the full version with Eryn Allen Kane’s vocals.
Check out the setlist for Killer Mike’s High And Holy Tour below.
1. “Down By Law”
2. “Shed Tears”
3. “Ready Set Go”
4. “Run”
5. “NRich”
6. “Talk’n That Sh*t!”
7. “Slummer”
8. “Scientists & Engineers”
9. “Two Days”
10. “Kryptonite (I’m On It)”
11. “Kill Jill”
12. “Never Scared”
13. “Spaceship Views”
14. “Reagan”
15. “Something For Junkies”
16. “Motherless”
17. “Ric Flair”
18. “Don’t Let The Devil”
19. “High & Holy”
20. “Thank You Lord”
Anthony Fantano is one of the more well-known names in the world of music critics. Still, that definitely doesn’t mean the public always agrees with his opinion. Just last month he made headlines by scoring Gunna’s surprise a Gift & a Curse album a measly 1/10 on his YouTube channel, The Needle Drop. Later on in June, Fantano gave a listen to hip-hop icon Killer Mike’s MICHAEL LP, which received a 79/100 rating on Metacritic.com shortly after its debut.
“If you’re familiar with Killer Mike, you know he’s no stranger to throwing political views out there. On previous records, I feel like that mostly worked in his favour,” the internet personality told viewers tuning in. “But on MICHAEL, I’m kinda scratching my head because I feel like a lot of it isn’t fully lining up,” Fantano added, ultimately scoring it a 6/10. “Are you 12 years old? Are you literally a 12-year-old boy? If you took these lyrics and you showed them to me and told me they were some kinda MAGA rapper from the internet, I would have to believe you,” he asked Mike during one rant.
The 48-year-old has obviously gotten wind of the slander circulating about his album, and he didn’t hold back when addressing it on Twitter. “People have forgot that Mike is an artist above all and braggadocious rap is part of it. Y’all prefer he rap about drugs?” one Twitter user pondered in response to Fantano’s review.
To this, Mike wrote, “His opinion on life and culture cannot possibly understand.” He went on to say,”[It’s] laughable and shows you the arrogance of the outsider or colonizer. I encourage all to listen and feel something special. #MICHAEL, a truly Black Southern American experience.”
Do you think Anthony Fantano’s review of Killer Mike’s first solo album in a decade was fair, or accurate? Let us know in the comments, and stream MICHAEL at the link above if you haven’t already.
Killer Mike is retracting his statement about fellow artist Andre 3000’s solo album. In a recent interview, the Atlanta rapper clarified that his comments were made in jest and that the former Outkast member is not planning to release a new album. Killer Mike’s Statement On Andre 3000’s Alleged Album In a recent interview on […]
Killer Mike had Hip-Hop going crazy when he broke the ends of a forthcoming solo Andre 3000 album. Killer Mike is now calling cap on himself.
Speaking on The Big Tigger Morning Show on Audacy’s V-103, Killer Mike revealed he was “stoned out of my mind playing.”
“Y’all done took the joke too seriously,” Killer Mike said. “But you know, (Andre 3000’s) always making music. He’s never not making music. So I got a chance to hear a lot of cool stuff… If you want to hear Dre though, I know where you can. It’s this album called ‘Michael’ that’s out right now. There is Dre, Future, and Killer Mike…”
The single he is referencing is “Scientists & Engineers,” which also features Future and Eryn Allen Kane.
As for that single, Killer Mike revealed how it came together, specifically with working with Andre 3000:
“I flew out to let him hear the record ‘cause I care what he and Big Boi think about my music ‘cause they gave me an opportunity to change my life… I just played the record for him. And after I played it, he said, ‘You mind if I come back tomorrow and play some stuff for you?’ I’m like, ‘No, I’d love to hear the stuff’… And I did hear a bunch of good stuff. And he said, ‘Pick what you want’ – And we picked two records. That was one of them. And we crafted it into a brilliant record. The other record he took back… And then he called me a couple of months later and gave me another record, so we have another record together that’s like 11 minutes long.”
As Jay-Z once said, “Believe half of what you hear, even if it’s spat by me.” That principle has once again been proven true thanks to Killer Mike. During a recent interview to promote his new album, Michael, Killer Mike appeared to confirm that his longtime collaborator André 3000 is working on a new album. However, according to HipHop-N-More, he has since backtracked, telling his hometown radio station V-103 it was just a joke that fans took too seriously.
“I was stoned out of my mind playing, teasing with y’all,” he’s reported saying. “Y’all done took the joke too seriously. But you know, [André 3000’s] always making music. He’s never not making music. So I got a chance to hear a lot of cool stuff… If you want to hear Dre though, I know where you can. It’s this album called Michael that’s out right now.” He is referring, of course, to the song “Scientists & Engineers,” on which André appears alongside Future.
Mike said the Outkast member had nearly nixed the collaboration until hearing the completed version with guest vocalist Eryn Allen Kane. He gave the go-ahead on its release, but while promoting the album, Mike revealed the existence of another collaboration — and fans’ eagerness to hear it is likely what prompted the furor over Mike’s album comments.
Killer Mike recently made an exciting announcement during an interview on Sway In The Morning. While discussing his own album, MICHAEL, the Atlanta rap veteran revealed that fellow rap legend and OutKast member Andre 3000 has a solo album on the way. Killer Mike Announces Andre 3000’s Upcoming Solo Album During the interview, Sway Calloway mentioned […]
Iconic rapperKiller Mike is not a fan of new gun control laws in the United States. This comes despite the call from many across the nation to impose new laws that limit who can purchase guns. Mike believes that any new gun control laws in the United States will disproportionately affect black people compared to other groups. That does not mean that the MC thinks nothing should change, however. Mike suggests a few alternative approaches to address the surge in gun violence.
During an appearance on TMZ Live, Mike expressed his support for implementing curfews for minors in Atlanta as a way to reduce violence. The rapper has personal experience with this. He had a curfew while growing up in the area and believes it can be an effective measure. However, he firmly opposes the enactment of new legislation as a solution to gun-related crimes. As someone who strongly supports the Second Amendment, Mike raises concerns about the impact of stricter gun laws, particularly on black Americans. He believes that they would be the most negatively affected. Still, he believes those who own guns should be educated on them.
Mike Thinks Gun Safety Education Is The Right Move
When it comes to gun ownership, Killer Mike advocates for a different approach. He believes it is better for black families to be armed. However, he thinks they must receive better education on the safe use and storage of firearms. The United States has already witnessed an astounding 300-plus mass shootings in the current year. This could potentially lead to the deadliest year on record. That is certainly saying something in a country like the US, where mass shootings have been the norm for years.
Still, Killer Mike does not think gun control laws are the answer. Instead, Mike believes that a solution lies in increased funding for community facilities. He suggests providing more resources to places like YMCAs. He says these can serve as safe havens for children and help them stay away from trouble. Still, as more and more headlines hit the news each day, Mike’s solutions become more questionable. In a country where there have been over 300 mass shootings in the less than half a year, is community funding enough? What do you think of Mike’s solutions? Sound off in the comments below to let us know!
It’s been a long time since André 3000 and Big Boi operated together as Outkast, and appearances from the more elusive half of that duo have gotten fewer and further between since then. However, we recently got a new André 3000 verse on Killer Mike’s new album Michael on the song “Scientists & Engineers,” and if Mike’s to be believed, there’s much more coming in the near future. Mike recently told Sway In The Morning that Three Stacks had played him “nine” songs for him and that he’s flying out in a few weeks to listen to it. You can check a clip below, courtesy of HipHop-N-More:
Mike had previously revealed that “Scientists & Engineers” was almost shelved at André’s request until he heard the completed version with Eryn Allen Kane singing the chorus. After the song was initially recorded, Mike said, André wanted to nix the collab: “He called me, he’s like, ‘Kill, I don’t know about the song, man. We just got a good rap record, man.’ And then Cuz [Lightyear] was like, ‘You sent him the final record?’ I’m like, ‘Nah.’ I sent it over with Eryn’s hook and stuff. He hit back with, ‘Yeah, yeah, you got the record. Who is that?!’ So thank you, Eryn, I really appreciate you for that.”
However, they also recorded another song with a seven-minute André verse, as Mike told The Breakfast Club, so here’s hoping we get that one — along with the rest of André’s album, sooner rather than later.
The RX is Uproxx Music’s stamp of approval for the best albums, songs, and music stories throughout the year. Inclusion in this category is the highest distinction we can bestow and signals the most important music being released throughout the year. The RX is the music you need, right now.
For two-plus decades, Killer Mike has existed at the periphery of the mainstream’s perception of Atlanta rap, despite being widely acknowledged by fans within the culture as one of the scene’s most talented members. There was Mike’s association with Outkast, the forebears of Atlanta’s rise to national prominence, and his tag-team duo, Run The Jewels with El-P, opening a whole new market of festival appearances and hipster blogger love.
He was even given one of rap’s ultimate blessings; on Kendrick Lamar’s 2015 To Pimp A Butterfly standout “Hood Politics,” the Pulitzer Prize-winning Comptonite throws Mike a lyrical shout-out while denouncing the hypocritical elitism within the hip-hop community. “Critics want to mention that they miss when hip-hop was rappin’,” he rails. “Motherfucker, if you did, then Killer Mike’d be platinum.”
To hear Mike himself tell it, though, there’s another reason behind the lack of hardware denoting his sales achievements. “My first record deal damaged me,” he told Spin in an interview this year promoting Michael, his first solo album in over a decade. “It made me afraid, it pulled me back. I hadn’t done terribly on the major. I just, you know, I came out the same year as 50 [Cent] selling 10 million f*cking records. I sold, you know, 500,000.”
While going gold with your debut album (2003’s Monster, which features the millennial-era sex-rap favorite “A.D.I.D.A.S.”) is no small accomplishment, Mike became convinced he belonged on the underground circuit, where his rap prowess could lead to all the critical acclaim that pursuing greater sales goals might cost him. So, he became a bit trapped between the two worlds; a charismatic would-be star content to grind it out below the radar where his talents might be better appreciated.
In all of this, he admits, it seems he never quite got around to introducing the audience to Michael Render, the man behind the Killer Mike persona — and maybe that’s why he never connected with audiences the same way that Kendrick Lamar would, despite sharing his fiery resolve and unapologetic outlook toward presenting his unvarnished view of the world around him. And so, Michael, released Friday via Via Loma after Mike spent half-a-million dollars of his own money recording and producing it, attempts to do that, explaining how and why Killer Mike came to be, and what he’s truly capable of when not relegated to a sidekick or partner role.
First of all, Mike’s Dungeon Family DNA runs throughout the project; it opens with an appearance from CeeLo Green in “Down By Law” and flourishes on “Scientists & Engineers” with features from the elusive André 3000 and fellow wayward Dungeon cousin Future. The album also embraces Mike’s more recent forays into the chaotic doom funk of his longtime production partner El-P on “Two Days.” But the prevailing musical thread that ties Michael together is the gospel of his youth.
Beginning with the ferocious “Shed Tears” and continuing through the defiant “Run,” picking up in the maudlin “Motherless” and piercing through the production of the album in its haunting use of organs and clips of passionate sermons from Malcolm X, the influence of the South’s church-steeped culture undergirds Mike’s tearful reflections and assertive remonstrations as he recounts his evolution from nihilistic drug dealer to community leader and unofficial poet laureate of Atlanta.
There are slip-ups, of course. A questionable reference to Brokeback Mountain on “Talk’n That Sh*t” undermines Mike’s coalition rhetoric (hard to form a coalition if you’re still so committed to dehumanizing at least 10 percent of any group of people working toward a supposedly common goal; as a resident of the city with one of the largest LGBTQ populations in the nation, Mike should know better), and occasionally, his real-life actions, however well-intentioned, come off as contradictory of the revolutionary bars he rattles off on nearly every song.
But if you’re going to paint a picture of a person, their flaws are necessarily going to be part and parcel of the completed image. That Mike refuses to shy away from even the most unflattering self-portrayals are a huge reason why he’s got so much support from the artistic community and from critics. He’s showing us just who Michael Render is, even if that’s just something we’ve all always known.
The last decade has been busy for Killer Mike. From headlining festivals to campaigning for political and social change, the Atlanta rapper is a tireless man of industry. Of course, not every moment of this period has been sunny. In 2017 Killer Mike lost his mother, Denise, who was a huge influence on him in every aspect of his life. On his sixth studio album, Michael, Killer Mike reflects on the highs and lows of his life in what is his most personal album to date.
It’s been eleven years since Killer Mike has graced listeners with a solo project. Musically speaking, the last decade for Mike has been heavily focused on Run the Jewels with rapper/producer El-P. While some of the tracks feature the fierce lyrical cadence Killer Mike wields in RTJ, the majority of Michael is a sonic departure. Michael plays like a personal journal. It’s a mishmash of self-reflection, trash-talking, and social commentary.
With its raw lyrical content and gospel production, Michael is something of a hood sermon that exemplifies Killer Mike’s best musical instincts. However, it also features some of his less-than-stellar tendencies. At times, Michael feels unfocused. Some of the tracks tend to wander away on idiosyncratic sonic detours that might leave some listeners feeling stranded. While these moments are few and far between, they are speedbumps for what is overall a smooth and satisfying ride.
In the opening track, “Down by Law” Killer Mike drops his thesis for the entire album. The track reflects on the current state of being a Black man in the United States. It’s a sobering look at how minuscule change only shifts social perspective, but never addresses systemic issues. Mike has never been one to mince words or stand on ceremony. He’s a raw nerve that scraps any notion of rap ephemera. There are songs on this album that will certainly endure.
The lyrics Mike spits hold a universal truth. They come from personal experience and never shy away from the dark subject matter. This might be the most prevalent on the track “Something For Junkies.” The song humanizes those who struggle with substance abuse disorder while warning the hazards of habitual drug use. Mike’s pragmatic view on the subject comes from his own history with family members falling down the holes of addiction.
The following track, “Motherless” delves into Mike’s loss of maternal figures in his life. The song is the second blow of a one-two emotional punch in the back half of Michael. Lyrically speaking, “Something for Junkies” and “Motherless” are the strongest tracks on the album.
Legendary producer No I.D. handles the lion’s share of crafting the sonic landscape on Michael. Each track is gorgeously crafted in layers of gospel, soul, funk, and classic speaker-busting hip-hop. Tracks like “Two Days” play like musical gumbo, shifting sonically mid-track from a guitar-driven, high hat-riding beat to a full-blown gospel symphony. While some of these sudden shifts might be jarring to some listeners, they mostly provide a sonic variety that flows naturally throughout Michael’s 14 tracks.
In fact, most of the speedbumps Michael are its in-track interstitials. Some songs, even great ones, contain opening monologues or closing sonic explorations that don’t always make for a cohesive listening experience. At best, they act as unique transitions. At worst, they offer sonic dissonance that will have some hitting the “next song” button.
Regardless of some of its themes of isolation and loneliness, Killer Mike is anything but on Michael. He has a cavalcade of high-profile guests populating the tracks, including Future, Young Thug, and CeeLo Green. Some of the more notable guest spots come from longtime collaborators.
The track “Scientists & Engineers” features a rare appearance from the elusive rapper/multi-instrumentalist Outkast member, Andre 3000. Over twenty years ago, Killer Mike made his debut on Outkast’s Stankonia. Now, Andre showing up on Michael feels like a homecoming of sorts, a celebration of two kids from Atlanta continuously making great music. The other half Run the Jewels, El-P also makes an appearance on the track “Don’t Let the Devil.” With its soulful hook and boom-bap beat, it’s something of a departure from RTJ’s output, but it feels right at home on Michael.
Overall, Michael is a standout release in Killer Mike’s already impressive oeuvre. While the album can sometimes feel a bit bloated, its high points overshadow its gluttonous tendencies. Michael is an album about growth and living a storied life. Its lyrics are raw, honest, and often beautiful. Killer Mike continues to be a force of change and enlightenment in hip-hop, and Michael is a soulful example as to why that is.
