Killer Mike facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Killer Mike
Killer Mike in 2017
Background information
Birth name	Michael Santiago Render
Also known as	Mike Bigga Jerome Jewel
Born	(1975-04-20) April 20, 1975 (age 50) Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Genres	Southern hip hop, gospel
Occupation(s)	Rapper songwriter activist
Years active	1995–present
Labels	Loma Vista Mass Appeal Grind Time Fontana SMC Grand Hustle Atlantic Williams Street Fool's Gold Purple Ribbon Columbia

Michael Santiago Render (born April 20, 1975), known as Killer Mike, is an American rapper and activist. He first appeared on Outkast's album Stankonia in 2000. He also featured on their Grammy-winning song "The Whole World" in 2001.

Killer Mike released his first album, Monster, in 2003. It was very popular and reached number ten on the Billboard 200 music chart. He later released other albums like I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind (2006) and R.A.P. Music (2012). His sixth album, Michael (2023), won three Grammy Awards, including Best Rap Album.

After working with rapper and producer El-P on R.A.P. Music, they formed a duo called Run the Jewels in 2013. They released several popular albums together, including their first album in 2013 and RTJ4 in 2020.

Outside of music, Killer Mike is known for his activism. He speaks out about fairness for everyone, unfair treatment by police, and equal chances for all. He has given talks at colleges and written for magazines like Billboard. He also strongly supported Bernie Sanders in his 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns. Killer Mike has also acted in movies like Baby Driver and hosted a TV show called Trigger Warning with Killer Mike on Netflix.

Early Life and Education

Michael Render was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on April 20, 1975. His father was a police officer and his mother was a florist. His grandparents helped raise him in the Collier Heights neighborhood of Atlanta. He went to Douglass High School.

Music Career Highlights

Starting Out in Music (1995–2005)

In 1995, Michael Render briefly attended Morehouse College in Atlanta. There, he met producers The Beat Bullies and later Big Boi from the group Outkast. Killer Mike's first music appearance was on Outkast's song "Snappin' & Trappin'" in 2000. He then featured on their 2001 song "The Whole World", which won a Grammy Award in 2002.

In 2003, Killer Mike released his first solo album, Monster. The first song from the album was "Akshon (Yeah!)", featuring Outkast. A remix of this song was even in the video game Madden NFL 2004. His song "A.D.I.D.A.S." was his highest-charting song as a lead artist, reaching number 60 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

He also appeared on other popular songs. He was on "Flip Flop Rock" and "Bust" from OutKast's Speakerboxxx/The Love Below album. He also featured on "Never Scared" by Bone Crusher, which reached #26 on the Hot 100. This song was also used in Madden NFL 2004 and by the Atlanta Braves baseball team.

Killer Mike performing in May 2008.

New Albums and Collaborations (2006–2012)

Killer Mike released his second album, I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind, in 2006. He put it out on his own record label, Grind Time Official. He followed this with I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind II in 2008.

In 2008, he signed with T.I.'s Grand Hustle label. He released his fourth album, PL3DGE, in 2011. His fifth album, R.A.P. Music, came out in 2012.

Run the Jewels and Recent Work (2013–Present)

Killer Mike (left) and El-P (right) as Run the Jewels in 2014

Killer Mike met rapper and producer El-P in 2011. El-P produced Mike's album R.A.P. Music in 2012. They both featured on each other's albums that year. They decided to tour together, and the tour was so successful that they formed a duo called Run the Jewels.

Run the Jewels released their first album for free on June 26, 2013. They released their second free album, Run the Jewels 2, in 2014. They even made a special version of Run the Jewels 2 using only cat sounds, called Meow the Jewels. Their third album, Run the Jewels 3, came out in 2016, and their fourth, RTJ4, in 2020.

On July 4, 2022, Killer Mike released a solo song called "Run." This song was part of his solo album Michael, which came out on June 16, 2023.

In 2024, Killer Mike announced his seventh album, Songs for Sinners & Saints. This album is with his gospel group, Michael & The Mighty Midnight Revival.

Other Projects

Acting Roles

Killer Mike has appeared in several films, including Idlewild (2006) and ATL (2006). He also lent his voice to the character Taqu'il in the cartoon Frisky Dingo. He was a guest voice on Aqua Teen Hunger Force. He has appeared on The Eric Andre Show and in the TV series Ozark. In 2019, Netflix released Trigger Warning with Killer Mike, a docuseries he hosted.

Graffitis SWAG Barbershop

Killer Mike and his wife, Shana, opened a barbershop in Atlanta in 2011. They named it Graffitis SWAG, which stands for shave, wash, and groom. Killer Mike had dreamed of opening a barbershop for a long time.

The barbershop is decorated with art honoring important Black leaders like Martin Luther King Jr.. Killer Mike hopes the shop helps men in the community find good jobs and build successful careers. He wants to give his employees chances for "real economic elevation." The barbershop has become a popular spot for the community and has hosted events and music video shoots.

Greenwood Bank

In October 2020, Killer Mike, along with Ryan Glover and former Atlanta mayor Andrew Young, started Greenwood. This is an online bank created to serve "Black and Latinx communities." It also welcomes anyone who wants to support Black-owned businesses. Many people signed up to open accounts with the bank.

Activism and Community Work

Killer Mike is a strong voice for social justice. He focuses on topics like fairness for everyone, stopping unfair police actions, and making sure everyone has equal opportunities. He shares his views in his music and in interviews. He believes it's his duty to represent African-Americans. His father was a police officer, which gives him a unique perspective on police conduct. Songs like "Reagan" and "Early" talk about these issues.

He wrote an article for Billboard magazine. In it, he said that there's no good reason for people like Michael Brown and Eric Garner to have died, except for "bad policing."

In 2014, Killer Mike gave a powerful speech in St. Louis, Missouri. This was after a grand jury decided not to charge a police officer in the shooting of Michael Brown. His speech was shared widely online.

Killer Mike also speaks up for freedom of speech, especially for rap music. He believes that rap lyrics should not be used as evidence in criminal cases. He has given speeches about this important issue.

He has spoken about the 2015 Baltimore uprising, which was related to the death of Freddie Gray. He understood why people were upset but encouraged them to organize for lasting change. He has also given talks about race relations at universities like Northwestern University and New York University.

Political Involvement

In 2015, Killer Mike briefly ran as a candidate for the Georgia House of Representatives. He said his goal was to make people aware of the election and show that regular people can run against established politicians.

He strongly supported Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders in 2015 and 2016. Killer Mike introduced Sanders at rallies and even interviewed him at his barbershop. He released the interview as a video series. He continued to support Sanders by giving speeches and appearing in interviews.

Killer Mike has also encouraged people to support Black-owned banks. In 2016, he asked people to move their money to Citizens Trust, a Black-owned bank in Atlanta. He said, "We don't have to burn our city down. But what we can do is go to your banks tomorrow. You can go to your bank tomorrow. And you can say, 'Until you as a corporation start to speak on our behalf, I want all my money. And I'm taking all my money to Citizens Trust'."

In 2018, Killer Mike spoke about gun ownership. He supports the right of Black people to own guns for self-defense. He also supported the March for Our Lives movement for gun control.

In 2020, he spoke with Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms about the murder of George Floyd and the protests that followed. He also supported Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff in the Georgia Senate elections.

Personal Life

Killer Mike married his wife, Shana, in 2006. They have four children together.

Killer Mike in an interview with WHTA in 2024

Discography

Studio albums

• Monster (2003)
• I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind (2006)
• I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind II (2008)
• Pledge (2011)
• R.A.P. Music (2012)
• Michael (2023)
• Songs for Sinners & Saints (2024, as Michael & The Mighty Midnight Revival)

Filmography

Awards and Recognition

Grammy Awards

Billboard Awards

In 2020, Killer Mike received the first Billboard Change Maker Award. This award honors artists who use their music and fame to speak up for important causes.

See also

In Spanish: Killer Mike para niños