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Run the jewels to Bernie Sanders!
By Bernadette Giacomazzo — Written on Feb 04, 2020
As one-half of the legendary hip hop duo Run The Jewels, he's been making waves in the music industry since the turn of the 21st century. He got his "big break" on the song "Snappin' and Trappin'" on Stankonia, the seminal rap album from the now-legendary rap group, Outkast. An, as his profile began to rise, he started making waves in social and political activities.
He focuses on social inequality, systemic racism (and, specifically, how Black men and women can navigate a system specifically designed to make them fail), and police brutality.
Though we recently saw him on his hit Netflix show, he's really come to the forefront of the mainstream zeitgeist now that his endorsement of Bernie Sanders has gone viral.
So, who is Killer Mike? Let's look at what we know about him.
1. Who is Killer Mike? He's more than just a rapper.
Though his best-known song, to date, is his appearance on Bone Crusher's hit song, "Never Scared," Killer Mike is more than just a rapper. He's also an actor — with appearances in hit films like Baby Driver and the classic urban film ATL — and an entrepreneur, with investments in things like a barbershop and a clothing line.
Recently, too, he had a hit show on Netflix called Trigger Warning with Killer Mike.
2. He refused to support Hillary Clinton in 2016.
Even though he firmly backed Bernie Sanders in the 2016 presidential race (that ultimately went to Donald Trump), he refused to support Hillary Clinton when Sanders, ultimately, dropped out of the race — a move that was seen as controversial.
"We had one candidate this year — who had a strong chance of winning — who was anti-growing war, and that was Sanders, and we didn't vote him in, so we're getting what we asked for. We're asking for more war. And if you don't want any war, you'd be voting Jill Stein. If you want less government and war, you'd be voting Gary Johnson. But if you're voting for Trump or Hillary Clinton, you're voting for the same thing," he said.
3. He endorses Black-owned banks.
Killer Mike (real name: Michael Santiago Render) isn't just a fan of progressive politics — he's a fan of progressive banking as well.
Not long ago, Killer Mike endorsed Citizens Bank, a Black-owned business, and told his followers to pull all their money out of more "traditional" banks and put them into Citizens Bank. He especially encouraged his followers of color to start doing business with Citizens Bank, since they were more likely to engage in fair practices when it came to their financial interests.
4. Killer Mike's endorsement of Bernie Sanders for President in 2020 has gone viral.
In the fall of 2019, Killer Mike endorsed Bernie Sanders for President at an event at a Black college in Greensboro, NC. The video picked up steam right before the Iowa Caucus, which was yesterday, and as of this writing, the video's garnered nearly 3 million views. You can check out the video below.
5. He's not the only celebrity to endorse Bernie Sanders for President.
While Killer Mike is certainly the most vocal proponent of Bernie Sanders for President, there are other celebrities who support America "Feeling the Bern." Celebrities like Vampire Weekend and The Strokes are big Sanders supporters, too.
"We are honored to be associated with such a dedicated, diligent, & trustworthy patriot — and fellow native New Yorker. As the only truly non-corporate candidate, Bernie Sanders represents our only chance to overthrow corporate power and help return America to democracy. This is why we support him," said Julian Casablancas, lead singer of The Strokes.
6. Could the video put Bernie Sanders in the White House?
There are sources who believe that Killer Mike's performance in the video was so electric that it just might put Bernie Sanders in the White House.
"The spine-tingling two-minute clip, featuring a speech by rapper and activist Killer Mike, focuses on what binds together the people Sanders is offering to represent. In short, it’s an electrifying statement on why people — of all colors, genders, and sexualities — should march the Vermont senator straight to the White House," says political editor Tracy Keeling.
Bernadette Giacomazzo is an editor, writer, publicist, and photographer whose work has appeared in Teen Vogue, People, Us Weekly, The Source, XXL, HipHopDX, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Post, BET.com, and more.