Killer Mike

Michael Santiago Render, known professionally as Killer Mike, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter and outspoken activist whose career has spanned more than two decades. Born on April 20, 1975 in the Adamsville neighborhood of Atlanta, Georgia, he grew up with a policeman father and a florist mother and was partially raised by his grandparents in Collier Heights. After a brief stint at Morehouse College in 1995, he caught the attention of Outkast’s Big Boi, leading to his first recording appearance on the 2000 album Stankonia and the Grammy‑winning single "The Whole World" in 2001. His solo debut Monster (2003) entered the Billboard 200 at number ten, and subsequent releases such as I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind series and R.A.P. Music (2012) solidified his reputation for lyrical intensity and political consciousness. In 2013 he formed the critically acclaimed duo Run the Jewels with producer El‑P, delivering four Grammy‑nominated albums that fused aggressive beats with sharp social commentary. Beyond music, Killer Mike has built a multifaceted public persona through film, television and entrepreneurship. He appeared in movies like Idlewild (2006) and Baby Driver (2017), hosted the Netflix docu‑series Trigger Warning with Killer Mike (2019), and currently leads the PBS interview program Love & Respect (2021‑present), which earned an Emmy in 2022. Together with his wife Shana, he opened the community‑focused barbershop Graffitis SWAG in Atlanta, and co‑founded Greenwood, an online bank aimed at Black and Latinx consumers. A vocal supporter of Bernie Sanders and other progressive causes, he has delivered speeches on police brutality, gun rights, and economic empowerment, cementing his role as a cultural leader who merges art with activism. His latest solo effort Songs for Sinners & Saints (2024) showcases a gospel‑infused direction with his group Michael & The Mighty Midnight Revival, demonstrating his willingness to explore new musical territories while remaining anchored in community advocacy.