- Q-Tip Bio: The Rise of a Hip Hop Pioneer - November 15, 2022
- Killer Mike Bio: The Rise of a Rapper Turned Activist - November 14, 2022
- Redman Bio: The Life and Career of a Hip Hop Icon - November 14, 2022
Killer Mike is a legendary Atlanta MC, and half of the popular alternative hip-hop duo Run the Jewels. Mike has made a name for himself as a respected lyricist for his politically charged songs and real-world activism. He’s been a constant fixture in the Atlanta hip-hop scene and has always continued to innovate, which has kept him relevant in music well into his 40s.
I’ve been listening to Killer Mike since the early 2010s when I first discovered Run the Jewels. The first RTJ album will always be my favorite, although all of their albums are stellar. RAP Music will always be my favorite of Killer Mike’s solo albums. Here’s a look at the life and career of Killer Mike.
Killer Mike Quick Facts
| Full Name | Michael Santiago Render |
| Birth Date | April 20th, 1975 |
| Birth Place | Atlanta, Georgia |
| Nick Name | Mike Bigga, Jerome Jewel |
| Nationality | American |
| Zodiac Sign | Taurus |
| Siblings | None |
| Children | Pony, Mikey, Aniyah and Malik Render |
| Partner/Spouse | Shana Render |
| Most Successful Songs / Albums | R.A.P. Music, Run the Jewels |
| Earnings | N/A |
| Net Worth | $5 million |
| Social Media | @killermike |
| Awards | 1 Grammy Award, 1 Billboard Music Award, 1 Independent Music Reward |
| Last Updated | 11/10/2022 |
Killer Mike Birthplace
Killer Mike was born on April 20th, 1975, in Atlanta, Georgia, and grew up primarily in the Adamsville and Collier Heights neighborhoods.
Killer Mike Parents
Mike’s parents were still teenagers when they had him. His mother, Denise Render, worked as a florist, and his father worked as a police officer. His grandparents mostly raised Mike because his parents were so young when they had him, and he stayed at their home in Collier Heights.
Mike gained some of his early political knowledge from his grandparents. He’s described his grandfather as a libertarian who didn’t adhere to one party or the other but believed in small government. His grandmother believed more in collective action and was a member of the NAACP and Dr. Martin Luther King’s Christian Leadership Conference.
Killer Mike Early Life
Mike spent his early life in the Adamsville neighborhood of Atlanta before being taken in by his grandparents. His grandparents had a modest yet loving home on the edge of Collier Heights, and Mike was raised by a close-knit community of family members and neighbors.
He was interested in hip hop from an early age and took inspiration from artists like NWA, Schooly D, and Public Enemy. While he was in high school, he competed in local rap battles, which is when he began using the name Killer Mike.
Mike graduated from Douglas High School and briefly attended Morehouse College on a scholarship in 1995. While in school, he and his friends bought some recording equipment. He recorded his first mixtape and began passing it around the local music scene. His tape found its way into the hands of Cee-Lo Green from Goodie Mobb, who was immediately impressed by Mike’s hunger. Mike was then introduced to the production team, the Beat Bullies, and Big Boi from Outkast through C-Lo.
Mike only lasted two semesters at Morehouse before he realized that college wasn’t for him. He saw the Atlanta music scene beginning to take form and decided that he wanted to pursue rap as a full-time career.
Killer Mike Professional Career
Early Days with Outkast & Monster
Mike would debut as a rapper as a feature on the Outkast song Snappin’ and Trappin’ from their seminal album Stankonia. He would also be featured on the 2001 single The Whole World, which went on to win a Grammy for best rap performance by a duo or group.
So right out the gate, Mike was already networking with major stars and winning awards. He would continue to work with high-profile artists and was featured on Jay-Z’s track Poppin’ Tags from The Blueprint 2.
In 2003, Mike released his debut album, Monster, which peaked at number 10 on the Billboard 200. The project’s lead single Akshon (Yeah), featured guest vocals from Outkast and appeared on the soundtrack to Madden NFL 2004, which helped boost its popularity. Its second single, ADIDAS, also features a guest feature from Big Boi and Sleepy Brown.
The track peaked at number 60 on Billboard, Mike’s highest charting song to date. Although not my favorite Killer Mike album, it was a solid debut and an excellent Southern hip-hop record.
Killer Mike then joined Big Boi’s short-lived group, the Purple Ribbon All-Stars, and contributed to their releases. He was also featured on multiple songs on Big Boi’s Speakerboxxx record, which was part of the double album Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. He would also appear on records by Chamillionaire, T.I., and Bone Crusher around that time.
The I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind Series
In 2006, Mike released the first installment of his I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind series on his own independent label, Grind Time. Around that time, he also developed a professional relationship with Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim and voiced characters on shows like Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Frisky Dingo.
In 2008, Mike dropped a mixtape called Ghetto Extraordinary, which was supposed to be his second album but was delayed due to disputes with Big Boi and the label. The same year, Mike also released I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind II, which featured guest appearances from Ice Cube, Chamillionaire and 8Ball, and MJG.
At the end of 2008, Mike announced that he was leaving Purple Ribbon and had signed a deal with T.I.’s Grand Hustle entertainment.
He released his first album on the Grand Hustle roster, PL3DGE, in 2011, which featured appearances from T.I., Young Jeezy, Gucci Mane, Big Boi, and more. PL3DGE is the best album in the trilogy because Killer Mike was beginning to perfect his flows and had the backing of a serious label to put together a more fully realized body of work.
RAP Music
The following year, Killer Mike returned with his 5th album, RAP Music, an acronym for Rebellious African People. The album received widespread acclaim for its politically charged lyrics and unique production. RAP Music is my favorite Killer Mike album because it’s his most concise and lyrically potent.
He took a lot of risks on the album while staying true to his core musical identity and experimented with aspects of electronic music, rock, and industrial hip-hop. It was also the first time that Mike and El-P would collaborate, laying the foundations for Run the Jewels.
Mike and El-P met through an executive at Cartoon Network. They immediately hit it off, and El-P contributed to the production of RAP Music. The album’s success made them decide to form a due, which they called Run the Jewels.
Run the Jewels
They released their first eponymous album, Run the Jewels, in 2013 as a free download through Fool’s Gold Records. The album was a huge hit and is my personal favorite Run Jewels project. They had a unique sound that blended NYC noise and boom bap with Southern hip-hop and trap that was like nothing else being created at the time. Mike and El-P had an unlikely yet undeniable creative chemistry, complementing each other’s styles incredibly well.
The project’s success led them to release a sequel on Nas’s Mass Appeal label the following year. Run the Jewels 2 featured a unique mix of featured artists, including Diane Coffee, Travis Barker, Gangsta Boo from 36 Mafia, and Zack de la Rocha from Rage Against the Machine.
Run the Jewels 2 was another massive success and showed that Killer Mike could connect with a new audience and embark on an entirely new career arc in his late-30. The project peaked at number 50 on Billboard and was included on several lists of the best albums of 2014.
Mike and El-P would return for a third installment of Run the Jewels in 2016. This time, it featured guest appearances from Joi, Danny Brown, Trina, Kamasi Washington, and many more. Run the Jewels 3 was likewise met with critical acclaim, with many claiming that the duo had perfected their formula with each new release.
Their lyrics were even more politically charged, and the production was just as spacey and bombastic. However, they seemed to incorporate more hooks and musical themes than previous releases. The project peaked at number 13 on Billboard, their highest-charting album yet.
RTJ4 and Political Activism
After that, the group took a bit of a hiatus while Mike threw himself into politics and put his support behind Bernie Sanders for president. But the group reunited to drop a fourth installment of the RTJ series in 2020. RTJ 4 featured guest appearances from 2 Chainz, Zach De La Rocha, Mavin Staples, Pharrell Williams, and Josh Home, continuing the trend of mixing rap with rock, funk, R&B, and other genres.
Like its predecessors, RTJ4 was met with widespread acclaim for its hard-hitting, politically charged anthems. It debuted at number 10 on Billboard, making it the first top 10 records for both artists.
Even though the first Run the Jewels will always be my favorite because of how fresh and new it sounded at the time, all four of their projects are fantastic. They always found a way to push their sound further by sticking to the same basic formula and found a niche in hip-hop that was totally underserved.
Although Mike had a fantastic career before Run the Jewels, it helped to reinvigorate his sound and introduce him to an entirely new audience, which has allowed him to maintain relevance as an artist well into his 40s.
Killer Mike Video
Killer Mike Family
Killer Mike is an only child, but he does have four children, Pony, Mikey, Aniyah, and Malik Render.
Killer Dating and Relationship History
Killer Mike has been married to Shana Render since 2006. Shana is an influencer, real estate investor, business owner, and former rapper. Shana manages The Swag Shop, a barber shop she jointly owns with her husband. Shana and Mike are not just husband and wife, they’re also business partners, and Mike has said that their marriage was the best decision he ever made.
Killer Mike Controversy or Scandals
Mike received backlash online when he quoted diversity educator and activist Jane Elliot during a campaign rally in support of Bernie Sanders in 2016. Mike quoted Elliot saying that “a uterus does not qualify you to be president” about Hillary Clinton, which many took to be misogynistic.
Many media outlets also falsely attributed the quote to Mike’s own words, which were taken out of context. When Bernie withdrew from the race, Mike refused to support Hillary, citing her pro-wars stance, which also attracted criticism.
Killer Mike Net Worth and Career Earnings
Killer Mike has an estimated net worth of $5 million. He’s released five solo and four albums as part of Run the Jewels and earns a considerable income from royalties, touring, and merch. He’s also appeared in several films, including Idlewild, 20 Funerals, and ATL, and provided voiceovers for Adult Swim shows Frisky Dingo and Aqua Teen Hunger Force.
He co-owns the SWAG Barbershop in Atlanta with his wife Shana. Mike’s also given lectures on race relations at several prominent universities including NYU, MIT and Nortwestern. He is also an avid real estate investor and owns several properties in the Atlanta area.
In 2020, Mike partnered with Bounce T.V. founder Ryan Glover and Atlanta mayor Andrew Young to launch Greenwood, an online bank targeting the black and Latinx community. The bank had over 500,000 people waiting to open accounts before it officially launched in 2021.
Killer Famous Quotes
“I prefer a real villain to a false hero.” – Killer Mike
“We should be led by principles and morals and not by men.” – Killer Mike
“I never stop reading. I read everything, and I read every day. If you never read anything, be curious. Curiosity is the true foundation of education, reading things that we’ve factually already agreed on, and I love reading books. With that said, it’s more important that you ask the question ‘why.'” – Killer Mike
Killer Discography & Full Credits
Solo Albums
- 2003 – Monster
- 2006 – I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind
- 2008 – I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind II
- 2011 – PL3DGE
- 2012 – RAP Music
With Run the Jewels
- 2013 – Run the Jewels
- 2014 – Run the Jewels 2
- 2016 – Run the Jewels 3
- 2020 – RTJ4
FAQ
Answer: Killer Mike was introduced to El-P through a mutual friend who was an executive at Cartoon Network. Both rappers had done work for their after-hours program Adult Swim. They hit it off, and El-P helped produce Mike’s album RAP Music, his most critically acclaimed project.
Mike also appeared on el-P’s album Cure for Cancer, which came out around the same time as RAP Music, so they decided to go on tour together. The tour was a huge success, so they decided to form a group called Run the Jewels.
Answer: Yes, Mike is still an active member of Run the Jewels. They released an album as recently as 2020 and they are reportedly working on a fifth installment of the RTJ series.
Answer: Killer Mike met Cee-Lo Green in college by hustling mixtapes around Atlanta. Cee-Loo was a member of Goodie Mobb along with Outkast and connected him to the Beat Bullies production team, who helped him work on music. Mike met Big Boi from Outkast through the Beat Bullies and later appeared on their classic album Stankonia.