The rap duo Run The Jewels is arguably one of the best duos in hip-hop. Along with duos such as Kriss Kross and Rae Sremmurd, Run The Jewels have found their way into the hip-hop history books and, unlike certain duos, are still going to this day. Killer Mike has been a low-key figure in Southern rap since the 1990s and found success alongside Big Boi of Outkast, who attended his school.
Rising up alongside other members of the Dungeon Family collective such as Andre 3000, Big Rube and Organized Noize, Killer Mike (real name Michael Render) signed to T.I’s Atlanta-based record label Grand Hustle Records and in 2011 and began working on his project R.A.P Music executively produced by EI-P. The two would form the duo Run The Jewels in 2013.
Ever since, he has been a fascinating cultural figure with an exciting sound, several 1980s artists have informed the Atlanta act regarding his sound and rap style. However, there is one LA emcee he has named as his ultimate “idol.”
In 2020, following riots in the USA, singer Selena Gomez asked Killer Mike to take over her Instagram account to discuss issues facing African-Americans. Render posted several stories to her account. However, he referred to Ice Cube as his “hero” and later his “idol” in one clip.
During this period, Ice Cube was addressing the riots on Twitter and educating people. Expressing his emotions and admiration for the rapper, Render wrote, “I have sadness, misery, hopelessness; basically everything that every Black person feels in their gut. I feel all of that, and I think it’s important that we’re all honest about that.”
He continued, “When my idol @icecube is speaking about problems and letting the world know they exist, that speaks to how a lot of black people are feeling.”
You can hear more about Killer Mike’s Instagram takeover in the video below.
