With Trigger Warning garnering acclaim, Killer Mike has been a busy man. Not only is he actively putting in work in the studio, but he's also in the midst of a press run, hitting Stephen Colbert, CBC Radio, and now, the Joe Rogan Experience.
"I wish I could work out as hard as people work out to our music," jokes Mike, in the opening segments. "I lost 35 pounds, but I'd be down ninety pounds down easy now." Joe dubs Run The Jewel's output as "workout music, eliciting a laugh from Mike. "It is, and me and El are chubby as two fat little bears." Still, Mike appears to be taking the path to weight loss seriously, and you can't help but respect that. Of course, Mike's plate has been metaphorically full for a minute, given his responsibilities with Run The Jewels, Netflix' Trigger Warning, and his ongoing press run. Of course, those familiar with the rapper know he's been putting in work since Monster, but it's still cool to see him obtaining new levels of fame at this juncture in his career; a second wind, to be sure.
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The pair proceed to talk shop for three hours straight, and in true JRE fashion, the conversation is free-flowing and informative. To parse one particular tidbit would require more time than allotted, though rest assured this one will be worth combing through. Topics broached in Trigger Warning are given further life as Mike breaks down the true connective tissue between gang-members, which stem from a more wholesome place than misconceptions might have you believe.
"These kids that are members of these little punk-ass street fraternities, gangs," says Mike, "we criminalize and villainize a bunch of teenagers who simply don't have anything to do. They don't have jobs, they don't have skills, they don't have organizations, and they don't have police athletic league, they don't have people engaging the way they used to." He proceeds to offer a solution, explaining that these same kids have an untapped entrepreneurial spirit that could ultimately be harnessed to benefit the community, and the economy alike. Be sure to check out the full episode below, and respect to Killer Mike for continuing his triumphant run.