Killer Mike Believes He Has The Rap Album Of The Year

"MICHAEL" is among the most sonically versatile, thematically well-rounded, and emotionally powerful works of art this decade.

BYGabriel Bras Nevares
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Killer Mike has had too amazing of a career for preoccupations of humility, and he knows how special his art is. Moreover, he recently spoke to HipHopDX at the ONE Music Fest about his new album MICHAEL and about how it's the rap album of the year. Of course, the Grammys certainly agree to some extent, as they nominated the project for the Best Rap Album category alongside Her Loss, UTOPIA, King's Disease 3, and HEROES & VILLAINS. However, the Dungeon Family MC saw past the competition and identified how his album is thematically unlike much of what we see in the genre today. That distinction is indicative of its introspection, quality of craft, and richness of perspective that he does a great job of conveying.

"If you're a Black man and you heard MICHAEL, you’ve heard your own experience in this life,” Killer Mike expressed on Saturday (December 23). “It’s songs on there that talk about the love and solidarity of women, from your mother to your aunts to your wife. It’s songs on there that, for the first time, celebrate the junkie, and not the person that has them addicted.

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MICHAEL Is The Rap Album Of The Year, Killer Mike Defends

"I don’t say that lightly, when I say, ‘album of the year,’" Killer Mike continued. "This album pushed the emotions of masculinity past where rap had prior. It acknowledges women– Black women– that evolved me in a different way. It acknowledges addiction in a radically different way. So when I say that, I don’t say that lightly. And I don’t say that to play. Because if I didn’t, I wouldn’t say it. If you're a Black man, a working class man, or the women who love them, you should lay your ears on [MICHAEL]."

Mike Thanks HipHopDX

In addition, the Run The Jewels member also thanked HipHopDX for crowning the LP the Album of the Year. More than just boast about the project's quality, it's heartening to see him celebrate it with others as he should, and to see others celebrate his work in kind. Furthermore, with over twenty years in the game, Mike deserves nothing less. For more news and the latest updates on Killer Mike, check back in with HNHH.

Read More: Killer Mike Speaks Out Against Lyrics Being Used In Young Thug's Trial

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About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a music and pop culture news writer for HotNewHipHop. He started in 2022 as a weekend writer and, since joining the team full-time, has developed a strong knowledge in hip-hop news and releases. Whether it’s regular coverage or occasional interviews and album reviews, he continues to search for the most relevant news for his audience and find the best new releases in the genre. What excites him the most is finding pop culture stories of interest, as well as a deeper passion for the art form of hip-hop and its contemporary output. Specifically, Gabriel enjoys the fringes of rap music: the experimental, boundary-pushing, and raw alternatives to the mainstream sound. As a proud native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, he also stays up-to-date with the archipelago’s local scene and its biggest musical exponents in reggaetón, salsa, indie, and beyond. Before working at HotNewHipHop, Gabriel produced multiple short documentaries, artist interviews, venue spotlights, and audio podcasts on a variety of genres and musical figures. Hardcore punk and Go-go music defined much of his coverage during his time at the George Washington University in D.C. His favorite hip-hop artists working today are Tyler, The Creator, Boldy James, JPEGMAFIA, and Earl Sweatshirt.