Killer Mike is no stranger to Lollapalooza or the city of Chicago. Having played Lollapalooza with his partner in rhyme, El-P, as part of superstar Hip-Hop duo, Run the Jewels, twice since 2014. As well as playing several shows in Chicago since the duo first formed a little over a decade ago. But as Mike gets set to make his triumphant return to Chicago’s famed Grant Park for Lollapalooza almost exactly two weeks from today. It will be as a solo act. Getting his long overdue accolades as a solo act, he has really been reaping the benefits of over the past year and a half or two.
Mike earning three GRAMMYs earlier this year at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards for all three of his nominations. That included winning Best Rap Album for his very critically-acclaimed most recent solo album, MICHAEL, he released last year. The album a true reflection of how far the man born, Michael Render, has come not only as an artist, but as a great human being and activist. That was brought up in the church by his late great mother and grandmother in Atlanta, Georgia in the mid 70’s.
Going back solo nearly 11 year’s after his last critically-acclaimed solo album, R.A.P. Music, was released in 2012. Really allowing Mike to not only mature as an artist, but as a father, husband, businessman and performer as well. To his really truest potential he might not have reached if he didn’t go through the shortcomings he did as a solo artist prior to that and him forming, Run the Jewels, with El-P. Really allowing Mike to see a lot of the potential he might not have seen now had he stayed a solo artist.
That isn’t to say that Killer Mike wasn’t great as a solo artist prior to that cause he did earn his first Grammy for being a part of Outkast’s classic 2001 single, The Whole World. Not to mention putting out his own critically-acclaimed solo album’s I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind and I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind II through his own Grind Time Official label. Plus his critically-acclaimed mixtapes Ghetto Extordianary and Bang x3. As well as several great guest features with the likes of such heavyweights as Jay-Z, Black Thought, T.I. and Twista.
Killer Mike has shown that it doesn’t matter what your age is and how many obstacles you may go through in life. As long as you continue to grow and mature, you can develop your own best self through hard work, drive and dedication. That can help you reach your own full potential and became the true God-fearing best potential of yourself. The spiritual awakening of Mike that we wouldn’t have got prior to this. Really allowing him to reach his highest heights and give even greater performances as not only an artist, but performer as well and why he’s only one tier from being a headliner at Lollapalooza. With his performance by far one of the most anticipated one’s of not only Hip-Hop fans, but of anyone going to the festival period.