Killer Mike says "protesting is the first step for change" but US needs to "beat up ballot boxes"

Killer Mike has urged fans to think to the long-term in their protests against police brutality and use their vote.

The Run The Jewels rapper recently addressed citizens of Atlanta, telling them to “plot, plan, strategise, organise and mobilise”.

Speaking to Bill Maher on Real Time yesterday (June 5), the musician explained in more detail what he meant by that. “What we do know about this country is that the bullet box and the ballot box have both changed this country in a lot of ways,” he said. “The ballot box is the most easily accessible way – on a local level especially – to start to change this country.

“I think that the kids that were out raging in the streets certainly deserve to be out raging in the streets. I appreciate the protests, I appreciate destroying property when it’s followed the next day by organising. I want kids to know that the righteous anger is certainly permitted – and I will say encouraged – to wake society up.”

 

He went on to compare the steps of revolution to a patient being taken to hospital. “Protesting is the first step,” he explained. “It’s when you come in the ICU when you’re bleeding and they have to stop the bleeding first. Then, how do we stabilise the patient? The stability comes from beating up your local ballot boxes. It comes from voting in your prosecutor races, voting in terms of who your mayor and senators are going to be.”

Earlier in the week, the rapper set “homework” for white viewers during an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Killer Mike directed those watching to “go to YouTube and google Jane Elliott”.







“Spend one hour watching Jane Elliott teach people — not just speak, she’s not just speaking but she’s teaching people about the racism that is given to them that they aren’t even aware they have,” he said.

Meanwhile, Run The Jewels released their latest album ‘RTJ4’ earlier this week. In a five-star review, NME said: “Easily Mike and El-P’s best work to date, ‘RTJ4’ is protest music for a new generation; they’re armed in the uprising with a torrent of spirited rallying calls […] This is less ‘What’s Going On’ and more ‘It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back’.”