Description
Killer Mike – Michael – Double Vinyl Record
2 LP Black Vinyl Edition
Includes bonus content: the three songs on Side D are LP exclusives
Michael is the sixth studio album by American rapper Killer Mike, released through VLNS and Loma Vista Recordings on June 16, 2023. It marked Mike’s first solo studio record in eleven years—following 2012’s R.A.P. Music—and functioned as both a reintroduction and a deeply personal self-portrait of Michael Render’s life and artistry
Recorded over the course of 2022 and early 2023, Michael draws on a wide array of Southern hip-hop traditions—gospel-inflected choirs, barbershop-style vocal interplay, and multiple eras of Atlanta rap flows—to frame Mike’s reflections on family, faith, and the complexities of success. The album spans fourteen tracks and runs 53 minutes and 44 seconds, showcasing production contributions from an eclectic roster including André 3000, No I.D., DJ Paul, Cool & Dre, El-P, James Blake, Cory Mo, Tec Beatz, Beat Butcha, and others. Guest appearances abound, featuring CeeLo Green on “Down by Law,” André 3000 on “Scientists & Engineers,” Future, Young Thug, 2 Chainz, Curren$y, 6lack, Ty Dolla Sign, Mozzy, Eryn Allen Kane, Jagged Edge, Blxst, Fabo, and The-Dream—each collaborator bringing a distinct texture to Mike’s narrative framework
Lyrically, the album functions as an origin story, with Mike alternating between candid anecdotes and broader social commentary. Tracks like “Down by Law” and “Run” traverse themes of resilience and community roots, while “Scientists & Engineers” juxtaposes futuristic synths with André 3000’s razor-sharp verse to explore the tension between innovation and heritage. Mike’s evocative delivery shifts from preacher-style exhortations—underscored by gospel choirs on several cuts—to more introspective, conversational cadences, reflecting the dual impulses of spiritual reflection and street-wise alertness that have long defined his work
Michael was lauded for its ambitious scope and emotional depth. Pitchfork praised its “origin-story” approach and noted how the album “examines how worshiping at the altars of sex, money, and Jesus created the man we know today,” even as it occasionally grappled with the contradictions of Mike’s public persona and amassed wealth highlighted the record’s blend of empathy and urgency, observing that its gospel-tinged arrangements and community-focused ethos reaffirmed Mike’s dual identity as both artist and activist
The album’s impact was cemented at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards, where Michael won Best Rap Album, and later at the 2024 BET Awards, where it was named Album of the Year—victories that underscored both its artistic resonance and Mike’s enduring influence in hip-hop
In the months following its release, Mike further expanded on Michael’s themes with the gospel-infused epilogue Songs for Sinners & Saints, credited to Michael & The Mighty Midnight Revival, demonstrating how this chapter of his career seamlessly bridges rap, faith, and community empowerment.
Brand new, never played and still in the factory plastic sealed
Track Listing
Down By Law Featuring – CeeLo Green
Shed Tears Featuring – Lena Byrd Miles, Mozzy
Run Featuring – Young Thug
Nrich Featuring – 6lack, Eryn Allen Kane
Talk’n That Shit!
Slummer Featuring – Jagged Edge
Scientists & Engineers Featuring – Andre 3000, Eryn Allen Kane, Future
Two Days Featuring – Ty Dolla $ign
Spaceship Views Featuring – 2 Chainz, Curren$y, Kaash Paige
Exit 9 Featuring – Blxst
Something For Junkies Featuring – Fabo
Motherless Featuring – Eryn Allen Kane
Don’t Let The Devil Featuring – EL-P, thankugoodsir
High & Holy Featuring – Ty Dolla $ign*
Yes!
Maynard Vignette Featuring – Jacquees, T.I.
Get Some Money
