Hip-hop artist and activist Killer Mike sat down with Hot 107’s Mz Shyneka yesterday to talk about the police shootings of black men in America, which have left him grief-stricken but not resigned. The interview, which was streamed via Facebook Live, saw the Atlanta native talk about fearing for his life when not in his hometown, and also urge his fellow citizens to take greater political action if they want to see change.
[Note: This interview was conducted before last night’s shooting in Dallas.]
Killer Mike has been an outspoken Bernie Sanders supporter for some time, and he encouraged listeners not to settle for a two-party system by voting for what he considers would be the lesser of two evils. He also outlined other strategies for civil resistance, such as banking with the black-owned Citizen’s Trust in place of larger institutions in the city. The Run The Jewels rapper took inspiration from the product boycotts organized in Atlanta to protest apartheid in South Africa. (The radio host then concluded the segment by pledging her own partial financial support to Citizen’s Trust.)
“What we can do is go to your banks tomorrow. You can go to your bank tomorrow. And you can say ‘Until you as a corporation start to speak on our behalf, I want all my money. And I’m taking all my money to Citizen’s Trust’… Apartheid ended in South Africa because students in America said ‘We not flying Delta anymore. We not drinking Coca-Cola anymore. We’re not supporting any corporation that supports the Apartheid and the enslavement of people that look like us.’ And I’m just saying once again… Take your money out of this dog’s hands. Out of their paws. Take your money.”