At the BET Awards last week, Killer Mike delivered a poignant speech as he accepted the award for Best Rap Album – another triumphant award show night for the Atlanta rapper in 2024. “Technically, I was not supposed to be here,” Killer Mike said about his infamous arrest outside the Grammy Awards earlier this year. That same night, he took home three Grammy Awards for Michael. “I was put in handcuffs, and I was marched out of this building. But I wanna tell you, look at God because I’m back, baby. I’m back.”
His faith in God is at the forefront of his efforts, naturally sprinkling references to his faith across his catalog, whether alongside El-P as Run The Jewels or in his solo catalog. His latest album Michael is an autobiographical body of work that explores his Atlanta roots, both through vigorous levels of rhyming over soulful backdrops and a deep dive into how God brought him through hardships to glory. These Grammy wins and accolades symbolize how he overcame trials and tribulations throughout his life and still surpassed the circumstances that could've led him astray. But this message becomes more urgent during his live shows. Accompanied by the Mighty Revival and DJ Trackstar, Killer Mike brought the good folks of Quebec City to a church sermon (albeit, with a bit more cussing and weed smoke).
Michael's Victory Lap
As part of his summer 2024 tour dates, he made his way through several Canadian cities in support of his excellent 2023 album, Michael. His performance at Festival D’Été Quebec on Friday night (July 6th) felt like another victory lap in a storied career that has seen him reach incredible heights without compromising his artistic integrity. His stage show brought a distinctly Southern feel that embodied his resilience, tenacity, and faith in a Higher Power. The jewels he dropped weren’t those of solely a rapper but one who delivers his words with the conviction of a pastor.
He admittedly tried to stray from religious reference, though stories about Solomon prefaced the emotionally charged “MAMA” and his mini-speeches in between songs felt like notes of inspiration for those who’ve also felt like their back were against the wall. Still, this was a rap show after all, and songs like “RUN” and “DOWN BY LAW” got the energy right for the remainder of the evening. But, at the core of Killer Mike’s performance was bringing Atlanta to the Canadians. The album cuts got the audience excited, for sure, but hard-hitting bangers including Big Boi’s “Kill Jill” and Bone Crusher’s “Never Scared,” alongside cuts from Run The Jewels and R.A.P Music, kept the crowd’s vibrancy at an all-time high.
Following such a triumphant year so far – even with a few mishaps – Killer Mike’s performance felt like a victory lap for an artist who never played the industry game yet exceeded every expectation set against him. But with a breath of gratitude to his tone, his recent feats and festival performances are a testament to his grind and reaping the fruits of his labor.
The Final Lap Tour Makes Its Way To Quebec City
The greatest measure of an artist's hit-making prowess is how it translates to crowds outside of their prime demographic, specifically those that don’t even really speak the same language. At le Festival D’Été Quebec in Quebec City (a primarily non-English city), 50 Cent served up a platter of bangers for an hour-and-a-half that affirms his presence as one of hip-hop’s greatest showmen. Following 50 Cent’s epic Final Lap tour in 2023, which saw him celebrate the 20th anniversary of Get Rich Or Die Tryin’, he’s clearly in high demand for the summer festival circuit across the world. As we covered in 2023, the Final Lap tour was undoubtedly the tour of the summer, one that brought hip-hop fans, both old and new together, to witness one of rap’s greats perform his biggest hits; timeless classics that have become a staple in hip-hop and pop catalogs.
50 Cent initially stated the Final Lap tour would be his final haul on the road before focusing on his television and film productions. But, after surpassing over $100M in ticket sales last year (making it one of the highest-grossing hip-hop tours of all time), there are plenty of markets that ha highly sought after in plenty of markets that he didn’t hit last year. Joined by his hypemen, Tony Yayo and Uncle Murda, the G-Unit trifecta delivered a more toned-down version of what they brought across North America last year, likely due to the venue change. Festivals provide ample room for pyrotechnics but the setup didn’t necessarily welcome some of the more theatrical elements, such as the wild t-shirt change that went viral last year and even the complex transitions throughout the set (i.e. popping out from under the stage).
The People Love 50
Nonetheless, his performance in Quebec City is a microcosm of 50 Cent’s global appeal. Though the audience might not be entirely tuned into Power (“Big Rich Town” certainly wasn’t even close to being the highlight of the evening), the epic run as a solo artist and with G-Unit throughout the 2000s formed the baseline of his set that transcended language barriers, further emphasizing the grip he’s had on the world since the release of Get Rich Or Die Tryin’.
“I’m On Some Sh*t” may have felt like a bit of a lackluster opener for this audience, especially since the majority seemed unfamiliar with his mixtape run. But, you could imagine that records like “What Up Gangsta,” “Just A Lil Bit,” and “If I Can’t” had the nearly 80,000+ in attendance singing along word-for-word. But once he started going into the real hit records, from his collaborations with The Game to songs like “Candy Shop,” “In Da Club,” and other definitive songs of the mid-2000s, it further affirmed Fif as one of the culture's pivotal figure who contributed to hip-hop's global appeal, from his days bullying his peers on his early mixtapes to outshining each of them once he formally entered the game.
