A funny thing happened as we transitioned from the 2010s until the 2020s – Killer Mike quietly became one of the greatest rappers of the modern era.
I won’t go into all the details here, I dropped the biggest jewels down below (I want y’all to actually READ this post in its entirety after all) but here’s the short version – after emerging as a standout guest artist on Outkast records in the early 2000s, Killer Mike established himself as a double threat – as one half the the acclaimed duo Run the Jewels, and as a solo artist. Both outings have resulted in some of the best projects of the past decade.
Don’t believe me? Well, that’s what these lists are for. Let’s look back at Killer Mike’s entire solo LP run, as well as his contributions to Run the Jewels. In an of hip-hop era where quality often took a back seat, Mike was always a driving force for the culture.
11. I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind II (2008)
Soul in Stereo rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
Edd said: Killer Mike’s first series of albums were the Pledge records, and if you aren’t familiar with this era of Mike Bigga, it’s a bit of a departure of the titan you may know today. Instead of the raucous production and fiery social commentary that has defined his career, these early entries are your typical 2000s Dirty South LPs. The bars are still hard but the production doesn’t do much for me. It has its moments but fails to stand out.
Forgotten favorites: “Pressure,” “Super Clean/Super Hard,” “Can You Buy That”
10. I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind (2006)
Soul in Stereo rating: 3.5 stars out of 5
Edd said: The original Pledge album is a double LP, which means even more bang for your buck – back when y’all actually had to buy these records. What a concept. It’s a bit better than its sequel, thanks to better production and some nice samples (the silliness of “One More Gram” is a guilty pleasure). However, the bloated runtime doesn’t help its pacing. Trim this down and it could be a contender.
Forgotten favorites: “HNIC,” “Juggernaut,” “One More Gram”
9. Monster (2003)
Soul in Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5
Edd said: Mike’s oft-forgotten debut album holds up pretty well today, thanks to his trademark aggression and his harsh truths. Trust me, a song like “Rap is Dead” would have all the podcasters crying into their microphones today. It does feel a little dated in spots (especially the club records) but it’s a strong showcase of the greatness to come.
Forgotten favorites: “All 4 U,” “Monster,” “U Know I Love U”
8. Pl3dge (2011)
Soul in Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5
Edd said: I was always a fan of Mike, going way back to the Outkast days, but Pl3dge was the first album that made me sit up and and take notice. If R.A.P. Music is the prequel to Run the Jewels, Pl3dge is the foreword to the story. Pl3dge is a blazing take on the Black experience, as quick to tear down the system as it is to make your speaker bump. Pl3dge is the maturation of Mike – you can really see him growing into the artist he’d become.
Forgotten favorites: “Read Set Go Remix,” “Ric Flair,” “That’s Life II”
7. Michael & the Mighty Midnight Revival: Songs for Sinners & Saints (2024)
Soul in Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5
Edd said: Nobody was happier than me when Killer Mike’s incredible Michael album received its just due at the Grammys in 2024 – well, I’m sure Mike was happier I was, of course. And that energy clearly fueledMichael & The Mighty Midnight Revival – Songs For Sinners And Saints. While it’s an obvious spinoff from the previous project, it’s not a retread. SFSAS uses the elements that worked on the previous project – the heavy gospel influence and his unabashed vulnerability – to build something new. This time, Mike goes into current-day troubles, like the arrest that followed his big Grammy win. Though he’s ferocious in the booth, it’s his humility that makes his music so down to earth. It seems every time Mike gets pulled into the mud, he emerges more focused than ever. This album is a reflection of that.
Forgotten favorites: “Slummer 4 Junkies,” “Still Talk’n That S***,” “Humble Me”
6. Run the Jewels 3 (2016)
Soul in Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5
Edd said: Yep, the first RTJ entry on this list, and I’ll be honest, ranking the third and forth installments is a tough ask. Killer Mike and El-P’s third entry proved to be yet a potent combination, weaving social commentary into blistering rhymes and head-nodding beats. Real talk, “Call Ticketron” is one of my favorite songs in the entire series. Though it’s not quite as bulletproof as the other RTJ entries, it would easily be No. 1 on the list of most artists’ discographies. This No. 6 placement is no slight, it just shows how consistent these records are.
Forgotten favorites: “Call Ticketron” “Panther Like a Panther,” “Hey Kids”
5. RTJ4 (2020)
Soul in Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5
Edd said: They say music reflects the times, and there was no album more reflective of the social chaos of 2020 than Run the Jewels’ fourth opus. As images of protestors filled our screens, Confederate monuments tumbled and Black voices screamed for liberation, Killer Mike and El-P’s anarchic rebel rap is the soundtrack to our times. This isn’t just a case of recency bias, however – even if this album dropped in less tumultuous times, it would still reign among the best of their catalog. The hyperactive production and passionate lyrics are timeless, resonating with messages that resound with one refrain – destroy and rebuild. El-P especially sounds energized, delivering some of the most empowered bars of his career.
Forgotten favorites: “JU$T,” “yankee and the brave (ep. 4),” “Ooh la la”
4. Michael (2023)
Soul in Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5
Edd said: While compiling our list of the 50 greatest rap albums of the 2010s, I stumbled upon an interesting stat – three of those albums (with an honorable mention raising that to four) were claimed by Killer Mike, a feat matched only by Kendrick Lamar. That quietly cemented Mike as one of the best artists of the past decade, and his solo album, Michael, keeps the bar very high. While his Run the Jewels projects typically featuring him raging against the political machine, Michael is a much more personal affair, drenched in gospel chords but retaining his trademark fire. Mike focuses squarely on the Black family structure, diving deep into the loss of his mother and grandmother, teen pregnancy and the affect of drug abuse on loved ones. And of course, this is Mike, so he’s spitting with reckless abandon the entire time. This isn’t a RTJ project and that’s by design – this is more personal and more immediate yet just as empowering.
Forgotten favorites: “Down By Law,” “Something for Junkies,” “Slummer”
3. Run the Jewels (2013)
Soul in Stereo rating: 4 stars out of 5
Edd said: We already knew El-P was good. We knew Killer Mike was good too. But I never expected the pair to team up at all, let alone be THIS good as a unit. Run the Jewels was the oddball tag team we never expected, but by the end of the decade, could easily make a claim of being among the best duos in rap history. And it all started here, an all out assault on your hip-hop senses. While not as heavily politically charged as later outings would become, the chaotic lyricism that defined those projects have their roots here. El flexes his production and lyrical chops while Mike serves as the proverbial bull in his china shop. Run the Jewels was a groundbreaking approach to the genre and just the start of a beautiful partnership.
Forgotten favorites: “36 Chain,” “Get It,” “Job Well Done”
2. R.A.P. Music (2012)
Soul in Stereo rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
Edd said: We spend so much time celebrating Killer Mike’s Run the Jewels series that we often forget about the pinnacle of his solo career – the album that walked so the Jewels could Run. For those who have missed the impact of protest music, look no further than R.A.P. Music a politically charged firestorm that takes aim at everything from crooked cops to Reaganomics. Killer Mike spits with such authority that he basically dares you to disagree with him. Future partner in rhyme El-P is on board to provide the sweeping production that fuels Mike’s fury. The legacy of RTJ has overshadowed the impact of R.A.P. Music, but don’t miss it. The prologue to their story almost beats out the main event.
Forgotten favorites: “Reagan,” “Don’t Die,” “Ghetto Gospel”
1. Run the Jewels 2 (2014)
Soul in Stereo rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
Edd said: Consider it the Empire Strikes Back of hip-hop. Run the Jewels 2 took a successful concept and raised the game across the board, proving that there was much more to the story. More gripping — and angry — than its predecessor, Mike and El-P run roughshod over 11 tracks with reckless abandon, solidifying themselves as rap’s new Dynamic Duo. It’s funny, it’s thought-provoking, it’s emotionally stirring — it’s incredible. The original RTJ couldn’t be written off as a fluke and the legend of Killer Mike as a top-tier MC was solidified.
Forgotten favorites: “Close Your Eyes (And Count to F***),” “Oh My Darling Don’t Cry,” “Blockbuster Night Part 1”
What are your favorite Killer Mike albums? Let us know below.
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