Run The Jewels’ Killer Mike, a known activist, has spoken up many times about police brutality, prison reform, and injustices in America. As the rapper prepares to release another album this week amid protests across the country, Killer Mike sat down with Stephen Colbert on The Late Show to discuss how white people can effectively show their solidarity and become better allies.
Responding to Colbert, Killer Mike said that white Americans shouldn’t stay silent. “No. We don’t need you to stay out of the way,” he said, continuing: “Get your butt down there, and help those organizations in the physical. But, what I need white America to do beyond right now, is understand that right now is always. It isn’t just helping in the now. It is being a part of fixing it always.”
The rapper then offered “homework” for white American to learn about their indoctrinated racism:
“The first thing I want you to do, is go to YouTube and Google Jane Elliot, and spend one hour watching Jane Elliot teach people. Not just speaking. She’s not just speaking, she’s teaching people about the racism that is given to them that they aren’t even aware they have. She asks the question: ‘How many of you all see how Black people are treated in this country? If you’d like to be treated like that, stand up.’ And no one in the crowd stands up. So that immediately tells us that you know how we’re treated, you know how it’s burdensome, you know it’s troublesome and wrong, but you simply don’t do anything because its the ‘well it’s not me’ factor.
But if there’s a riot in the street, you’ve got to understand that it’s time to stand up with the people who are getting beaten up, with the people who are tired of being treated that way. So my homework for all the white Americans, including you, is to spend an hour learning from Jane Elliot on YouTube.”
While Killer Mike spoke to the Black Lives Matter movement on The Late Show, he also offered a succinct summary of Run The Jewels’ upcoming album: “It’s like drinking a cup of coffee and getting punched in the face […] and then smoking a joint and getting a hug afterwards.”
Watch Killer Mike on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert above.
Run The Jewels 4 is due 6/5 via Run The Jewels LLC and BMG Records.