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While making their press run for their collaborative effort as Run The Jewels, Killer Mike and El-P stopped by The Combat Jack Show to discuss not only their new endeavor, but also white people in rap.
During the interview, Mike explained their stance about the white rapper's impact on hip-hop, after being asked "White rappers tending to be more honest about their angst and their shortcomings."
"I think what white people brought was self-pity," Killer Mike shared. "Not you in that [talking to El-P] but a lot of the new White rappers just brought that. I'm sorry. It's no disrespect. Complaining about a parent and sh** is cool, but I'm from a community where motherf***ers lost both of their parents to crack. Motherf***ers didn't even know their... Like, my grandmother raised me. I never knew my mom and dad. So I feel that. And I think that, as a black audience, we appreciated it because it was something different but that don't make you more in touch with your feelings than me."
He went on to add that suffering does not make one special.
"I'm not saying that experience isn't worthy. I'm not saying it isn't valuable. I'm just saying that it's not special because every human being experiences love, pain and letdown. Your thing is no more special. A lot of times, as Americans and in this country, we feel like our suffering makes us special. You're special because you're a human being. How you deal with your suffering can make you extraordinary. Are you going to use it for self-pity or are you going to use it to help others?"
During the interview, Mike explained their stance about the white rapper's impact on hip-hop, after being asked "White rappers tending to be more honest about their angst and their shortcomings."
"I think what white people brought was self-pity," Killer Mike shared. "Not you in that [talking to El-P] but a lot of the new White rappers just brought that. I'm sorry. It's no disrespect. Complaining about a parent and sh** is cool, but I'm from a community where motherf***ers lost both of their parents to crack. Motherf***ers didn't even know their... Like, my grandmother raised me. I never knew my mom and dad. So I feel that. And I think that, as a black audience, we appreciated it because it was something different but that don't make you more in touch with your feelings than me."
He went on to add that suffering does not make one special.
"I'm not saying that experience isn't worthy. I'm not saying it isn't valuable. I'm just saying that it's not special because every human being experiences love, pain and letdown. Your thing is no more special. A lot of times, as Americans and in this country, we feel like our suffering makes us special. You're special because you're a human being. How you deal with your suffering can make you extraordinary. Are you going to use it for self-pity or are you going to use it to help others?"