Killer Mike has been one of the most unappreciated rap artists out there for a while now. He broke into the business as a protege of Big Boi from OutKast, and appeared on a few hit songs as a guest ("The Whole World", "Never Scared"), as well as making a few hits of his own ("A.D.I.D.A.S", "My Chrome"). However, in recent years he has dropped out of the commercial limelight for the most. That's too bad, because his last 3 entries in the "Pledge" series (I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind, I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind II, and PL3DGE), have all been fantastic albums. Killer Mike has adopted a persona that is very much his own, and has one of the most unique voices in hip-hop. His music is very conscious, very political, and at times very controversial. But he stills raps plenty for the Jeezy crowd, fitting in plenty of references to drugs, women, and guns.
Killer Mike always raps with passion and intensity, and a sincerity somewhat rare in rap music these days. Mike is clearly a complicated dude, with diverse concerns and interests, something that comes through in his music. However, he still manages to make fun rap music that you can blast in your system, all while keeping everything sounding unified from a musical standpoint. Every aspect of the Killer Mike aesthetic is on display in R.A.P. Music, and Mike is in peak form rapping over beats provided by production legend El-P. The album has a very tight and unified feel. And every track goes hard. Mike forgoes guest appearances for the most on R.A.P. Music; it's just him rapping his face off over banging beats. And practically every track is a monster. I can't recommend this album enough. Whether you want to listen to something that makes you think, or you want a soundtrack to blast as loudly as humanly possible all summer, R.A.P. Music does the trick.
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