Michael “Killer Mike” Render has become a powerful nationwide voice in the black community on issues of race, police brutality, economics and more. On Monday, the rapper, activist and entrepreneur brought his message of action to Birmingham.
Render, half of the rap duo Run the Jewels and star of “Trigger Warning with Killer Mike,” said in an interview with AL.com that communities are constantly organizing and pushing for equality on a number of fronts, turning to state and State should focus more on local elections than the “circus” of national campaigns.
“On the way here I saw Dr. Listened to King’s last speech, and it’s been a few days, and he’s talked about unification, and he’s talked about staying on course and on duty,” Render said. “He said we should keep moving and a comrade of his, Stokely Carmichael, said we should keep organising.
“In my opinion, what Dr. King would have wanted us, if you’re pushing for better voting rights, if you’re pushing for economic rights, if you’re pushing for labor rights, you should be lining up and organizing all the time.”
Render was scheduled to deliver the keynote speech at the 36th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. hold Unity Breakfast in Birmingham, but travel delays from Atlanta prevented him from arriving before the end of the event. Instead, Render attended a smaller racial discussion group of about 30 who were still at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex when he arrived.
Render spoke to the crowd in a light gray hoodie with the words “Plot, Plan, Strategize, Organize & Mobilize” on the front and a gold chain with a picture of his grandmother, who was from Alabama and attended the marches at Selma and elsewhere throughout state in the 1960s.
Render spoke to the remaining crowd while crews worked to dismantle the stage, speakers and more than 140 background banquet tables.
He said the black community needs grassroots organization, in churches and at family dinners, to continue to fight for equal rights.
“Your Sunday dinner, after laughing and having fun and joking about your cousins, should sometimes be spent organizing; Self-organize or organize your family unit and your community,” Render said. “We have not mastered being in a state of constant organization. When we master that, we get higher returns and faster results.”
Prior to Mike’s arrival, the breakfast unit program included appearances from several elected officials, including State Assemblyman Juandalynn Givan, D-Birmingham, and Jefferson County Commissioner Sheila Tyson. Organized by an organization called the Community Affairs Committee, Unity Breakfast began in 1986. Last year’s event was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The group’s high school essay contest winners were recognized and overall winner Rotimi Kukoyi read his essay to a crowd of a few hundred people dressed in their Sunday best.
Perhaps the biggest ovation of the morning was for comedian Valencia Johnson, known as Mrs. V, who spent a few minutes improvising at will while organizers hoped Render would arrive in time to speak to the crowd. Just before 9am the program ended with a blessing and the singing of “We Shall Overcome”.
Render arrived around 9:30am.
Featured on the program but absent were US Rep. Terri Sewell and Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin. A representative for Sewell’s campaign said the congresswoman could not attend because she was called to Washington to meet with Vice President Kamala Harris.
Birmingham-born actor and comedian Roy Wood Jr. sent a video message from New York saying he was hiding “from Omicron.”
