Killer Mike Preaches to the Choir on ‘Songs for Saints and Sinners’

Killer Mike‘s sixth solo album, 2023’s Michael, represented a brand new kind of status rap launch. Launched 24 years after a debut verse on an album no much less auspicious than Outkast’s Stankonia, this was a veteran artist taking inventory, vividly drawing the strains between the struggling child and the grateful, repentant grownup. Over slow-rolling nation rap and church organs, Killer Mike spoke personally, domestically and globally, rapping about grief, remorse, habit, self-sufficiency and resilience via the prism of systemic racism, his Southern rap forebears and his private religion.

Billed as an “epilogue” to Michael, the 10-track Songs for Saints and Sinners is assortment of recent tracks, remixes, revisions and loosies that may doubtless function a bookend to this artistic period. For essentially the most half, this challenge’s via line is the keys of gospel/R&B mainstay Warryn Campbell and the members of the six-member gospel group the Mighty Midnight Revival who’ve been backing Mike all yr as he toured theaters and festivals. “Increased Degree” is a breezy, victory lap that matches Trillville’s crunk moshpit hit “Neva Eva” with soulful organ work. Album spotlight “No person Is aware of” samples Pastor T.L. Barrett & The Youth For Christ Choir’s much-beloved music of the identical identify: That includes Anthony Hamilton, it performs just like the introspective gospel-rap of Michael however way more joyous. With Campbell taking part in guitar, bass and keys, the music of “Lord Put together Me” beams as Mike particulars his journey: “By no means would of made it/Trafficking exhausting/Shoulda been useless or in jail however have a look at me standing right here praising the Lord.”

The handful of remixes and new variations of Michael tracks are much less partaking however nonetheless edifying. A reworked model of “Exit 9” lies someplace between Bruce Hornsby and D’Angelo because of Campbell’s heat keys and hovering a coda from Lena Byrd Miles. “Nonetheless Discuss’n That Shit” options Mike re-riding the pounding DJ Paul beat of “Discuss’n That Shit!” alongside Key Glock and the ever-enduring Challenge Pat. “Slummer 4 Junkies” reworks Michael‘s teenage love music (“Slummer”) and Michael‘s empathetic habit music (“One thing for Junkies”) and turns them right into a cinematic 10-minute saga with narration from Atlanta’s Bishop Andrew Potter.

Songs for Saints and Sinners a strong piece of fan service for anybody who loved watching the underground king spend the final 12 months scooping up Grammys and BET Awards. And, even with victory, there isn’t a assured finish to tribulation. “Humble Me,” a music about being arrested on Grammy night time itself, exhibits that Killer Mike’s journey — each musical and religious — doesn’t finish right here. “I needed to quiet my thoughts, I prayed and I prayed, and I prayed,” he raps about being detained. “The liars had been lyin’ their lies, I stored on simply keepin’ my religion.”