Killer Mike Preaches To The London Faithful From The Pulpit at All Saints Church

Written & Captured By | Morris Shamah

Late on a stormy, rainy Wednesday night in Kingston-On-Thames, a local record shop and a titan of modern rap teamed up to deliver a sermon to their mutually faithful.

Killer Mike – half of Run The Jewels, protegee of OutKast, and outspoken public figure – took the literal pulpit at All Saints Church to deliver a 45 minute, ten song-and-story filled late night set. Put on by Banquet Records, the hidden jewel of the London mainstream music scene, this was a completely one-off affair. The venue is an active church – services were held merely hours before doors opened – and 15 minutes before the event was due to begin, Banquet’s ace team was still converting the church into a music venue.

See more photos of Killer Mike HERE

Despite the rainy storm and late start, the now-music-ready church was mostly full by the time Killer Mike took the stage at 10:30pm. As an opening act, Killer Mike sat to discuss his new record, “MICHAEL”, as well his connection with England. Killer Mike is a well spoken, strongly worded individual and his thoughts come out in full paragraphs of insight and wisdom. He reminisced on breakfast with his grandparents – who served him a traditional English breakfast, he came to learn years later – along with sharing his views on poverty, identity, race, class, and the American reality.

For the main service, Killer Mike was backed up by The Midnight Revival and Trackstar the DJ – one side gospel choir, the other side modern backing hip-hop band, and in the middle, our midnight preacher. He filled the set with the key tracks from his new autobiographical record, opening with DOWN BY LAW and SHED TEARS, and finding time for an unsetlisted YES!, played live for only the second time, at the end of the show – despite already being 13 minutes past the 11pm curfew.

See more photos of Killer Mike HERE

Delivering a full energy rap set – no matter how thoughtful and introspective – in a stone-arched church might not have worked had Killer Mike not taken the time between songs to share his wisdom. Staying just shy of going full-on southern preacher, Killer Mike made sure to impart with us the motivation of overcoming one’s fears and the grace of being thankful. It was a shorter set than usual for Killer Mike, but no less powerful, and in a unique venue, but no less transformative. It may have been a one-off event for All Saints Church, but I hope all of their services are as impassioned, thoughtful, and well realised as this one.

Photos By | Morris Shamah