Killer Mike was among the many rap artists who snagged a Grammy Award nomination on Friday morning (November 10). In fact, he landed three: Best Rap Album for Michael, Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance for “Scientists & Engineers” featuring André 3000, Future and Eryn Allen Kane.
“I am so humbled, honored and grateful for this nom,” Killer Mike tells AllHipHop. “Now I wanna win and I ain’t gonna lie or be shy about it. I wanna bring trophies home for Atlanta, for Hip-Hop, for my Granny, Miss Bettie and her daughter and my beloved and beautiful mother, Denise.”
Michael arrived in June with contributions from CeeLo Green, Mozzy, Young Thug, 6lack, Eryn Allen Kane, Jagged Edge, André 3000, Future, Curren$y, 2 Chainz, Kaash Paige, Blxst, Fabo and his Run The Jewels partner-in-crime, El-P. His sixth solo album, the project dove into highly personal topics including the passing of his mother.
Killer Mike first emerged as a guest feature on Outkast’s “The Whole World” off the duo’s first compilation album, Big Boi and Dre Present… Outkast (2001). Written by Outkast and produced by Earthtone III, the track peaked at No. 19 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart. The song won the 2003 Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group.
Since then, Killer Mike’s career has exploded with the success of Run The Jewels. After working with El-P on Killer Mike’s 2012 solo album, R.A.P. Music, the duo just never stopped. More than a decade later, Run The Jewels has released four studio albums and toured around the world, collecting a loyal legion of fans along the way.
The 66th Annual Grammy Awards take place at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on February 4. Find the Rap nominees below.
Best Rap Performance
Baby Keem featuring Kendrick Lamar, “The Hillbillies”
Black Thought, “Love Letter”
Drake & 21 Savage, “Rich Flex”
Killer Mike featuring André 3000, Future & Eryn Allan Kane, “Scientists & Engineers”
Coi Leray, “Players”
Best Melodic Rap Performance
Burna Boy featuring 21 Savage, “Sittin’ On Top of the World”
Doja Cat, “Attention”
Drake & 21 Savage, “Spin Bout U”
Lil Durk f/J. Cole, “All My Life”
SZA, “Low”
Best Rap Song
“Attention”:Rogét Chahayed, Amala Zandile Dlamini & Ari Starace, songwriters (Doja Cat)
“Barbie World” [From Barbie The Album]: Isis Naija Gaston, Ephrem Louis Lopez Jr. & Onika
Maraj, songwriters (Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice featuring Aqua)
“Just Wanna Rock”: Mohamad Camara, Symere Woods & Javier Mercado, songwriters (Lil Uzi Vert)
“Rich Flex”: Brytavious Chambers, Isaac “Zac” De Boni, Aubrey Graham, J. Gwin, Anderson Hernandez, Michael “Finatik” Mule & Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, songwriters (Drake & 21 Savage)
“Scientists & Engineers”: Andre Benjamin, Paul Beauregard, James Blake, Michael Render, Tim Moore & Dion Wilson, songwriters (Killer Mike featuring André 3000, Future & Eryn Allen Kane)
Best Rap Album
Drake & 21 Savage, Her Loss
Metro Boomin, Heroes & Villains
Nas, King’s Disease III
Travis Scott, UTOPIA
Killer Mike, Michael
Producer of the Year, Non-Classical
Hit-Boy
Metro Boomin
Dernst “D’Mile” Emile II
Daniel Nigro
Jack Antonoff