Watch Bernie Sanders and Killer Mike Discuss What It Means to Be Rich
Bernie Sanders turned heads during his 2016 presidential campaign when he drew an unlikely endorsement from Atlanta rapper Killer Mike. The two met over soul food in the fall of 2015, and Killer Mike, real name Michael Render, went on to campaign for the progressive senator. “I am here because working class and poor people deserve a chance at economic freedom,” he said at an event for Sanders at Atlanta’s Fox Theatre. “In my heart of hearts, in my heart of hearts, I truly believe that Bernie Sanders is the right man to lead this country.”
Four years later, Killer Mike is still riding the Bernie bandwagon. The 44-year-old rapper and activist recently sat down with the 77-year-old senator to discuss wealth inequality, and health care, particularly diabetes and the exorbitant cost of insulin, which is used by 7.5 million Americans, around 25 percent of which are forced to ration the drug because of how expensive it is. “Black people are more disproportionately affected by diabetes than any other group,” said Killer Mike. “So when you say diabetes and are talking about free health care, I want people who look like me on the other side of the camera to recognize this is a black issue.”
Citing Cardi B’s recent sit-down with Sanders, Killer Mike also shed some light on why an elderly Jewish man from Vermont has picked up so many endorsements from the hip-hop community. “It’s not like you sent out feelers in the hottest clubs,” he said. “You don’t have Bernie Sanders in the compound, buying bottles, recruiting us. Kids in hip-hop come from working class and poor environments.”
“In America, There Will Be Blood, the movie, we live that movie, that you can be rich,” Killer Mike went on after explaining that he has no problem paying high taxes if they go to services that can lift families up, like education. “Rich is a long life with your children. My grandparents were never rich. They raised three successful homeowners. We never had to go back to them and ask them. That’s rich. Rich is being able to spend the time with your family. Rich is not an endless pursuit of money, and I’m a rapper, right? I’ve got a chain and a Rolex.”
“Hey, you know what?” Sanders said after shaking Killer Mike’s hand. “I’ve been trying to say that for several years and this guy just did it a lot better than I did.”
Watch Rolling Stone‘s first look at the full interview above.