Killer Mike Says Ray Rice Took His Punishment "Appropriately"

While speaking exclusively with XXLMag.com, Atlanta, Georgia rapper Killer Mike offered his thoughts on a handful of the year’s biggest news stories. Among the news stories Killer Mike addressed were ones involving football player Ray Rice and former Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling.

In regards to Ray Rice, who was caught on tape assaulting his then-fiancee in a hotel elevator, the Run The Jewels lyricist says the punishment the former Baltimore Ravens player received “was merited” and that Rice served his punishment “appropriately.”

Killer Mike also encouraged America to stay out of Rice and his wife, Janay Rice’s marriage.

“I think that a husband and wife went through a very traumatic and ugly period in their marriage,” Killer Mike said. “I think that he had received whatever punishment that was merited. I believe he took that punishment appropriately. I believe that that wife and that husband had their issues to work out, and I pray to God that they do and that marriage endures or does not endure, whatever they decide, and I think that we all should keep out of it. You got problems in your own relationship; it ain’t my business what Mr. and Mrs. Rice are into. He accepted his punishment, his punishment was granted, and then they doubled back and tried to re-punish him. Don’t think that’s fair.

“I think that America needs to get out of their marriage and get into their own homes and solve their own shit, because there’s a 50 percent divorce rate in this country, period,” he added.

The Southern wordsmith later spoke on Donald Sterling being stripped of his Constitutional rights when audio from a phone conversation he took part in leaked online.

“The Donald Sterling stuff was almost comical,” he said. “Because what was lost in the whole Donald Sterling thing is that his basic Constitutional Rights were broken. Much like Michael Brown. I’m not saying he isn’t a vehement racist, I’m not saying I’m not disgusted by what he did, I’m saying that being taped illegally and having your business taken from you because of that is not right…My question is not, ‘How do I punish a racist? By making him sell his business.’ My question is, ‘Who the fuck was on the other side of the phone that could make a billionaire that afraid?’ And I think that’s the real question we should be asking.”

Lastly, Killer Mike addressed the handful of high-profile relationships that came to an end this year. While speaking on the topic, he shared his belief that the divorce rate in rap is lower than the divorce rate in America.

“[A relationship takes] lot of understanding from both sides,” the rapper said. “I’ve not been a perfect husband by any means, and my wife has been a great wife so I’m very lucky to have her…So for me, it’s about keeping her happy, it’s about her keeping me happy and us figuring our shit out ourselves. But again, most rappers I know are married and have solid families that are of a certain age. Most of those guys have solid families. I would argue that the divorce rate in rap is pretty much way lower than the national divorce rate in America, period.”

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