Killer Mike Shares "Detonator" - Ghettoblaster Magazine

Killer Mike just dropped “Detonator,” a new single inspired by Activision’s Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 produced by his Run The Jewels partner-in-rhyme and longtime collaborator EL-P. Mike debuted the song yesterday as part of his appearance in Activision’s Call of Duty NEXT livestream event, where 250 of the top global content creators showed the first gameplay footage of the highly-anticipated title. “When Activision told me the theme of the game and what they were looking for I knew exactly who to call, plus I’ve been itching to rap on some El-P beats,” explains Killer Mike.

“Call of Duty has become far more than a video game, influencing many aspects of broader culture, especially music and hip-hop. With Black Ops 6 we knew we needed to work with an artist who had a strong voice given the political backdrop of the game and Killer Mike was the perfect artist to bring this project to life as he layered complex themes of control, power, corruption, and greed into the lyrics of the song,” said Tyler Bahl, SVP and head of Activision marketing.

“Detonator” marks a stylistic pivot for Mike, arriving in the wake of his recent gospel-infused project Michael & The Mighty Midnight Revival: Songs For Sinners & Saints, intended as an epilogue to last year’s autobiographical MICHAEL album. The new single trades church organs for EL’s trademark steely synths, unspooling a post-futuristic backdrop for Mike to unload a nimble takedown of the military-industrial complex. The two most recently teamed up at the last performance of Mike’s six show residency at NYC’s legendary Blue Note jazz club, providing a Run The Jewels mini-set in the midst of an already stacked set by MIke and his gospel group The Mighty Midnight Revival, a live stream of which was enjoyed live by over 100,000 viewers (watch the performance here).