Killer Mike announced as a Marquee Artist Presentation for the 2024 Vancouver International Jazz Festival

by Mike Usinger on March 11th, 2024 at 5:49 PM

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Fresh off his Best Rap Album win for MICHAEL at this year’s Grammy Awards, Killer Mike has been announced as one of the headliners for 2024’s Vancouver International Jazz Festival. The American MC and activist will headline the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on June 29.

Killer Mike first rose to mainstream prominence as a guest on Outkast’s 2000 album Stankonia, later on appearing on Jay-Z’s The Blueprint 2. Over the years he’s collaborated with artists ranging from Bone Crusher to Chamillionaire.

For most of the past decade, Killer Mike has been best known as half of the critically adored Run the Jewels alongside El-P.

That narrative shifted a little with the release of MICHAEL, the rapper’s first solo album in over a decade. Drawing on old-school funk, southern gospel, soul, and classic hip-hop, the album beat out releases by Nas, Travis Scott, Drake, and Metro Boomin to take home top honours at the Grammys this past February. The Atlanta native also took home awards for Best Rap Album and Best Rap Song & Performance for “Scientists & Engineers”.

The three Grammys were his first since a Best Rap Performance Duo or Group award for his 2001 collaboration with Outkast in “The Whole World.”

By bringing in Killer Mike for one of its Marquee Artist Presentations, the Vancouver International Jazz Festival continues to send a message that its scope has broadened to include everything from Americana and rock artists to electronica and hip-hop acts.

This year’s edition of the festival runs from June 21 to June 30 and will offer a mix of free and ticketed performances. Included will be the return of Downtown Jazz, a free concert series outside the Vancouver Art Gallery running June 22 to 23. In addition to the usual downtown theatres and clubs, Granville Island will again be a go-to centre for festival, with free and ticketed shows taking place at Performance Works, Ocean Artworks, and the Revue Stage.