The crowd at House of Blues lifted their hands in the air as the spotlight panned across the stage. Standing in the center, draped all in white with a pendant chain hanging around his neck, was Michael Render, better known as Killer Mike. Behind him on the stage made to look like the pulpit of a gospel church were five singers also dressed in white. As the DJ, standing behind a booth made to look like an offering table, cued up the music the crowd began to cheer.

“See I grew up watching wrassling. Not wrestling but wrassling,” said the Atlanta MC laughing as the volume rose and the track gradually filled the room. “I liked a lot of wrestlers but there was this one!”

As he reached the end of the sentence, the Ric Flair, the voice of the popular '80s wrestling icon as well as the song from Killer Mike’s 2011 mixtape Pl3dge boomed through the speakers.

Killer Mike returned to Houston Thursday night on tour promoting his latest offering, Michael, an album financed by himself and boasting appearances from Young Thug, 6lack, Future, Andre 3000, Curren$y, 2Chainz, Fabo, El-P and more.

The album wrestles with some hard-hitting topics like addiction, abortion, and death all with the theme of a preacher talking to a Pentecostal church. Killer Mike’s stage show is no different with the MC entering the stage to stand behind a pulpit and preach. On the edge of the stage stood a framed picture of his late mother who he honors on the song "Motherless." The track is deep and Rendon't performance gives the song even more gravity when the MC speaks about the importance she played in his life. This is also echoed with other songs like "Reagan," "Slummer," "Nrich" and "Something for Junkies" with the last song giving Mike the opportunity to say positive words for those suffering from addiction.
“I just want those going through addiction to give yourself grace,” instructed the Run the Jewels rapper as the choir harmonized behind him. “I had to give myself grace when I was going through my own battles with addiction, and you just have to recognize that you’re still a person.”

While the show had some heavy moments, Killer Mike was not all business making sure fans got to hear classics like "Kryptonite," "Kill Jill" "Ready Set Go," and "Never Scared." Before starting the latter Mike gave a warning to the audience.

“I think we got one more ratchet song in us for tonight,” he laughed. “A lot of us are in our forties and the knees just aren’t the same.”
And while the night was a celebration of the MC’s recent release, Mike made sure to show homage to a Houston legend. After shouting him out multiple times during the show Mike stood in the spotlight center stage to make sure the crowd knew the impact he felt.

“I was serious when I said it earlier. Scarface is the greatest rapper alive. He’s the reason I started rapping. I just want to thank Houston for giving me Brad Jordan.”