Killer Mike on the ’80s: No-Rules Hip Hop and Bad Hair

For rapper Killer Mike, the ’80s was the most impactful decade of sound. Sitting down with SPIN and Bose as part of our Decades of Sound collaboration, Killer Mike shares his thoughts on the eclectic and rule-breaking era.

“In my opinion, the ’80s gave you everything,” Killer Mike says, “from new wave, heavy hardcore redefined by Metallica, the musings of NWA and 2 Live Crew, and, man, the flair my mom loved from George Michael.”

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Hip hop was coming up as a scene and genre during the tail end of the decade, and Killer Mike explains that it was when hip hop “didn’t have rules.” If he’d been an artist during the ’80s, Killer Mike says being part of laying down hip hop’s roots would’ve been what he’d loved most.

Killer Mike also shares, with a giggle, what he wouldn’t have liked about being a musician during the ’80s — the hair.

Join us through the Decades of Sound, hearing from impactful artists about their favorite eras of music in celebration of Bose’s 60th anniversary.

To see our running list of the top 100 greatest rock stars of all time, click here.