Killer Mike is catching heat from critics on social media following his recent interview with former NFL running back-turned-Republican politician Herschel Walker on his “Love & Respect” series.
The rapper-turned-activist was initially called out by political commentator Reecie Colbert who shared on Twitter, “Watched the entire soft ball interview & this was embarrassingly unserious. If Herschel Walker was just promoting a football memoir then fine, but he’s a US Senate candidate. Nothing on his opposition to abortion, voting rights, gun control, alleged domestic violence etc.”
Elsewhere she noted, “Killer Mike fanning out for 27 minutes over football player Walker instead of interviewing a candidate Walker is a prime example of how much easier it is for extremist GOPers to get elected. Now I see why he wouldn’t debate me when I proposed it. He goes off vibes not research.”
She continued, “The most infuriating thing was Killer Mike allowing Walker to paint a picture that Black voters are disregarded- which is objectively false when it comes to Sen Warnock. He championed $5B for Black farmers, JLVRA, etc. Meanwhile ALL Walker’s positions are anti-Black.”
Many expressed disappointment with the activist, born Michael Santiago Render, and his invitation to the controversial figure to appear on his platform. Walker has made contentious remarks in the past and has been known to give incoherent responses to questions throughout his campaign. His extremist positions — when they can be discerned from answers from his public statements — and endorsement by Donald Trump have made him a darling of conservative voters in Georgia, where he easily swept other candidates in the state’s Republican primary election last month.
The Trump favorite addressed claims the former president pushed him to run for office, telling the host, “I’m mad at him because he never asked, but he’s taking credit that he asked,” Walker said. He also denounced Trump’s 2016 comments in which he asked Black voters, “what do you have to lose” as it related to voting for Republican candidates.
Walker told Mike, “When he said that statement, I said, ‘I don’t really like how you said that statement.’ There’s no doubt, give him an opportunity and see what he can do. … We use Black and brown people as people just to get votes but we don’t do anything for them.”
Viewers slammed the episode, including one critic who wrote, “Big fan of yours, but I’m confused about why you would softball this obviously unqualified candidate.”
“Very disappointed by these softball questions. They are beneath the interviewer and the office the candidate’s pursuing,” commented another.
A third person wrote, “Terrible questioning for an interview. If you need a speechwriter lmk. I’d be happy to work for your show.”
Love & Respect with Killer Mike is a weekly interview program broadcast on Atlanta’s public television station WABE. It’s noted that guests “all take part in the type of intriguing conversation only Killer Mike can conduct.”
