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CONTACT:
Tri Nguyen: 415-608-6237
tnguyen@glide.org Killer Mike Speaks to Men In Recovery at GLIDE’s Barbershop Activist Rapper Brings Hope and Inspiration to the Tenderloin WHAT: Michael Render, known as Killer Mike, is visiting The Shop at GLIDE: a barbershop that combines free haircuts and shaves with linkages to substance use treatment and peer health support. Killer Mike is an activist rapper deeply engaged in social issues affecting the Black community: his visit will bring hope and encouragement to GLIDE’s clients. After listening to a brief presentation about The Shop, Killer Mike will participate in a group discussion with people served by The Shop. The Shop’s programming centers Black men over 50, with the goal of ending the disproportionate number of overdose deaths in this population. WHEN: Tuesday, September 8th, 10:30am – 12:00pm
WHO: As well as guest of honor Killer Mike, the event will also feature GLIDE President & CEO Dr. Gina Fromer and Bishop Ishmael J. Burch Jr., Program Manager at The Shop at GLIDE. WHERE: The Shop at GLIDE 330 Ellis Street, San Francisco WHY: Killer Mike’s visit to GLIDE continues his journey of raising awareness for social issues, as well as showing GLIDE clients how meaningful their recovery efforts are to their community. This is aligned with Killer Mike’s previous activism: in Atlanta, Killer Mike partnered with The Confess Project for events such as the National Barbers Mental Health Awareness Day. His Netflix series Trigger Warning explores ways that drugs, gangs, religion, and poverty have affected Black American communities. A mini docuseries Killer Mike did jointly with Bernie Sanders addresses issues like economic freedom and free healthcare. About The Shop: The Shop opened in March of 2026 in response to the disproportionate impact of drug overdoses on African American men in San Francisco. Barbershops are trusted spaces associated with dignity and care. Much of Dr. Martin Luther King’s, Jr.’s, civil rights organizing happened from his barbershop. GLIDE’s barbers are trained in active listening, overdose prevention, and mental health first aid to engage clients in compassionate, culturally responsive conversations. The Shop’s peer support groups cover topics such as overdose prevention, the intersection between mental health and substance use, how substance use impacts fatherhood, as well as health education about the prostate, the heart, and blood pressure. About Killer Mike: Michael Render, known as Killer Mike, is a GRAMMY-winning Atlanta rapper and songwriter, best known as one half of Run The Jewels alongside EL-P. Their acclaimed 2020 album RTJ4 hit the Billboard 200 Top 10 and topped NME’s Best Albums list, part of a run that’s earned the duo eleven Libera Awards, four Clio Awards, and multiple GRAMMY nominations. A solo artist for over 20 years, Killer Mike has also collaborated with Outkast, Jay-Z, Big Boi, T.I., and Black Thought, winning a GRAMMY for his work with Outkast on “The Whole World.” His 2023 album Michael swept the Rap categories at the 66th GRAMMY Awards. Beyond music, he’s acted in films like Baby Driver and ATL, hosted shows on Netflix and PBS, and built a reputation as a prominent activist and public speaker on race, politics, and inequality — work recognized with the first-ever Billboard Change Maker Award in 2020. About GLIDE: GLIDE is a nationally recognized center for social justice dedicated to fighting systemic injustice, creating pathways out of poverty and crisis, and transforming lives. GLIDE’s integrated comprehensive services, advocacy initiatives, and inclusive community empower individuals, families, and children to achieve stability and thrive. GLIDE is on the forefront of addressing some of the most pressing issues including poverty, housing shortages and homelessness, and racial and social injustice. Additional Resources: | 
