Killer Mike Announces ‘Michael’ Deluxe, Drops New Song with J.I.D. and T.I.

We are now almost three months removed from the release of Killer Mike’s sixth studio album Michael, which was his first solo LP in 11 years. To continue promoting the project, which peaked at No. 1 on iTunes’ US chart upon release, Mike announced that the deluxe is inbound today (September 8).

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Set to release next Friday (September 15), the Michael will include four new songs, all of which were made in the same sessions as the songs on the original track list.

“MICHAEL was originally longer and now we’re starting to release the rest of it,” Mike said in a statement. “These songs are some of my favorites from the album sessions, but we needed more time to get them the way we imagined them. We finished three of them in time to make the vinyl and one more for the digital.”

[RELATED: Killer Mike Says He Has an Unreleased Song with a 7-Minute André 3000 Verse]

One of the four new tracks is “Maynard Vignette,” which Mike put out as a single on Friday. It includes features from fellow Atlanta-based icons like trap music pioneer T.I., surging emcee J.I.D., and R&B vocalist Jacquees, “Maynard Vignette” sees all involved touch on adverse conditions of their upbringings and coming out on top. Mike handles the first verse with sincerity and earnestness.

I’m a young, Black Maynard, mama gospel singer
Daddy dope slanger, born from the anger
Tryna work a angle, get up out of danger
Hand on the pistol, the trigger hold the finger
Movin’ like a surgeon, got life and death in hand
‘Cause I done seen the serpents put a hit on they best friend

After another forceful verse from T.I. and a few renditions of Jacquees’ Mama, look at me now hook, J.I.D. closes out the song by firing off more poignant bars over the elegant piano beat.

Who gon’ wanna live a day in this shit when it’s people dyin’ every day in this bitch?
Now I see what you was sayin’, it, “bum-bum-bum-bum” with the K in the 6
Growin’ pain, pourin’ rain on my wrist
Offer more, then boy, you more than a lick
Feel like I’m watchin’ a movie, but love it in real time, Toni Morrison shit

As we still have a week left before the rest of the Michael deluxe arrives, give “Maynard Vignette” a listen below.

Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage

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