Trigger Warning with Killer Mike season 1, episode 5 recap: Outside the Box

In episode 5 of Netflix series Trigger Warning with Killer Mike, rapper Killer Mike forms a very politically diverse supergroup. Can music really bring people together?

Trigger Warning with Killer Mike tries to use art to relate to others in the fifth episode.

"“The artist’s role is to raise the consciousness of the people.”— Amiri Baraka"

Trigger Warning with Killer Mike has never shied away from controversy. In fact, it’s implied in the title. Nevertheless, the show has some heart. As this episode begins, Mike explains that rap isn’t so simple, or as glorious as some rappers suggest in their lyrics. Not all rappers are rich, and even some of the well-off rappers can struggle later in their careers (the same is true of other artists, too, of course).

So, as Killer Mike explains, it pays to explore every possible venue. This is why he heads to Mount Vernon Towers, an assisted living facility in Atlanta, Georgia. He speaks with Barbara Daugherty, their activities coordinator, about booking a gig there. She suggests it probably won’t go over well, as most residents would prefer older music. However, Killer Mike hangs out with them, perhaps to get a feel for the crowd. He even gets a bingo during game night!

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He respectably talks politics with an elderly white resident, and they discuss gun rights. They initially seem to agree about gun rights, but Mike says, “What scares me about guns are white men,” due to school shootings and occasional white supremacist terrorism. In contrast, the woman says she thinks most robbers are black. To Mike, this is about media representation. He says he thinks the news is set up to make white and black people afraid of each other.

Mike raps for the old folks

To begin his performance for the old folks, Killer Mike is introduced by a barbershop quartet, then raps over their a capella singing. Much to his surprise, his performance gets applause. When he explains the philosophy of the lyrics, about not being subservient to authority, it also gets applause. His conclusion is that music can burst people’s social bubbles, and may be capable of bringing all types of people together. Of course, Trigger Warning with Killer Mike is bound to test this theory, stretching it very near its absolute limit.

The supergroup

Killer Mike intends to form a supergroup, turning first to Mario, who had appeared in an earlier episode. Those who successfully make the cut: A black activist named Sir Maejor, a white nationalist named Keith E. Lee, Jinzo the Juggalo, a feminist named Madam CJ, a black Christian cowboy named Chris, a Native American Moor named Sekhem Re, a Jewish renaissance enthusiast named Rivka and also M Je T’aime, who we previously knew as Mario.

Killer Mike wants his super group to be honest and upfront, and for each person to craft a verse about their own identity. Of course, as one might expect, they all initially offend each other with their lyrics. In fact, things get pretty tense when, in defending his ideas, Keith E. Lee says he thinks the right side lost the civil war! Nevertheless, Killer Mike presses forward, and they get ready to record in Stankonia Studios. Each member of the group gets 24 hours to write the strongest verse they can (which is fair). Will the show be a disaster?

The verses and the show

Trigger Warning with Killer Mike doesn’t show the entire songwriting process, nor even the entire finished song. However, he gets some insight into how it went. For example, Keith E. Lee offends everyone with his verse. Initially, Mario defends Keith’s right to include an offensive word in the first, emphasizing that expression is what the project’s all about.

He also notes how people can call him offensive things because he’s more powerful than any word used to degrade him. Keith elaborates upon and defends his use of the offending word, saying he was referring to poor white southerners like his ancestors, so it wasn’t like using it in the 3rd person. When Keith refers to himself as “founding stock,” it receives some negative feedback from other group members.

Ultimately they let Keith keep his verse. Mario, however, is not happy about the project and considers leaving — especially when the song’s chorus is based on one of his initial song concepts.

The show is met with mixed results, as the crowd seems confused by the song’s structure and lack of a single narrative or theme. However, Killer Mike says that’s sort of the idea. The song almost represents America itself. There may be some unity, but it’s ultimately a jumbled mess of ideas thrown together, sort of duking it out for supremacy.

In any case, Killer Mike remarks on the amazing feat of seeing a “Jewish renaissance enthusiast standing arm-in-arm with a white nationalist and an albino Black Lives Matter activist.” Because Trigger Warning with Killer Mike refuses to hold back, the song itself ends with Keith E. Lee’s shocking word. The crowd seems offended by this ending, but some people understand what the song is about. As Mike explains: “We could all stand to hear from people outside of our bubble, even if we don’t agree with them. Even if they’re offensive…”

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Controversy rating: 7.4/10

This episode seems marginally less offensive than it could be, as Killer Mike does much to alleviate a viewer’s possible tensions. Still, it will likely offend some people, especially those who feel strongly about certain issues. However, Mike does a good job of making his aims clear and explaining why it’s necessary to be real and sometimes interact with others. In fact, it may be the key to finding greater common ground, especially when the artistic expression is involved.

What are your thoughts on Trigger Warning with Killer Mike? Let us know in the comments!

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