The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Killer Mike wants to help whoever vandalized his shop

Activist has asked for contacts to reach man’s family.

- By Rodney Ho rodney.ho@ajc.com

The Atlanta barber shop owned by activist, hip-hop star and entreprene­ur Killer Mike was vandalized last week with graffiti.

He has posted photos on social media of the damage and the subsequent cleanup underway.

Killer Mike, whose real name is Michael Render, said he thinks the person responsibl­e is someone suffering from delusions.

“I am angry and beyond upset,” he said in a social media post. “With that said, I know I can fix this physical damage BUT this man’s mind is terribly broken.”

On Instagram, he asked for contacts to the man’s family in hopes of getting him help.

In a text Thursday to The Atlanta Journal-Constitu- tion, Killer Mike said he had tracked down the per- son’s family, “but tracking him and getting the cops there when he is is prov- ing difficult.”

Killer Mike noted that he hired a contractor to clean up the graffiti, along with students from a trade academy called YouthBuild and a sign painter Adam McNeil. By Thursday evening, the building exterior appeared good as new with some of the graffiti on the sidewalk remaining.

This is Killer Mike’s second retail Swag Shop and it opened five years ago. He also opened a version of his barbershop at State Farm Arena in 2018.

The original site in College Park o ff Ro o sevelt Highway opened not far from Hartsfield-Jackson Internatio­nal Airport in 2011. That location has been closed since the pandemic began and recently underwent a remodel. Killer Mike said it has been in “soft opening” mode and will officially open again in two weeks.

His Edgewood location and several businesses on the street were hit with bullets in February last year. Nobody was injured and his shop was closed at the time for remodeling.

 ?? RODNEY HO/AJC 2021 ?? Michael “Killer Mike” Render discovered his Swag barbershop vandalized by graffiti. By Thursday, only part of the graffiti on the sidewalk was left. Killer Mike said he thinks the person responsibl­e is someone suffering from delusions.
RODNEY HO/AJC 2021 Michael “Killer Mike” Render discovered his Swag barbershop vandalized by graffiti. By Thursday, only part of the graffiti on the sidewalk was left. Killer Mike said he thinks the person responsibl­e is someone suffering from delusions.

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