Killer Mike wants to help whoever vandalized his barbershop

On Monday, Dec. 27, 2021, Michael "Killer Mike" Render discovered his Swag barbershop vandalized by graffiti. By Thursday, only part of the graffiti on the sidewalk was left. RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com (inset: AJC file photo)

Credit: RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com (INSET: AJC File Photo)

Credit: RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com (INSET: AJC File Photo)

On Monday, Dec. 27, 2021, Michael "Killer Mike" Render discovered his Swag barbershop vandalized by graffiti. By Thursday, only part of the graffiti on the sidewalk was left. RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com (inset: AJC file photo)

The Atlanta barber shop owned by activist, hip-hop star and entrepreneur Killer Mike was vandalized earlier this 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 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-Constitution, Killer Mike said he had tracked down the person’s family, “but tracking him and getting the cops there when he is is proving 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 opened five years ago. He also opened a version of his barbershop at State Farm Arena in 2018.

The original site in College Park off Roosevelt Highway opened not far from Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in 2011. That location has been closed since the pandemic began and recently completed 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 of this year. Nobody was injured and his shop was closed at the time for remodeling.

Killer Mike's Instagram post on Dec. 27 regarding vandalism to his barbershop in Atlanta. INSTAGRAM

Credit: INSTAGRAM

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Credit: INSTAGRAM

The Swag barbershop graffiti on Dec. 27, 2022 that was largely cleaned up by Dec. 30. INSTAGRAM

Credit: INSTAGRAM

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Credit: INSTAGRAM