Banking With Run the Jewels

Yes, I miss going to events and shows and concerts. To help scratch that itch lately, I’ve been buying tickets to livestreaming shows such as the podcast “How Did This Get Made” where the hosts dissected the film version of “Cats.” For another show, I sat in on a nice conversation between two musicians, Norah Jones and Jeff Tweedy, followed by a couple of songs performed by Tweedy from his upcoming album.

While it was a little weird sitting in my office watching these shows on my computer, it felt intimate, odd and kind of nice. Also, I’ll take what I can get as far attending any kind of live performance at this point.

Also, supporting artists right now during this pandemic is important to me.

This leads me to Michael Render. Most people know him as Killer Mike, one half of the hip-hop duo Run the Jewels.

Killer Mike has been a fascinating person to watch over the years because of his community activism, civil rights work, and especially his involvement in social justice issues revolving around banking and lending programs for minorities.

I’m not a big fan of hip hop music, but I am a fan of a lot of the artists and where they’ve come from, and how many of them are trying to do the right things to help out society as a whole.

Back in 2017 I had the chance to see Run the Jewels at a live taping of the PBS show “Austin City Limits.” I took the opportunity to go because I wanted to see what Killer Mike was like and if I could catch a glimpse of his activism side while taking in a type of concert I’ve never been to before.

The hour-long set in front of a crowd of about 2,000 people was really amazing. I went into the show only knowing about Killer Mike and not much about Run the Jewels. Basically every song had some kind of social activism or social injustice theme to it. And between each number, Killer Mike would talk about financial disparity, police brutality, poverty, race and politics. Fans who were there seemed to know what to expect and they were all in for what he was saying.

It was like the most fun rally you’ve ever seen. Also, this was by far the loudest concert I’ve been to. My ears were ringing so loud that I didn’t realize I was shouting at the cashier at the yogurt shop after the show. I apologized and yelled, “Sorry! Run the Jewels show! Keep the change!”

How inspirational is Killer Mike? Back in 2016 he took a stand, not only as an artist but as a small business owner (he owns some barbershops around Atlanta). During an interview on Atlanta’s Hot 107.9 FM, Killer Mike was angry – angry about the police shootings of Philando Castile and others. The same angry we’ve seen at so many protests this year. During that interview, Killer Mike said, “I’m angry, I’m hurt, I’m disgusted. I’m ashamed to be part of the country. It’s time to get angry and do something.” He publicly asked people to invest in Black-owned or operated banks, businesses and credit unions. His message was to move your money to a more ethical and socially-responsible bank or credit union. He said, “You can go to your bank tomorrow and you can say, ‘Until you as a corporation start to speak on our behalf, I want all my money. And I’m taking my money to Citizen’s Trust.’”

Citizen’s Trust Bank, in Atlanta, is focused on products and services for minorities, and also has a 100% minority CEO, executive team and board. It’s truly a fascinating bank. Once Killer Mike made that proclamation, within five days, the bank saw more than 8,000 new accounts open.

At the time, I reached out to Killer Mike and even the comedian Sarah Silverman, because she was promoting similar messages about moving your money to a better bank or credit union.

The credit union universe really missed a huge opportunity with Killer Mike to at least in some way partner together for the right reasons – to help the underbanked, help the underserved, be held to a higher ethical standard and of course, help with the DEI promises the industry has smartly made this year.

Here’s the thing though: Killer Mike has opened a new “majority Black and Latinx-owned and operated digital bank.” He along with some close friends created this bank after raising more than $3 million in seed funding this summer, according to news reports. As Killer Mike was angry four years ago, the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis appeared to be the final spark needed to launch Greenwood. The Greenwood website is live but it won’t officially be open until January. “Do well and do good,” the site says. When you open an account, a donation will be made of five meals to feed five families.

Reading through the website, the social awareness, the empathy, the focus on “recirculating wealth” and taking care of the those who bank with them and the community as a whole is kind of an emotional experience.

As of this writing, there is a wait list of tens of thousands of people wanting to join. “Join the movement,” the site says.

The bank has all, if not more than, the features my credit union has: P2P, savings and spending accounts, Apple and Android Pay, mobile deposit, a global ATM network, no hidden fees, two-day early pay and of course community reinvestment.

“This is our time. Take back control of our lives and our financial future,” the site states.

I wish all the best to Killer Mike and his team, because what they have created and are attempting to do for a much-ignored population will be a model for the future.

Go ahead and try to read the Greenwood website without tearing up. The message is strong and loud, and it won’t damage your eardrums.

Michael Ogden is editor-in-chief for CU Times. He can be reached at mogden@cutimes.com.