Ask Dr. Renee: The Ask Dr. Renee Show with Mr Killa
The Ask Dr. Renee Show with Mr Killa
Hollice Mapp, better known as Mr. Killa is a versatile soca artist and an exceptional entertainer. His unique sound incorporates elements of EDM, dancehall, and other genres while remaining authentically soca. His electrifying stage presence defies explanation; it must be experienced to be truly understood.
A favorite in his native Grenada for many years, Mr. Killa won his country’s first-ever National Teen Talent Search Competition at the age of 15 performing original dancehall compositions. He would explore soca 2 years later eventually winning his first National Soca Monarch title in 2004 with “Thunder Rags.” This earned him a place in Trinidad and Tobago’s International Soca Monarch competition in 2005 where he finished in the top 5. In 2006 Killa won Grenada’s Groovy and Soca Monarch titles. He pulled another double-win three years later by winning the Soca Monarch and Road March titles in 2009.
While other regional hits and titles followed “Rolly Polly,” Mr. Killa’s tribute to plus-plus-sized women went viral in 2014 making him a household name throughout the Caribbean. The popularity of the song and its accompanying music video led to performances throughout the diaspora and by the end of the season, Mr. Killa was widely considered the best stage-performer in the Caribbean.
“Oil It” (2018) and its #oiitupchallenge became a trending phenomenon when dancers and their crews from as far away as Korea, Russia, Chile, and Norway posted their choreographed videos online. In 2019 Killa would go viral again with the song “Run Wid It” and it’s corresponding “Pick Up Something…Anything” call to action which had fans picking up anything they could get their hands on including other fans and running with it. Several celebrities and influencers participated including Usain Bolt and Drake who shared the song with his millions of Instagram followers after the Toronto Raptors secured their place in the NBA Finals.
On Friday, March 1st, 2019, Mr. Killa would perform “Run Wid It” in position number 6 out of 8 competitors vying to win the International Soca Monarch title, the ultimate prize in soca music. The competition, which takes place in Trinidad annually, had never been won by a foreigner. Killa went in as the clear favorite and while “Run Wid It” was widely recognized as the #1 song of the season, it was his performance that would seal his victory. There was controversy throughout the competition, with Iwer George, the runner-up telling the audience that it would be wrong for a Grenadian to walk away with the prize money, ahead of a Trinidadian. Undeterred by the few naysayers, Killa boldly confronted the controversy during his historic performance by not only calling out Iwer but beckoning on Grenada’s Prime Minister to “open the port” as he was bringing the title to Grenada. Mr. Killa openly shed tears of joy when he was announced as the Soca Monarch.
In 2019, Mapp fulfilled a life-long dream to launch a state-of-the-art recording studio, multimedia facility, and a radio station in his hometown of Gouyave. He also launched the Go-Carnival APP, a hub of information and connectivity for Carnivals worldwide. Wanting to give back to the island which nurtured him, Mapp also introduced the MK songwriting competition to provide a platform for Grenadian youths to showcase their musical talent.
In 2020 Mr. Killa collaborated with the world-renown EDM trio Major Lazer to release the “Soca Storm EP” which featured Killa on two songs including the title track “Soca Storm” and “King of the Party”. The EP was not only Major Lazer’s first release of the year but their first exclusively soca EP or album. “It’s a big deal, soca is poised to be a broader bigger thing and we are working hard to push the culture forward,” explained Major Lazer’s Walshy Fire. “Mr. Killa is just one of those incredible soca artist bringing new sounds and new energy to the forefront and he’s an important part of what we’re doing.”
In addition to being one of the most in-demand performers in the Caribbean and its diaspora, Mr. Killa has also performed in China, Europe, Central America, and other regions you would not expect to hear soca. He is widely considered as the King of Jab-Jab music, a sub-genre of soca native to Grenada. Not only is he widely considered as the #1 performer in the Caribbean, fans throughout the region anticipate that Mr. Killa will be the artist most likely to become the first global soca superstar. Mr. Killa is an exceptional entertainer with a penchant for creating unforgettable songs and mesmerizing performances, he is steadfastly focused on his purpose to serve as Grenada and the Caribbean’s musical and cultural ambassador.
Hollice Mapp, better known as Mr. Killa is a versatile soca artist and an exceptional entertainer. His unique sound incorporates elements of EDM, dancehall, and other genres while remaining authentically soca. His electrifying stage presence defies explanation; it must be experienced to be truly understood.
A favorite in his native Grenada for many years, Mr. Killa won his country’s first-ever National Teen Talent Search Competition at the age of 15 performing original dancehall compositions. He would explore soca 2 years later eventually winning his first National Soca Monarch title in 2004 with “Thunder Rags.” This earned him a place in Trinidad and Tobago’s International Soca Monarch competition in 2005 where he finished in the top 5. In 2006 Killa won Grenada’s Groovy and Soca Monarch titles. He pulled another double-win three years later by winning the Soca Monarch and Road March titles in 2009.
While other regional hits and titles followed “Rolly Polly,” Mr. Killa’s tribute to plus-plus-sized women went viral in 2014 making him a household name throughout the Caribbean. The popularity of the song and its accompanying music video led to performances throughout the diaspora and by the end of the season, Mr. Killa was widely considered the best stage-performer in the Caribbean.
“Oil It” (2018) and its #oiitupchallenge became a trending phenomenon when dancers and their crews from as far away as Korea, Russia, Chile, and Norway posted their choreographed videos online. In 2019 Killa would go viral again with the song “Run Wid It” and it’s corresponding “Pick Up Something…Anything” call to action which had fans picking up anything they could get their hands on including other fans and running with it. Several celebrities and influencers participated including Usain Bolt and Drake who shared the song with his millions of Instagram followers after the Toronto Raptors secured their place in the NBA Finals.
On Friday, March 1st, 2019, Mr. Killa would perform “Run Wid It” in position number 6 out of 8 competitors vying to win the International Soca Monarch title, the ultimate prize in soca music. The competition, which takes place in Trinidad annually, had never been won by a foreigner. Killa went in as the clear favorite and while “Run Wid It” was widely recognized as the #1 song of the season, it was his performance that would seal his victory. There was controversy throughout the competition, with Iwer George, the runner-up telling the audience that it would be wrong for a Grenadian to walk away with the prize money, ahead of a Trinidadian. Undeterred by the few naysayers, Killa boldly confronted the controversy during his historic performance by not only calling out Iwer but beckoning on Grenada’s Prime Minister to “open the port” as he was bringing the title to Grenada. Mr. Killa openly shed tears of joy when he was announced as the Soca Monarch.
In 2019, Mapp fulfilled a life-long dream to launch a state-of-the-art recording studio, multimedia facility, and a radio station in his hometown of Gouyave. He also launched the Go-Carnival APP, a hub of information and connectivity for Carnivals worldwide. Wanting to give back to the island which nurtured him, Mapp also introduced the MK songwriting competition to provide a platform for Grenadian youths to showcase their musical talent.
In 2020 Mr. Killa collaborated with the world-renown EDM trio Major Lazer to release the “Soca Storm EP” which featured Killa on two songs including the title track “Soca Storm” and “King of the Party”. The EP was not only Major Lazer’s first release of the year but their first exclusively soca EP or album. “It’s a big deal, soca is poised to be a broader bigger thing and we are working hard to push the culture forward,” explained Major Lazer’s Walshy Fire. “Mr. Killa is just one of those incredible soca artist bringing new sounds and new energy to the forefront and he’s an important part of what we’re doing.”
In addition to being one of the most in-demand performers in the Caribbean and its diaspora, Mr. Killa has also performed in China, Europe, Central America, and other regions you would not expect to hear soca. He is widely considered as the King of Jab-Jab music, a sub-genre of soca native to Grenada. Not only is he widely considered as the #1 performer in the Caribbean, fans throughout the region anticipate that Mr. Killa will be the artist most likely to become the first global soca superstar. Mr. Killa is an exceptional entertainer with a penchant for creating unforgettable songs and mesmerizing performances, he is steadfastly focused on his purpose to serve as Grenada and the Caribbean’s musical and cultural ambassador.