Killer Mike Says Poor Kids Should Stop Fighting America's Wars

Killer Mike says he's tired of watching poor kids fight wars ... arguing countries that want to go to war should send entitled rich kids instead.

We caught up with the four-time Grammy winner at LAX Thursday ... and we had to ask the politically active star for his take on the devastating conflict in the Middle East.

KM says he thinks poor people need to refuse to fight for the empire that is the United States ... because it's often working-class kids who are risking their lives to further the aims of the state.

Instead of sending poor kids into battle, Mike argues the children of leaders all over the world should be put in a "f***ing pit" to fight ... 'Hunger Games' style.

Killer Mike tells us a story of his cousin going off to fight in Lebanon when Mike was pretty young ... and he doesn't want that cycle to continue.

The U.S. is an empire, Mike says, no doubt about it ... and the only way to topple an empire is for the working class to put its collective boot down and refuse.

As for the people in Iran celebrating Ayatollah Khamenei's rule coming to an end ... Mike says he just hopes everyone is respectful of one another, regardless of religious beliefs. Watch the clip all the way through to hear his raw thoughts.

As you know ... the United States and Israel kicked off the conflict last weekend by attacking strategic targets in the country.

Iran responded by attacking military outposts and allies of the two countries in the region, while also cutting off access to the Strait of Hormuz -- a key passageway for getting oil out of the region.