Run The Jewels was one of the most celebrated alternative hip hop albums of 2013, and for good reason. This short and tempestuous record celebrates two of the most underrated elders in the underground rap game and breathes new life into their careers: Brooklyn’s El-P and Atlanta’s Killer Mike, together known as Run The Jewels.
The duo are a match made in heaven; El-P’s dense, aggressive, and verbose attacks and relentless production fuses seamlessly with the more conventional Ice Cube-esque flow of Mike.
While the album may first come across as an oppressive and agitated avalanche of political and racial commentary (lyrics such as “Still spell America with a triple K”), closer analysis of both the lyrics and production reveals the true genius behind Run The Jewels.
El-P’s production is an innovative mix of bleak futurism and low fidelity sounds – a perfect foil for tracks such as ‘Get It’, which brings back memories of N.W.A.’s classic ‘Fuck Tha Police’ after a few too many drinks.
Over these dense and dark beats, the duo rhyme rapidly and relentlessly with lyrics that conjure up more thought than your average Def Jam or Roc-A-Fella recording. The chorus of ‘Sea Legs’’ is a flawless metaphor for being rebelliously out of touch with an oppressive reality.
Albert Einstein once said that the only source of knowledge is experience. This must work in favour of Run The Jewels. With a collective 35 years of experience in the rap game under their belts, it’s no surprise they can make a record with as much raw power as this.
Listen to ‘Banana Clipper (feat. Big Boi)’ from Run The Jewels here:
