Album Review: Hip Hop duo Run The Jewels deliver timely messages with RTJ4
Hip hop duo Run The Jewels (RTJ) is essentially the story of two lyricists who followed differing paths in a journey which lead to the formation of one of the most significant musical groups of our time. In 2013, they released their self-titled first record to wide critical acclaim. On June 3rd, their fourth album, RTJ4 was released. The record is timely in that it speaks directly to the systemic violence and oppression that is currently dominating the national conversation amid police violence protests. And they do it with the help of high-profile guest artists. It is the hip hop duo’s finest record to date. Fans can download the entire album free of charge directly from the RTJ website.
In 2001, Atlanta-based Killer Mike (Michael Santiago Render) prominently placed his foot in hip hop’s front door with sharp wordplay and powerful delivery in Outkast’s “The Whole World,” an original release from their greatest hits compilation record. Since then, he has gradually become an increasingly prominent figure both within the music industry and American political culture.
Around the time of Killer Mike’s breakthrough to mainstream hip hop, Brooklyn-based underground hip hop group Company Flow disbanded, leading their noteworthy MC/producer El-P (Jaime Meline) to launch a solo career with the release of Fantastic Damage in 2002.
A modern take on old school hip hop, RTJ4 laces old-school homage with modern musical savvy, paving a path for Killer Mike’s southern baritone of politically-driven, historically educational messages and El-P’s mellow poise, which is fittingly broken on occasion with a raw, emotive delivery to synthesize the masterful new recording.
The album opens with “yankee and the brave (Ep 4),” a furious number that lays down the emotional context for the record. “ooh lala” features DJ Premiere and Greg Nice (of Nice & Smooth), with a chorus repeating Nice’s lyrics from 1992’s “DWYCK,” a Gang Starr classic which he was featured in.
In a shout out to the D.O.C. the third track “out of sight” loosely borrows the beat from the classic “Funky Enough.” Pharrell Williams joins the dynamic hip hop duo in “Ju$t”, a forcefully impressionable track that will engage one to rethink their view of money and history, “…look at all these slave masters posing on your dollars.”
The standout track of the record is “walking in the snow,” which includes a guest appearance with Gangsta Boo, of Three-Six Mafia. It is an eerily prophetic and insightful song that delivers a powerfully accurate message. The track is a bona fide banger. It’s also a favorite of The Cosmic Clash staff.
El-P breaks his Yoda-like poise throughout the record with emotive outbursts of appropriate frustrations and anger. Killer Mike’s historical and political acuity point the spotlight at many of society’s forgotten-and-ignored flaws. Together, Run The Jewels is a dominant force in rap music.
Politically and culturally driven subject matter, along with beyond-extraordinary production, make RTJ4 not only the finest of the duo’s efforts, but a hip hop classic and one of the best, most important records in modern music. It has set a high standard for the 2020s. Everyone should hear it at least once.
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