New Music: Run The Jewels

By Jason Herring, November 6 2014 —

“You can run the jewels or lose your fingers,” spits Killer Mike on the heavy track “Oh My Darling Don’t Cry,” a line that serves as a mission statement for the second collaboration between rappers El-P and Killer Mike, Run the Jewels 2.

Operating out of Atlanta, the duo have earned the right to be arrogant. They not only claim that they are the best act in hip-hop today, they know it.

The duo, which releases music together under the name Run the Jewels, put out their second album via Mass Appeal Records on Oct. 24.

Producer El-P’s beats on tracks like “All My Life” and “Close Your Eyes (And Count to Fuck)” are among the best of his career.

Killer Mike and El-P both stun with their verses throughout the album, and both are made far better by each other’s presence. It’s mesmerizing how the pair flawlessly trade lyrics and build upon each other’s ideas. In this case, the whole is truly greater than the sum of its parts.

Lyrically, Run the Jewels 2 hits all the bases — sex, law-breaking, fuckboys, weed and guns. The one pitfall of the album is that the duo can be a bit too crass, most notably on the extremely explicit “Love Again.”

Despite minor issues, El-P and Killer Mike have solidified their position as one of the best acts in hip hop, and they’re making sure you know they aren’t going anywhere.