Comprised of celebrated duo El-P and Killer Mike, Run The Jewels have risen to the forefront of US hip hop in recent years. Their third album is their finest yet.
The duo belong amongst the finest Stateside hip-hop acts of recent years, a list which includes the likes of Flying Lotus, Jay Electronica, Kendrick Lamar and Madlib. Like those artists, Run The Jewels conjure magical sonic soundscapes that beguile with their inventive twists and turns. They are an act who thrill with their stylistic audacity and, as with many of the best rap records of recent years, you come away feeling that rock music feels like an increasing stale and one-dimensional format.
Taking a supremely adventurous approach to production, the group have assembled a thrilling sonic rollercoaster. Among the highlights are the atmospheric Danny Brown collaboration ‘Hey Kids (Bumaye)’ (which addresses the current US political climate in the lines, “Fuckin’ fascists / Who the fuck are you to give 50 lashes?”), the sublimely hypnotic ‘Thieves!’ (which features an appearance from TV On The Radio’s Tunde Adebimpe), and the queasy dubstep rhythms of ‘Call Ticketron’.
However, RTJ leave the best ‘til last, with final track ‘A Report To The Shareholders / Kill Your Masters’ – a collaboration with Zack de la Rocha – boasting the same subversive spirit as Rage Against The Machine’s classic ‘Killing In The Name’. Powerful stuff.