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Run The Jewels - Run The Jewels 3

  • Written by  Richard Inman

 

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house. Not a creature was stirring, except for Run The Jewels who released the much anticipated Run the Jewels 3 on Christmas Eve, three weeks earlier than scheduled release. What a lovely surprise present from the jolly Saint Nicks of hip-hop. The good news is you’ll feel like an excited child, wrapping (Christmas metaphors over) your ears around RTJ3 if you’re a fan of their previous albums. If you’re not familiar with RTJ, they’re one of the most accessible, political rap acts since Public Enemy and deserve some attention.  

RTJ’s Killer Mike and El-P never pull any punches, but on RTJ3 they’ve reached a new level of urgency and intensity. ‘Down’ (featuring Joi) gently eases you into the album, before ‘Talk to me’, the first release from the album, makes the direction of the album clear; big beats and vitriol.  Killer Mike’s first verse and El-P’s throbbing production immediately take aim at U.S. politics: “Went to war with the Devil and Shaytan // He wore a bad toupee and a spray tan”. No prizes for guessing who that’s in reference to. Then Killer Mike goes into full Preacher mode, proclaiming the album before a flurry of scratching wraps up the track, almost too briskly at 2.31mins in a swift statement of intent.

'Legend Has It' really showcases the seamless transition between the rappers, as they trade verses like a couple finishing each other’s sentences. They are an unlikely pairing, yet in interviews and onstage have a natural rapport which has led to this successful collaboration. As El-P says on ‘A Report To The Shareholders’:

“Maybe that’s why me and Mike get along // Not from the same part of town, but we both hear the same sound coming // And it sounds like war.”

There’s a social conscience to RTJ which has grown since their earlier work, clearly in reaction to the recent election, riots and police brutality in America. ‘Don’t get captured’ and ‘Thieves! (Screamed the Ghost) are dramatic, aggressive perspectives on the Black lives matter protests and related riots. ‘Thieves! (Screamed the Ghost) features Tv on the Radio’s Tunde Adebimpe with subtle vocals before a sample from Martin Luther King Jr’s 1967 speech “The Other America” cements the point: “a riot is the language of the unheard”. ‘2100’ is a stand out track for its message of hope in the face of fear, chugging synth and raked guitar chords. It features a haunting hook from guest vocalist Boots, who previously appeared on RTJ2.

‘Panther like a Panther (Miracle Mix)’ is the most party-friendly song on the album, with stabbing, frantic production, and guest vocalist Trina’s posturing refrain. The lyrics are much lighter, with clichéd rapper bragging about sex, weed and money, if all the politics is getting too heavy. ‘Hey Kids (Bumaye)’ featuring Danny brown, with one of the most recognisable voices in rap at the moment, keeps it similarly irreverent over huge wobbling synth and clipped beats. 

‘Thursday in the Danger Room’ features Kamasi Washington, who recently recorded with Kendrick Lamar and Thundercat. His saxophone gives a charming, mournful touch to the choruses, separating the emotive personal verses. ‘A report to the Shareholders: Kill your masters’ is a two-part call to arms wrapping up the album:

“Choose the lesser of the evil people, and the devil still gon' win // It could all be over tomorrow, kill our masters and start again”.

Zach de la Rocha, who appeared on RTJ2, features on the latter part and delivers so effectively it makes you long for a Rage against the Machine return all the more.

Killer Mike is a vocal Bernie Sanders supporter and a civil rights activist, so RTJ3 was never going to be too light-hearted. It is heavyweight rap from rappers with something to say. Although, there are still moments of humour, swagger and enough attitude to enjoy RTJ3 simply at face value. El-p’s dense production is the sharpest on any of their records and he’s captured an ominous, dystopian sound that compliments their message and energy perfectly. With numerous references to the apocalypse throughout, fingers crossed Trump doesn’t nuke us all, as I can’t wait for RTJ4.

RTJ3 is now available on Amazon and iTunes. 

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