Run the Jewels, RTJ4 | Album Review

Run the Jewels returns with their fourth studio album, the incredibly consistent, well-rounded, and socially conscious RTJ4.

Rap is dominant in 2020 – no doubt about it.  Check out the Billboard Charts, and the evidence is crystal clear.  That said, rap by the likes of Run the Jewels isn’t the style of rap that’s dominating, unfortunately.  Regardless, when El-P and Killer Mike return with a new project, it’s definitely a refreshing experience.  It shows two skilled rappers that collaborate and feed off one another almost seamlessly. 

No, RTJ don’t produce the trap music that’s caught much of the current generation’s ear, but the duo makes meaningful music, with expert rhymes, and creative production that deserves far more attention than it receives.  RTJ4, the fourth album by this power duo, is another superb addition to their discography, and more notably, one of the crowning achievements of 2020.

“Yankee and the Brave (Ep. 4)” 

RTJ4 commences with a bang on the brief but potent ✓ “Yankee and the Brave (Ep. 4).” The production has a bit of an experimental vibe, yet also has a foot in the door of the hip-hop of old.  Killer Mike gets the show started, never letting his foot off the gas.  El-P follows on the second verse, matching the intensity of his partner.  Some of the best moments come towards the end, where both rappers play off each other extremely well. A prime example is when Mike asserts, “I can’t let the pigs kill me, I got too much pride / And I mean it when I said it, never take me alive,” with El-P responding, “You try to fuck with my brother, you get the bastard surprise.”  All in all, a great start to the album.

✓ “Ooh La La” certainly keeps the momentum going, bringing in Greg Nice and DJ Premier as featured guests.  Nice delivers a simple but ‘nice’ chorus, based on the title.  Following the chorus, El-P takes ‘first blood,’ shining as he asserts, he’s “Lookin’ for M’s like I lost a friend.” Killer Mike isn’t shy, dropping some profane, sexed-up lyrics as well as sick wordplay, particularly “Pugilistic, my linguistics are Jeru the Damaja / And I rap it pornographic, bitch, set up the camera.” Of course, the duo doesn’t end there, coming out swinging following the second iteration of the Nice chorus.  Perhaps the highlight is when Mike asserts, “Fuck a king or queen and all of they loyal subjects / I pull my penis out and I piss on they shoes in public.”

“Out of Sight”

The excellence continues on “Out of Sight,” where the chemistry remains flawless. El-P and Killer Mark trade bars on the first verse, and it’s a thing of beauty.  Following the refrain, each drops their own solo verse, followed by a 2 Chainz verse.  With 2 Chainz guesting, before hearing the verse, one wonders what kind of absurdity he’s going to bring to the table.  While he’s still very much 2 Chainz, he fits in very well, particularly over the wacky production work, which samples “Misdemeanor” by Foster Sylvers.

✓ “Holy Calamafuck” is definitely one of the most fun song titles on RTJ4.  It’s an intriguing record as well, split into two distinct parts.  It commences with a rhythmic, repetitive intro that features vocals by Cutty Ranks (“All them-a talk, them beat back them words”), before Killer Mike brings the fire on the first verse (“As a teen lackin’, I woulda ran me a supreme racket / I woulda took these lames’ Supreme jackets”).  El-P follows, equally ferocious, characterizing himself as a “rudeness MacGyver / I’ll slap a yapper from the acne to the tooth bone fiber, I’m liver.”  El-P takes the first verse (third overall) in part two, while Killer Mike takes the second (fourth overall).  Here the beat completely switches, bringing an even harder, more menacing vibe.

Fifth track “Goonies vs. E.T.” doesn’t miss a beat.  The production remains slick, continuing to opt against the trap sound that dominates modern hip-hop. The backdrop her suits the rappers, playing to their strengths. RTJ4 as a whole is better for embracing many hip-hop cues of the past. It certainly makes sense age-wise – both El-P and Killer Mike are 45 – not in their teens or twenties. Where the rhymes are concerned, both continue to play off each other extraordinarily well.  Also, from “Goonies…,” the listeners get a catchy chorus – bonus!

“Walking in the Snow”

“Just got done walkin’ in the snow / Goddamn, that motherfucker cold,” Gangsta Boo spits on the memorable, incredibly potent and powerful chorus on ✓ “Walking in the Snow.”  “Walking n the Snow” ranks among the crème de la crème of RTJ4, with El-P and Killer Mike getting socially conscious, specifically focusing on racial inequality.  El-P calls out hypocrisy on the first verse: “Pseudo-Christians, y’all indifferent, kids in prison ain’t a sin? Shit / If even one scrap of what Jesus taught connected, you’d feel different.” Killer Mike really goes in on the second verse, sporting contrasting production, spitting, “And you so numb, you watch the cops choke out a man like me / Until my voice goes from a shriek to a whisper, ‘I can’t breathe.’” As always, the collaborative verse between the two rappers is nothing short of awesome.

Zack de la Rocha and Pharrell Williams arrive on yet another banger, ✓ “JU$T,” where Run the Jewels interpolate themselves.  All four musicians excel in their respective roles.  Pharrell drops a meaningful pre-chorus that continues the socially charged nature of RTJ4.  He also makes minor contributions on the chorus and provides ad-libs on the third verse. Zack de la Rocha definitely has a moment on the third verse, with stellar wordplay, beginning with the politically charged bullet, “20/20, run the map…” Of course, Run the Jewels remain on autopilot, with both rappers highlighting the black struggle.  A number of lyrics pack a punch, including El-P’s specific NYC reference:

“Beep, beep, Richie, this is New York City
The X on the map where the pain keep hitting
Just us ducks here sitting
Where murderous chokehold cops still earnin’ a livin’.”

“Never Look Back” 

The superb production of RTJ4 can’t be understated.  “Never Look Back” is a prime example, with its synth heavy, left field sound.  Again, in addition to the fire from both rappers, we also get a brief, but effective chorus that highlighting the titular lyric.  Worth noting, there is a Mr. Muthafuckin eXquire interlude.  The two-and-a-half-minute “The Ground Below” is as fiery as everything else, particularly kicking off with a tough-as-nails Killer Mike verse (“Not a holy man, but I’m moral in my perverseness / So, I support the sex workers unionizing their services.”  El-P is ‘on’ as well: “Born from ether, I just appeared out a cloud of reefer.”   

✓ “Pulling the Pin” features some unlikely featured guests to say the least: Josh Homme (of Queens of the Stone Age) and Mavis Staples. Wow! Homme’s contributions are instrumental – he doesn’t sing.  As for Mavis, she brings those signature husky, robust, weathered pipes, in all their glory, to the chorus section(s). While there is some lyrical variation, the key lyrics remains the same: “There’s a grenade in my heart and the pin is in their palm.” Staples definitely complements the intense rhymes by Run the Jewels, finding El-P and Killer Mike each rapping a separate verse.  Continuing to make RTJ4 sublime is the production, with El-P, BOOTS, Homme, Little Shalimar, and Wilder Zoby outdoing themselves on this minor-key gem.

Closer “A Few Words for the Firing Squad (Radiation)” is the longest record from RTJ4, running nearly seven minutes in duration.   Naturally, it’s jam-packed, with both rappers being honest, reflective, and true to self.  Their respective verses (four of them) don’t take up the entirety of the record.  There is a two-minute instrumental break, as well as an outro that relates directly to the opening record, “Yankee and the Brave (Ep. 4),” which is a cool effect. Thee outro features vocals from Matt Sweeney and A$AP Ferg.

Final Thoughts

Anytime Run the Jewels drops a new project, it’s definitely a big deal.  RTJ4 is no exception whatsoever.  This 11-track, 39-minute album never seems to miss the mark, all said and done.  The gems and the non-gems are both quite effective, with little separation between them.  What makes RTJ4 among the best albums of 2020 are the rhymes by El-P and Killer Mike, both separate and collaboratively, the socially conscious lyricism and themes, and the colorful, creative production.  The few collaborators used are used effectively, which is always a plus.  All in all, RTJ4 is pretty epic.

✓ Gems: “Yankee and the Brave (Ep. 4),” “Ooh La La,” “Holy Calamafuck,” “Walking in the Snow,” “Ju$t” & “Pulling the Pin” 

Run the Jewels • RTJ4 • BMG Rights Management • Release: 6.3.20

Photo Credit: BMG Rights Management