Killer Mike and El-P are back to prove that the sophomore slump is a myth. Last summer, the duo known as Run the Jewels released their first mixtape for free and sent the Internet spinning. Riding the coattails of its success, they signed with Nas’ Mass Appeal Records to release their first studio album, “Run the Jewels 2.”
Like its predecessor, “RTJ2” is a drug-induced, vulgar protest against the violence of organized religion and government. To further legitimize their political agenda, they enlisted Zach De La Rocha of Rage Against the Machine to perform a verse on “Close Your Eyes (And Count to ****),” a song about starting a prison riot. The star power continues throughout the album with features from BOOTS (Producer of Beyonce’s self-titled album), Travis Barker and Diane Coffee (Foxygen).
Despite their constant jabs at authority, Mike’s father was a police officer, and the two musicians have a great respect and understanding for the law. However, when that authority abuses their power and encroaches on the rights of man, Run the Jewels plans to take them down through verbal violence.
Following the Michael Brown shooting in Ferguson, Killer Mike appeared on CNN countless times to give his two-cents on police brutality. He continued this trend on the album, especially with his hard-hitting verse on “Early.” Mike raps about being accosted by a police officer infront of his family, and although he wasn’t armed or posing a threat, the officer pulled a gun on him and his wife. El-P, on the other hand is an avid fan of sci-fi novels, and his verses often read like a dystopian short story. On “Early” he takes the next verse with a paranoid vision of lopsided government surveillance, painting a picture of an all too real society filled with cameras.
The album’s message is strong, but Mike and El-P’s relationship is its selling point. When united, they parallel the Kanye-Jay Z “Watch the Throne” partnership, trading verses with complex wordplay on top of their originally composed production. “Jeopardy,” the opening track, sets the tone for the album, declaring their talent and mission over a heavy bass and drawn out trumpet sounds. Despite their former obscurity, they demand respect and make it clear that they have their sights set on the top. El-P reminds his competitors “The kitten became a lion that look at your face like great food."
With the bark and bite of “DMX” and the honesty of “Atmosphere,” “Run the Jewels 2” may take the prize for hip-hop album of the year even in the advent of the next Kendrick and Kanye releases.