The level of anticipation for the fourth Run the Jewels project was reaching a fever pitch in the early stages of 2020. El-P and Killer Mike had been teasing the project throughout last year and given that they had taken a break to focus on other ventures after barely pausing at all from summer 2013- spring 2018, fans had a tangible hunger to hear the first material they'd recorded since RTJ3 dropped in December 2016. That long wait for new music ended up being an unexpected blessing because when RTJ4 finally dropped, it boasted an impact that I'm sure even Killer Mike and El-P couldn't have imagined while they were making it.
From a pure musical perspective, RTJ4 isn't too much different from the previous Run the Jewels records. Its more or less another 11 tracks worth of Killer Mike and El-P trading sharp, aggressive bars behind mammoth maximalist beats that are still predominantly produced by El-P himself. Their unapologetically abrasive playbook is every bit as effective now as it was on their debut and their partnership remains a gift to the entire hip hop community.
Where RTJ4 picks up its added weight is in the sheer timeliness of its release. Run the Jewels has spoken out on an array of political/social issues including police brutality, systemic racism and government corruption from day one, and releasing new material during a time where people from all backgrounds are banding together to demand that these deep-rooted structures of oppression get dismantled makes their messages more powerful than ever before. When they tackle a topic like how the prison system ("Walking in the Snow") is designed to target people of color in poor areas or the role extreme wealth plays in corrupting the justice/political system ("Ju$t"), there's a level of palpable urgency that makes the anger and potency that runs through their lyrics register on a deeper level. Not to minimize anything that's addressed on this record, but these sentiments just wouldn't hit with the same amount of force if they weren't released at a time where the full scope of the injustice inflicted by these issues was on display for everyone to see.
They also understand how crucial it is to provide the listener with some mental breaks by deploying some explosive, absurdly fun bangers ("Out of Sight", "The Ground Below", "Yankee and the Brave") at various points of the record. Persistence is key in fighting for real change, but reprieves from that taxing struggle are needed to maintain sanity and there aren't too many things that can do a better job of providing escapism than some clever over some of the most preposterously hard beats that mere mortals have ever cooked up. This balance of political anthems that amplify the massive structural issues that continue to be a crippling burden on our society and taking brief moments to escape from the gravity of this long, hard fight for a more just world is what makes Run the Jewels such a profoundly important act that was built to thrive in our current climate.
RTJ4 is a reminder of how releasing something at the right moment can elevate art. What would've been just another politically-tinged hardcore hip hop triumph at a different time has become an incendiary yet hopeful gospel for the people that are actively fighting against injustice. While the history books will ultimately dictate the scale of real change that stems from this moment, we're lucky to have musicians that are as intelligent, resilient and talented as Killer Mike and El-P that are able to incite conversations through their art about issues that previously haven't received the level of attention they deserve.
From a pure musical perspective, RTJ4 isn't too much different from the previous Run the Jewels records. Its more or less another 11 tracks worth of Killer Mike and El-P trading sharp, aggressive bars behind mammoth maximalist beats that are still predominantly produced by El-P himself. Their unapologetically abrasive playbook is every bit as effective now as it was on their debut and their partnership remains a gift to the entire hip hop community.
Where RTJ4 picks up its added weight is in the sheer timeliness of its release. Run the Jewels has spoken out on an array of political/social issues including police brutality, systemic racism and government corruption from day one, and releasing new material during a time where people from all backgrounds are banding together to demand that these deep-rooted structures of oppression get dismantled makes their messages more powerful than ever before. When they tackle a topic like how the prison system ("Walking in the Snow") is designed to target people of color in poor areas or the role extreme wealth plays in corrupting the justice/political system ("Ju$t"), there's a level of palpable urgency that makes the anger and potency that runs through their lyrics register on a deeper level. Not to minimize anything that's addressed on this record, but these sentiments just wouldn't hit with the same amount of force if they weren't released at a time where the full scope of the injustice inflicted by these issues was on display for everyone to see.
They also understand how crucial it is to provide the listener with some mental breaks by deploying some explosive, absurdly fun bangers ("Out of Sight", "The Ground Below", "Yankee and the Brave") at various points of the record. Persistence is key in fighting for real change, but reprieves from that taxing struggle are needed to maintain sanity and there aren't too many things that can do a better job of providing escapism than some clever over some of the most preposterously hard beats that mere mortals have ever cooked up. This balance of political anthems that amplify the massive structural issues that continue to be a crippling burden on our society and taking brief moments to escape from the gravity of this long, hard fight for a more just world is what makes Run the Jewels such a profoundly important act that was built to thrive in our current climate.
RTJ4 is a reminder of how releasing something at the right moment can elevate art. What would've been just another politically-tinged hardcore hip hop triumph at a different time has become an incendiary yet hopeful gospel for the people that are actively fighting against injustice. While the history books will ultimately dictate the scale of real change that stems from this moment, we're lucky to have musicians that are as intelligent, resilient and talented as Killer Mike and El-P that are able to incite conversations through their art about issues that previously haven't received the level of attention they deserve.
Grade: A
Notable Tracks:
1.Out of Sight (feat. 2 Chainz)
2.Walking in the Snow (feat. Gangsta Boo)
3.The Ground Below
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