By Corey Vikser
Staff Writer
“Top of the morning, my fist to your face is ***** Folgers,” is just one of the many brutal and witty lines in “Run the Jewels 2,” the sequel to the hit debut mixtape from rap duo Run the Jewels, comprised of rappers El-P (Jaime Meline) and Killer Mike (Michael Render).
As their sophomore album, “Run the Jewels 2” is an impressive feat, as the pair tries new styles, gains tonal consistency and successfully incorporates aspects of rock into their production.
The duo is no stranger to the rap game, as El-P began releasing music solo in 1993 before his debut “Company Flow” in 2001. Mike’s debut was a feature on Outkast’s “Stankonia” before releasing his LP “Monster” in 2003. Both men went on brief reprieves from their work in the mid-2000s before working on their new individual albums in 2009.
The pair began working together in 2011, when El-P produced Mike’s sixth album, “R.A.P. Music.” Wishing to continue their partnership, they began rapping as a duo under the moniker Run the Jewels. They released their self-titled debut mixtape to massive acclaim from critics and fans alike. Mike and El-P quickly began work on their album after the hit, resulting in “Run the Jewels 2” a year later.
The tonal progression throughout the tracklist is one of album’s high points, opening in a fun, charismatic manner before plunging into dark and complex subject matter. The album starts with the slow-burning intro to “Jeopardy,” which utilizes its kinetic energy to transition into high-octane tracks “Oh My Darling Don’t Cry” and “Blockbuster Night (Part 1).” The openers are the most fun and energetic tracks, as they consist of brutal one-liners and creative boasts taunting other rappers to challenge their skill. The duo even goes as far to state that it conquered the devil with its lyrics, saying “I spit with the diction of Malcolm or say a Bun B/Prevail through Hell, so Satan get thee behind me.”
The latter half of the album grows progressively darker as the two delve into their past struggles in “Early and Crown,” referencing losing themselves in fame and Mike’s history with selling crack cocaine.
The duo’s lyricism is top-notch, as it delivers cynical social critique and subtle pop culture references throughout the tight 11-song tracklist. Political commentary is a major presence as well, as El-P and Mike furiously protest police brutality, capitalism and mass religion, with lines such as “Members of clergy rule on you through religion, so strippin’ kids to the nude and then tell ‘em God’ll forgive ‘em.”
Run the Jewel’s production has evolved greatly with this release, as the duo experiments with its sound more than ever before. Rock and punk rap are prominent influences on the album, notably in tracks like “Close Your Eyes,” “All Due Respect” and “Oh My Darling,” as the band collaborates with Rage Against the Machine lyricist Zach De La Rocha and former Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker. “Eyes and Darling” employs fast-looped vocal samples over a bass heavy drumline, as Mike and El deliver an unceasing evolution, continuously changing styles as the beats become more layered and complex.
“Run the Jewels 2” is a fast-paced thrill ride, as El-P and Mike explore new rap techniques, collaborate with an array of different genre artists and deliver unbeatable lyrical progression in its quick 40-minute run time.
“Run the Jewels 2” is now available for $9.99 digitally and in retail.
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