Run The Jewels 2

This album has been added to 2 public lists:

• 

  The Music Slut Committee

  Steve

  "I listened to a good amount of rap back in the day, but I always found myself going back to NWA, Biggie, and Eminem. Obviously Dre is the common denominator for two outta three of those, but still...older rap was just more interesting to me. Over the years, it felt like hip hop was abandoning the cool samples and unique production tricks in favor of boring beats that don't really do much to carry the songs. It was all on the rapping, which isn't without value by any means, but it was harder to bop along to. The lyrics were still as poetic and poignant as ever, but it was missing that musicality that made it fun to listen to as background noise while working or driving. Then I heard Close Your Eyes and lost my shit. Hot damn! This is what I was waiting for!

  Killer Mike is voice of RTJ, 10000%. He makes every line a captivating experience. His funny lines are a riot, his quiet bits are contemplative, and hard lines take no prisoners. We're at his mercy from the second he starts letting it rip, and I count on one hand the other rappers that are as equally captivating. El-P, like Nick said, is fine. He's a hype man; just there to pump us up in between Killer Mike verses. It can be kinda silly to hear Mike drop a line about killing cops, then El-P comes in talks about being good at sex. BUT, El-P is vitally important to the duo as a producer. He's responsible for so much of the crazy production ship that I love, so he's still an inextricable part of RTJ. After I consumed all of RTJ, I went back and listened to some solo Killer Mike stuff and it just wasn't the same. (Though the solo stuff after KM met El-P, but before they formed RTJ, is pretty good).

  If I had one other complaint (outside of Love Again), its that the first few tracks are bit too Pedal to the Metal; the album really hits its stride with Close Your Eyes. While I enjoy those first three songs on an individual basis, I think the manic energy can be overwhelming at first and the album may have benefitted from splitting those tracks up." - Alex

• 

  The List

  Hugo