A decade ago, rapper Killer Mike and producer/rapper El-P collaborated on ten scorching tracks on their self-titled debut album. 2013’s Run the Jewels is more than just a flash-in-the-pan stunt project; it’s a battle cry. Over the course of 33 minutes, listeners are greeted with anarchic, bass-driven songs brimming with braggadocios rhymes and thundering beats. The result is a project that galvanized Killer Mike and El-P as one of rap’s most dynamic duos.
From its opening track, appropriately titled “Run the Jewels,” the album exemplifies how two people from disparate rap backgrounds can grow together. On paper, Run the Jewels shouldn’t have worked. A Dirty South Rapper with syrupy vocals and a New York Underground figure with crate-digging tendencies doesn’t exactly seem like a match made in hip-hop heaven. But as the old adage goes: “opposites attract,” and sometimes, that attraction leads to greatness. The impact Run the Jewels made on the genre cannot be understated. Of course, being understated ain’t exactly the RTJ’s style, now is it?
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The Yankee And The Brave
New York rapper/producer El-P began his career as a member of Collective Flow throughout the ‘90s. He would continue to be a guiding voice in the underground rap scene. El-P co-founded the independent record label Definitive Jux in 1999. Under the label’s banner, El-P produced albums for acts such as Aesop Rock, Mr. Lif, and Cannibal Ox.
Killer Mike had been an Atlanta rap staple for years before forming Run the Jewels. He made his debut on the track “Snappin’ & Trappin” from Outkast’s seminal album, Stankonia. Killer Mike would go on to record a handful of stellar Southern rap albums throughout the aughts, to much critical acclaim.
In 2012, the two forged a deep partnership while recording Killer Mike’s fifth album R.A.P. Music. In a 2013 piece from Red Bull Music Academy, El-P stated, “You’re not expecting at 35 to meet your best friend.” Produced by El-P, who also lent vocals to the track “Butane (Champion’s Anthem),” R.A.P. Music was received with universal acclaim from music critics and fans. The album also laid the groundwork for what would become Run the Jewels.
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A Thunderous Debut
On June 23rd, 2013, the duo released Run the Jewels through the Brooklyn-based record label Fool’s Gold Records as a free download. The debut was met with glowing reviews from a number of publications and even appeared on several “Best of the Year” lists. Killer Mike and El-P quickly began a North American tour to support the album, bringing the fiery dynamic they displayed on wax to live audiences.
Run the Jewels is an album that practically speaks for itself. In fact, it’s nigh impossible to truly articulate how Mike and El’s fierce “chain-snatching” musical dynamic hits a listener’s ear. Each track contains depth in its production, dripping with bass that shakes the plaster off the wall and erratic breakbeats that are as infectious as they are abrasive. Run the Jewels contains some of the best production work El-P has ever made….at the time, at least.
However, where Run the Jewels truly makes its mark is with its vicious, trash-talking lyrics. El-P and Killer Mike play off each other well, trading verses like supervillains planning to launch an attack on all that is good. Despite the album’s violent imagery, there is a playful vibe to almost every track. El-P and Killer Mike are here to give listeners a cathartic experience through ostentatious lyricism and over-the-top threats. It’s the musical equivalent of playing Grand Theft Auto.
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Rebels Without A Pause
RTJ didn’t rest on their laurels after the release of Run the Jewels. The duo quickly returned with a follow-up, appropriately titled Run the Jewels 2, a year later, proving their debut was no fluke. The duo would continue touring, eventually co-headlining festivals across the globe, further solidifying their place in the rap zeitgeist. Fast forward to 2023. It’s been ten years since Killer Mike and El-P tossed Run the Jewels at rap fans like a hand grenade. Now, the duo is engaging on a 10-year anniversary tour in a well-deserved victory lap.
Regarding its scope, Run the Jewels almost seems quaint in hindsight. Despite its boisterous tone, those ten tracks in 2013 could not prepare anyone for what the duo would become. Run the Jewels remains an important touchstone in rap. It’s a prime example of how collaborative efforts can give birth to something greater than its individual parts.
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