New York rap duo Armand Hammer, consisting of billy woods and E L U C I D, is back with another lead single to their exciting upcoming project. We Buy Diabetic Test Strips will be out on this coming Friday, September 29. We have already got two other tracks from their seventh LP over the past month. One of the first tracks, “Woke Up and Asked Siri How I’m Gonna Die,” was very dystopian, thanks to JPEGMAFIA’s unique production style.
The one before that was titled “Trauma Mic.” That featured production from DJ Haram. It also had a guest appearance from Pink Siifu, a rapper and singer from Birmingham, Alabama. Genius is projecting that the album will contain 12 other new tracks.
Listen To “The Gods Must Be Crazy” From Armand Hammer And El-P
The experimental, dynamic, and lyrical group is back for one more release on this album’s rollout. According to Pitchfork, this latest cut grabs El-P of the legendary duo Run The Jewels. He does not rap on it, unfortunately, be he does bring a tremendous instrumental. The spitting from billy and E L U C I D is top-notch as always. This newest effort looks to be another great release for rap in 2023.
What are your initial thoughts on Armand Hammer and El-P’s newest single, “The Gods Must be Crazy?” Do you think this is the best lead single from the album so far? Who had the best performance on the track? We want to hear what you have to say about all of this. With that in mind, be sure to leave all of your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest breaking news around Armand Hammer and all of the hottest song releases.
Quotable Lyrics:
Overlapping Venn diagrams, overlapping The hammer fell out your man’s waistband grappling Anything can happen if you tryna make it happen Get head (head) tapped (tapped) tryna get it cracking Mind cracked open, seeing all the patterns Was a time woulda been oracles and seers
2023 marks the tenth anniversary of Killer Mike and El-P’s first album together as Run The Jewels. To celebrate, they announced a 10-year anniversary tour for September and October, where they will perform each Run The Jewels album over the course of four shows in four different cities. This tour announcement also comes on the heels of their new song “Don’t Let The Devil,” from Killer Mike’s new album Michael, his first solo album in 11 years.
The duo first teamed up in 2012 when El-P produced Killer Mike’s R.A.P. Music album in its entirety. Then, Mike appeared on El-P’s Cancer 4 Cure before they released Run The Jewels in 2013. The success of the first installment became the launching pad for the three monumental albums that followed to critical acclaim. Run The Jewels 1, 2, 3, and 4 are undoubtedly one of the greatest four-album runs in rap history.
Run The Jewels have never missed on any of their albums, making it difficult to rank one album over the other. The difficulty in making a list like this proves how consistent Killer Mike and El-P have been together and why they are one of hip hop’s most legendary duos. With their fifth album nearly completed, we’ve ranked each of the Run The Jewels albums from worst to best.
4. Run The Jewels (2013)
This is where it all started. Following R.A.P. Music, Killer Mike and El-P’s self-titled debut album as Run The Jewels was fresh and exciting as the two rappers traded verses over El-P’s cutting-edge production. The Run The Jewels sound was new for both of them and ten years later, it still holds up in terms of quality and replay value.
Run The Jewels is a concise ten songs, leaving their rapidly growing fanbase longing for more music. It originally started as a one-off collaboration between Killer Mike and El-P but their chemistry developed on their later albums and they continued to raise the bar. The only aspects of this album that keep it at the bottom of the list are the hooks on certain songs. Despite being incredibly well-produced, El-P’s production exceeded expectations on their sophomore effort.
Essential Tracks: “Run The Jewels,” “Banana Clipper,” “36” Chain,” “Job Well Done,” “Get It”
3. RTJ4 (2020)
The impact of RTJ4 was almost immediate, arriving at the height of Black Lives Matter protests in June 2020. The politically-charged themes were just as prevalent in prior albums. However, the timely messaging regarding police brutality and systemic racism hit differently on RTJ4, at a time when people around the world flooded the streets in protest of these very issues. The lyrical content on this album ties together the past and present, and will almost definitely continue to ring true for many years to come.
Musically, the production on this album is some of the best they have ever rapped over. RTJ4 was among the best albums of 2020 and it only ranks third because the above albums contain the most essential Run The Jewels songs.
Essential Tracks: “Yankee and the Brave,” “Ooh LA LA,” “Out Of Sight,” “Holy Calamafuck,” “A Few Words for the Firing Squad (Radiation)”
2. Run The Jewels 3 (2016)
Run The Jewels 3 also was very impactful upon release as it came out soon after the 2016 presidential election, adding a sense of urgency to songs like “Talk to Me” and “2100.” Unlike the first two installments albums, Run The Jewels 3 starts on a calmer, more positive note but its toughest tracks pack a very hard punch. Musically, it is their most varied album, as far as tempos and instrumentation go. They have their signature bangers like “Legend Has It” and “Panther Like A Panther,” but the album contains their most vulnerable moments such as “Thursday in the Danger Room,” dedicated to their friends who passed away.
Essential Tracks: “Legend Has It,” “Call Ticketron,” “Stay Gold,” “Panther Like A Panther (Miracle Mix),” “Thursday in the Danger Room”
1. Run The Jewels 2 (2014)
Run The Jewels 2 is relentless. Its lean 12-song tracklist consists of nothing but bangers as the intensity grows quickly with each song. Across the 42-minute runtime, Killer Mike and El-P do not take their feet off the gas. They showed fans what they can do together on Run The Jewels but they strengthened their chemistry on Run The Jewels 2, resulting in some of their greatest moments together. Most importantly, El-P’s production on this album defined Run The Jewels’ signature sound. Though every song is energetic, the beats rank high among El-P’s best productions. “Oh My Darling Don’t Cry” is already thrilling, but the song’s electrifying beat switch takes things to another level. There are plenty of explosive moments on the album, such as the unpredictable “Lie Cheat Steal.”
There is also “Close Your Eyes (And Count to Fuck),” which is arguably the group’s best song, containing a show-stealing appearance from Zack De La Rocha who went on to appear on their following albums. The first Run The Jewels was a very loose and exhilarating album that highlighted Killer Mike and El-P’s humorous lyrics. Still, Run The Jewels 2 built upon that excitement and moved into uncharted territory to establish their legacy.
Essential Tracks: “Oh My Darling Don’t Cry,” “Blockbuster Part 1,” “Close Your Eyes (And Count To F**k),” “Early,” “All Due Respect”
Today (April 20) is a big one for Killer Mike for two reasons: It’s 4/20 and it’s his birthday. In celebration, the rapper made a big announcement: Michael, his first solo album since 2012’s R.A.P. Music, is set for release on June 16. (The project was previously revealed unofficially.)
He also shared “Don’t Let The Devil,” a single featuring thankugoodsir and Run The Jewels partner El-P. The track sees Mike and El-P swapping verses over a soul loop produced by No I.D., El-P, and Little Shalimar.
Mike said of the song, “My favorite group (US) with my favorite producers! It’s our 10 year anniversary and MICHAEL is an origin story so I wanted to start w/ El.” He also said of the album, “RTJ is the X-Men, this is my Logan.”
While it’s been over a decade since his last proper solo album, Mike has of course kept busy with Run The Jewels, one of hip-hop’s most beloved duos. They’ve had four well-received albums, with the latest, RTJ4, arriving in 2020 and becoming their first release to hit the top 10 on the Billboard 200 chart.
The renowned rap group Run the Jewels, consisting of Killer Mike from Atlanta and Brooklyn’s EL-P, has announced RTJX – Celebrating 10 Years of Run The Jewels, a series of anniversary live concerts to be held in New York City, Atlanta, Chicago, and Los Angeles this fall.
Following the 10th anniversary of the duo’s self-titled debut, the group will play four gigs in each city, with a different set each night that draws from the band’s entire record. Along the road, there will be many special guests and surprises. It will be the band’s first significant concert since wrapping up their now-famous tour with Rage Against The Machine in 2022, which included five sold-out nights at Madison Square Garden, as well as their first and only run of club events in North America since the release of their album RTJ4 in 2020.
“It’s mind blowing to us that it’s been 10 years since we joined forces as RTJ. The best way we can think to celebrate is to get the whole family together and do what we love for the people who love us back. It’s going to be amazing, just like this entire ride has been, and we are grateful to get a chance to celebrate with our jewel runners this year and finally get back into clubs to destroy some stages for you. We’re doing 4 cities, 4 nights each, and 4 full albums worth of jams, many we have only performed a small handful of times during our whole existence. So on night one it’s RTJ1 in full plus many more songs from the other records, night two it’s RTJ2… etc. etc. We can’t wait to get out there and see you.“
– Jaime and Mike
Nike and Run The Jewels will collaborate to expand sports for a new generation starting next month. The skate community and its culture will be honored by the Nike SB Dunk Low and High “Run The Jewels.” The sneakers, which go on sale on April 20, are based on the cover art for the band’s most recent two albums. The High reimagines the cover from the 2020 album RTJ4, while The Low adopts the colors from the 2017 album Run The Jewels 3. The sneakers, which Killer Mike and El-P debuted at Mexico’s Corona Capital 2022, will be sold through neighborhood skate shops, Nike SNKRS, and a few other outlets.
Tickets go on sale this Friday at 10am local time, with a special fan pre-sale starting Wednesday – sign-up for early access to tickets here.
The union of Killer Mike and El-P as Run The Jewels was unexpected yet perhaps, the most successful endeavor in their respective careers. Since 2013, the legendary underground figures emerged as the people’s champ through their unique strain of hard-hitting production and razor-sharp lyricism. Since then, they delivered three other projects including 2020’s RTJ4, as well as a number of remixes and guest appearances while becoming mainstays on the festival circuit in America and across the world. Within a decade, they’ve left an indelible mark on the rap game.
We recently hit the 10-year anniversary of Run The Jewels and the two will be celebrating the occasion with their fans through a slew of concerts. This morning, the duo announced that they would be celebrating the milestone with a four-city tour. The upcoming tour will touch New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Chicago where they’ll be “performing a different set each night spanning the band’s full discography, bolstered by a plethora of special guests and surprises along the way.”
In a statement shared in the press release, Killer Mike and El-P expressed their gratitude over the years. “It’s mind blowing to us that it’s been 10 years since we joined forces as RTJ,” Killer Mike and El-P said in a statement. “The best way we can think to celebrate is to get the whole family together and do what we love for the people who love us back. It’s going to be amazing, just like this entire ride has been, and we are grateful to get a chance to celebrate with our Jewel Runners this year and finally get back into clubs to destroy some stages for you.”
Run The Jewels will perform in each city for four nights. Each night will include dedicated performances for each of their albums. “We’re doing four cities, four nights each, and four full albums worth of jams, many we have only performed a small handful of times during our whole existence. So on night one it’s RTJ1 in full, plus many more songs from the other records; night two it’s RTJ2… etc. etc. We can’t wait to get out there and see you.”
Rapper Killer Mike and producer El-P are hitting the road beginning this fall, to celebrate 10 years of performing as the duo, Run The Jewels. Run The Jewels will perform in four different cities — New York, Chicago, Atlanta, and Los Angeles — for four nights each.
“It’s mind-blowing to us that it’s been 10 years since we joined forces as RTJ,” the duo said in a statement. “The best way we can think to celebrate is to get the whole family together and do what we love for the people who love us back. It’s going to be amazing, just like this entire ride has been, and we are grateful to get a chance to celebrate with our jewel runners this year and finally get back into clubs to destroy some stages for you.”
On Twitter, EL-P revealed that each of the four nights will see the duo performing one of their four albums in full. He also revealed that fans can “expect guests and surprises.”
each night we do the corresponding full album all the way through as a base plus many other jams. so night 1 is RTJ1 plus many more from the catalog, night 2 is RTJ2 plus more, etc etc. different set each night. expect guests and surprises https://t.co/pYvQTEEfAs
Tickets will be available for purchase here, beginning Friday, March 31.
You can see the tour dates below, as well as upcoming festival appearances.
05/12-14 — Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Block Party
09/13 — New York, NY @ Terminal 5
09/14 — New York, NY @ Terminal 5
09/15 — New York, NY @ Terminal 5
09/16 — New York, NY @ Terminal 5
09/24 — Louisville, KY @ Louder Than Life
09/27 — Chicago, IL @ The Salt Shed
09/28 — Chicago, IL @ The Salt Shed
09/29 — Chicago, IL @ The Salt Shed
09/30 — Chicago, IL @ The Salt Shed
10/02 — Atlanta, GA @ The Eastern
10/03 — Atlanta, GA @ The Eastern
10/04 — Atlanta, GA @ The Eastern
10/05 — Atlanta, GA @ The Eastern
10/11 — Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium
10/12 — Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium
10/13 — Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium
10/14 — Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium
Jimmy Kimmel Live aired from New York City’s Brooklyn Academy Of Music for the first time in three years on Monday night (September 26). To mark the occasion, Kimmel welcomed famous New Yorkers Charlamagne Tha God and Amy Schumer. It was Brooklyn-bred El-P and Atlanta’s very own Killer Mike, best known as innovative hip-hop duo Run The Jewels, who stole the show with “Ooh La La” featuring Greg Nice and DJ Premier.
The high-energy performance showcased RTJ’s natural command of any and every stage, but it was relatively tame compared to the April 2020 “Ooh La La” music video that trashed piles of money and “imagined the world on the day that the age old struggle of class was finally over.” The provocative track is housed on RTJ4, their fourth studio album that dropped in June 2020. RTJ4 (Deluxe Edition) arrived in September 2021.
There were glimmers of hope that RTJ’s fifth studio album might be cooking this spring. Nothing has been confirmed, but RTJ are plenty active anyway.
RTJ played the main stage at Coachella in April. They opened on tour for Rage Against The Machine throughout the summer, including five nights at Madison Square Garden in August. Around the same time, they stopped by The Late Show With Stephen Colbert to perform RTJ4 track “A Few Words For The Firing Squad.” And earlier this month, RTJ released their theme song for Aqua Teen Forever: Plantasm
