This year has had news abounding across genres regarding new albums dropping, ground being broken, beloved artists passing on, groups reforming and producing new work.

El-P and Killer Mike’s tag-team synthesis Run The Jewels is soon to release ‘RTJ3’, though whether it will be the third eponymously titled album or if that is simply the “under wraps” working title is unknown. However, what we do know and what we’ve received to tide us over is satisfying:

Content. RTJ continues to carve ahead with their dually sublime and raw lyricism, weaving together the political and social commentary of conscious rap with the first person perspective experience of vice, poverty, and violence through hardcore rap. Their work comes at a time where bridges need building to bring together diverse demographics, and music remains a language that we can all speak. Hip-hop as a platform for the expression of the disenfranchised means that music generated by it can unite these groups by reminding them of an initial point of common ground: feeling powerless. To quote some lyrics from the newly dropped single 2100 (ft. BOOTS):

“I’m here to tell you don’t let em tell you what’s right wrong

Make love, smoke kush, fight, or laugh hard, and live long

That’s the antidote

You defeat the devil when you hold onto hope

‘Cause kinfolk life is beautiful

And we ain’t gotta die for them other men

And I refuse to kill another human being

In the name of a government

‘Cause I don’t study war no more

I don’t hate the poor no more

Gettin’ more ain’t what’s more

Only thing more is the love”

Style. RTJ maintains their consistency of humility through not taking themselves too seriously. Of being able to move between heart-touching lyrics expounding on the finer points of humanity, to being able to crack jokes on themselves and others, to:

“… no idea!

Every new record’s my dick in her box

We in a doozy, the ruling’s a lot

You’re getting used to me doing no wrong

I don’t play chicken, you break, I’mma flock

You wanna kick it, I’ll give you the rock

You kiss the woodchipper play a few part

I’m fucking magic, in fact I’m a warlock [?]

I got a unicorn horn for a cock”

We know that they were also featured on a few albums this year, which seem to coincide in a numerically meaningful way.

• They feature on Miike Snow’s remix single of their track “Heart is Full”, on their album “iii”. You likely guessed that it’s also their third album.

• They feature on Big Gram’s sixth track “Born to Shine”, on their debut, self-titled album “Big Grams”.

• They feature on DJ Shadow’s second track “Nobody Speak”, on his ninth album “The Mountain Will Fall”.

Whether any of this is meaningful beyond the symbolic and/or serendipitous is uncertain. In any case, Killer Mike has stated that they’re trying to get the album released before the end of the year. So, maybe an early Christmas gift?

For more goodness from their recent and upcoming work, check out the links and videos below:

Talk To Me:

Crown (Official 360 VR Music Video):

Panther Like a Panther (I’m the Shit):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7SF0tlFT1s

P.S. – For those who haven’t played yet, Killer Mike and El-P are officially part of the Gears of War universe as playable characters in GoW4 multiplayer