5. "RE: Run The Jewels 4" In response to Reply # 0
Thank you! That was my baptism...I know, I know. I've been off the grid for a long time, so I'm not on top of game. But, should I go back and listen to EVERYTHING? What are absolutely critical cuts?
6. "Short answer: yes, listen to all 3 Run The Jewels albums" In response to Reply # 5
Less short answer: Definitely listen to them in sequence, but I would recommend even starting with Killer Mike's R.A.P. Music and El-P's Cancer 4 Cure album. These were released prior to the group was officially formed and are the basis of their sound. That Killer Mike album alone is in my opinion better than any of the RTJ albums.
7. "charter member with 8 posts" In response to Reply # 5
>Thank you! >That was my baptism...I know, I know. I've been off the grid >for a long time, so I'm not on top of game. But, should I go >back and listen to EVERYTHING? What are absolutely critical >cuts?
I'm picturing someone coming back from complete isolation into 2020 with Trump as president, a pandemic going on, and trying to figure out smart phones, Instagram, and listening to RtJ.
14. "I have the Beastie Boys book.." In response to Reply # 0
Without giving it all away.. they had a tough time mixing and recording it and Mike D said it came out badly compared to the original demos and none of them cared for the finished product that was released
26. "i almost bought the 4 LP version" In response to Reply # 25
i had to step back though. im not exactly an RTJ fan. ive liked some of their stuff but never loved a full project. oh la la is dope. i have a feeling i will like this album but figured it would be better for a big fan to get a chance at the 4 lp than me buying it out of FOMO.
38. "this is way reductionistic" In response to Reply # 34
>Mike wants folks to go home and wait to vote. > >Did he retract/explain and I missed it? > >LOL at the dude on Walking in the Snow begging >protesters to stop at a police press conference.
I've seen this take elsewhere but what he said was, imo, way more complicated then that. He grounded the entire speech in the history of black Atlanta and the idea that burning your own home (i.e. the black community in Atlanta) was problematic. He didn't condemn or dismiss any of the actions of protestors including the looting/vandalism etc. He recognized the work of organizations and strategizing and yes, voting, in civil rights activism -- and basically said, we need to pause and figure out how to channel this moment in the best way possible without injuring our own in the process.
> >I’m not hatin- used to be a huuuge fan. > >But dude is playing a character on these songs. Hes >shown us multiple times now.
You mean there is not a one-to-one alignment of Killer Mike the emcee and Michael Santiago Render? *gasp* What a fake! Throw him out! Take away his realness card! He's no activist!
It's almost like the connection between art and life is complicated and that what is expressed in one does not translate perfectly to the other. Or like there might be another purpose to politically-charged lyrics than literal prescription of real life action. Something about theory and praxis, the ideal vs realpolitik -- I'm just guessing.
Seriously though, care for Atlanta and for the black community is substantially in character for Mike (whoever he is - god, art is so confusing!!!). It is 100% possible to reconcile what he said about Ferguson unrest a few years later ("Riots work") and what he said in Atlanta. And his deep investment in both tear-shit-up activism *and* more traditional forms of organizing and politics is pretty well documented. People are acting like they caught him in some sort of great lie when to me this was very much consistent with the full character and real life person that is Killer Mike. Like, this was the most Killer Mike speech ever.
what Mike said about Atlanta works because Atlanta isn't like every other city. I disagree with Mike when he did the NRA video, but not here. He was on point, and wasn't anti-protests.
Probably would have been better to post this before the album was released, but I found these blends and thought they were really well done. Listened to this a bunch of times.
four albums in and they still haven't missed. "Walking In The Snow" is INSANE...especially Killer Mike's verse. I'm on my 6th listen already...Love this album.
55. "RE: I can't think of a more relevant album" In response to Reply # 48
>And it didn't pull any punches, just straight fire. > >My hot take is that it may overtake dead prez Let's get free >in the anti-authoritarian pantheon
50. "Stumbling on this today" In response to Reply # 0
Have to say this album is quite impressive. The beats knock and El-P and Killer Mike both put up a great performance.
This would have been worth it for only the Zach verse, but this all around is a really good project.
Really digging the sound of the album. Wouldn't expect much different from El-P but for whatever reason this album sounds much more remarkable than their earlier records. In full disclosure, this is the only project besides the first (an album that didn't connect with me) that I've listened to. But this makes me want to go back and listen to the previous releases.
The themes are timely and on point with the current mist of protest and chaos in the Ether.
Printer-friendly copy 
Email this topic to a friend
The Lesson
