In the summer and latter half of 2020 when I needed a non-destructive way to take out my pent-up anger and mad-at-the-world rage (times of which were plenty), I would turn to RTJ4. Throughout the year, the hard hitting, nail-on-the-head music on Run The Jewels’ fourth full-length was my perfect go-to album. On top of that, Killer Mike, whose real name is Michael Santiago Render, is one-half of Run The Jewels, an outspoken politically-savvy voice in Atlanta, an ardent supporter of Bernie Sanders, and consequently someone whom I followed quite intently leading up to the 2020 election. I even bought a “Killer Mike for President 2020” tee. Run the Jewels were welcome MCs to the world in 2020.

Killer Mike and his partner El-P (born Jaime Meline), who produced the album in full, met via the Cartoon Network’s Senior Vice President and Creative Director of On-Air at Adult Swim Jason DeMarco (of all things) in 2011. El-P then produced Mike’s fifth studio album, R.A.P. Music in 2012, which sealed their partnership for good. Together they’ve released three self-titled numerical albums and finally the acronymed, (and best of the bunch) RTJ4. Run the Jewels 2 appeared on the Top 31 at #28 in 2014, and I ashamedly overlooked Run the Jewels 3 in 2016 (but have since listened and love it, too). All this is to say, these two have built up quite a resume, and the music they produce shows it.

RTJ4 is far from “toddler friendly.” This is the most vocal minority: dark, vulgar, and (rightfully so) angry. As I didn’t leave the house all that much in 2020, I had to really work at finding opportunities to listen to the album. I would look forward to those times when I could take a short drive to run an errand, cranking the volume inside my car. Nothing feels more cutting and raw and confusing and perfect to my middle-aged, caucasian, suburban, male and oh-so-privileged body than blowing out my ear drums and singing loudly along to the chorus of a song like “JU$T,” which repeats “Look at all these slave masters posin’ on yo’ dollar.” I feel energized and called-out all at once, which is exactly what I wanted and needed to feel in 2020.

The album was released 2 days ahead of schedule, on June 3. The murder of George Floyd, whose neck was pinned under Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin’s knee for 8 minutes and 46 suffocating seconds on May 25, 2020, and the subsequent protests that were set off worldwide through focused outrage at his death, pushed the duo to get their music out as quickly as possible. Their statement (via a now-deleted El-P Instagram post) says it all:

Fuck it, why wait. The world is infested with bullshit so here's something raw to listen to while you deal with it all. We hope it brings you some joy. Stay safe and hopeful out there and thank you for giving 2 friends the chance to be heard and do what they love. With sincere love and gratitude, Jaime + Mike.

We didn’t need to look hard for reasons to get incensed about all the injustice and negativity and horror in the world in 2020. But now, in late January 2021, if you find that you need a blatant reminder to actively and purposefully struggle against the cozy blanket of privilege you find yourself buried under now that the excess weight of the Trump regime has been shed, look no further. RTJ4 will have you up out of your seat, angrily punching the air and looking for ways to shake things up in no time.

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1. Saint Cloud by Waxahatchee
2. Fetch The Bolt Cutters by Fiona Apple
3. Punisher by Phoebe Bridgers
4. folklore + evermore by Taylor Swift
5. Untitled (Black Is) + Untitled (Rise) by Sault
6. RTJ4 by Run The Jewels
7. Shore by Fleet Foxes
8. Serpentine Prison by Matt Berninger
9. The Ascension by Sufjan Stevens
10. Making a Door Less Open by Car Seat Headrest
11. Dreamland by Glass Animals
12. A Hero’s Death by Fontaines D.C.
13. Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez by Gorillaz
14. Mordechai + Texas Sun EP by Khruangbin
15. Introduction, Presence by Nation of Language
16. Free Love by Sylvan Esso
17. Miss Anthropocene by Grimes
18. 3.15.20 by Childish Gambino
19. Women In Music Pt. III by HAIM
20. The Third Mind by The Third Mind
21. Superstar by Caroline Rose
22. Impossible Weight by Deep Sea Diver
23. We Will Always Love You by The Avalanches
24. Ultra Mono by IDLES
25. Visions of Bodies Being Burned by clipping.
26. Thin Mind by Wolf Parade
27. The Loves of Your Life by Hamilton Leithauser
28. Palo Alto (Live) by Thelonious Monk
29. color theory by Soccer Mommy
30. Fall to Pieces by Tricky
31. Quarantine Casanova by Chromeo

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