Run the Jewels
Run the Jewels | |
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Killer Mike (left) and El-P (right) as Run the Jewels at Treefort Music Fest in 2014. | |
Background information | |
Also known as | RTJ |
Genres | |
Years active | 2013–present |
Labels | |
Associated acts |
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Website |
www |
Members |
Run the Jewels is an American hip hop supergroup formed by New York City-based rapper-producer El-P and Atlanta-based rapper Killer Mike in 2013.[3] They released their eponymous debut studio album, Run the Jewels, as a free digital download in 2013. The album was followed by Run the Jewels 2 in 2014, which was also praised by critics.
History
Killer Mike was first introduced to El-P by Cartoon Network executive Jason DeMarco, in 2011.[4] The following year, El-P produced Killer Mike's album, R.A.P. Music, which was soon followed by Killer Mike's appearance on the track "Tougher Colder Killer" from El-P's Cancer 4 Cure. When R.A.P. Music and Cancer 4 Cure were released within weeks of each other, the two rappers decided to tour together. The success of the tour eventually led to the decision to form Run the Jewels.[5]
On June 26, 2013, Run the Jewels released their self-titled debut, Run The Jewels, on Fool's Gold Records as a free digital download.[6]
Their follow-up record, Run The Jewels 2, was released through Mass Appeal Records on October 24, 2014.[7] A light-hearted remix album composed entirely of cat sounds titled Meow the Jewels was released on September 25, 2015.[8] It features guest production from the likes of Prince Paul, Boots, Geoff Barrow, Zola Jesus, The Alchemist, Just Blaze and others.[9] Proceeds from the album will go entirely to charity.[10] They also announced the release of a traditional remix album of Run the Jewels 2, which will be released via Fool's Gold Records in 2015.[11]
Killer Mike revealed that the duo will begin work on Run the Jewels 3 in January 2015.[12] Run the Jewels released an exclusive 12-inch on April 18, 2015 in conjunction with Record Store Day. The record included a new track ("Bust No Moves" feat. SL Jones) in addition to three previously-released songs.[13]
The duo has released a free track as part of the yearly Adult Swim Singles Program every year since 2013, when they released their debut single, "36" Chain", through it. 2014 saw the release of the lead single from Run the Jewels 2, "Oh My Darling Don't Cry", while the non-album single "Rubble Kings (Dynamite on the Street)" was released in 2015. In 2016, the program was once again used to release the lead single from an upcoming album, in this case "Talk to Me" from Run the Jewels 3.[14]
Run the Jewels supported Jack White on January 30, 2015 at Madison Square Garden.[15] In early 2015, it was announced that the band would perform at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April and the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in June. In addition to these larger festivals, RTJ also announced performances at the Boston Calling Music Festival, the Big Guava Music Festival, the Pitchfork Music Festival, the Austin City Limits Music Festival, and the Music Midtown Festival in Atlanta, Georgia; Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker was slated to join them.[16] Trackstar the DJ served as Run the Jewels' DJ during their RTJ2 tour.[17]
Tributes
As part of the promotion for Run the Jewels 2, the duo started a "Tag the Jewels" movement encouraging graffiti artists from around the world to tag their rendition of Run the Jewels' iconic "fist and gun" hand gesture, as featured on the covers of their first two albums. Thirty artists were invited to participate in the movement, creating large murals on six continents.[18][19]
The same "fist and gun" gesture was featured on the covers of three Marvel comic books in 2015. Marvel editor-in-chief Axel Alonso was the driving force behind the gesture's incorporation into variant covers for Deadpool #45, Howard the Duck #2 and Deadpool’s Secret Secret Wars #1.[20][21]
Discography
Studio albums
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | ||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US [22] |
US R&B/HH [23] |
US Rap [24] |
US Indie [25] |
US Taste [26] | ||||||||||||||
Run the Jewels |
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— | 27 | 21 | 32 | 6 | ||||||||||||
Run the Jewels 2 |
|
50 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 7 | ||||||||||||
Run the Jewels 3 |
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To be released | ||||||||||||||||
Remix albums
Title | Album details |
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Meow the Jewels |
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Singles
As lead artist
Title | Year | Album |
---|---|---|
"Rubble Kings (Dynamite On the Street)" | 2015 | Adult Swim Singles Program 2015 |
"Talk to Me" | 2016 | Run the Jewels 3 |
"2100" (featuring Boots)[29] | ||
"Legend Has It" | ||
As featured artist
Title | Year | Album |
---|---|---|
"Nobody Speak"[30] (DJ Shadow featuring Run the Jewels) |
2016 | The Mountain Will Fall |
Promotional singles
Title | Year | Album |
---|---|---|
"Get It" | 2013 | Run the Jewels |
"Banana Clipper" (featuring Big Boi) | ||
"36" Chain" | ||
"Blockbuster Night, Pt. 1"[31] | 2014 | Run the Jewels 2 |
"Oh My Darling Don't Cry"[32] | ||
"Close Your Eyes (And Count to Fuck)" (featuring Zack de la Rocha) | ||
"Early" (featuring Boots) | ||
"Bust No Moves" (featuring Cuz) |
2015 | non-album single |
"Meowrly" (featuring Boots) |
Meow the Jewels | |
Guest appearances
Title | Year | Artist(s) | Album |
---|---|---|---|
"Revolution Indifference"[33] | 2015 | Until the Ribbon Breaks | A Lesson Unlearnt |
"Don't Trip" | Flosstradamus | Soundclash | |
"Born to Shine" | Big Boi, Phantogram | Big Grams | |
"Heart Is Full" (Remix)[34] | Miike Snow | iii | |
References
- ↑ Jeffries, David. "Run the Jewels". Allmusic. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
- ↑ Ghigliotty, Damian (November 28, 2014). "Crashing the Party: Run The Jewels Takes Over Stage 48 This Weekend". The New York Observer. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
- ↑ Alex Stone (10 April 2013). "Killer Mike and El-P Form 'Run The Jewels' Rap Group, Announce Summer Album Release Date". The Versed. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
- ↑ Christopher R. Weingarten (24 October 2014). "Run the Jewels: 2014's Brashest Rap Duo Comes Back From Oblivion". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
- ↑ Frannie Kelley (11 November 2014). "Run The Jewels: 'I'm Taking This Life'". NPR - Microphone Check. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
- ↑ Jake Paine (23 June 2013). "Killer Mike & El-P "Run The Jewels" Release Date, Tracklist & Album Download". HipHopDX.com. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
- ↑ Evan Minsker (21 August 2014). "El-P and Killer Mike Announce Run The Jewels' New Album RTJ2, Share "Blockbuster Night"". Pitchfork. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
- ↑ "Run the Jewels Drop Meow the Jewels". Pitchfork.com. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
- ↑ thereallyrealelp. "sorry I meant HERE are your meow the jewels producers". Instagram. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
- ↑ "Meow The Jewels Is Happening". Stereogum. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
- ↑ "Killer Mike and El-P Detail Run the Jewels' RTJ2 Album, Announce Tour". Pitchfork. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
- ↑ Chris DeVille (December 11, 2014). "Work On Run The Jewels 3 Begins Next Month". Stereogum.com. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
- ↑ Ryan Middleton (April 19, 2015). "Run The Jewels Shares 'Bust No Moves' As Record Store Day Exclusive". Music Times. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
- ↑ "Adult Swim Singles". AdultSwim.com. Retrieved November 2, 2016.
- ↑ Luke Morgan Britton (January 11, 2015). "Run The Jewels to support Jack White at Madison Square Garden gig". NME. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
- ↑ Ollman, Jonah. "Boston Calling Announces May 2015 Lineup". Sound of Boston. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
- ↑ Nelson Liu (October 31, 2014). "Premiere: Trackstar the DJ's "RTJ2 Tour Mix"". Mass Appeal. Retrieved May 23, 2015.
- ↑ Andrew LaSane (27 October 2014). "Run the Jewels Launches a Global "Tag the Jewels" Street Art Project". Complex. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
- ↑ "Tag the Jewels — About". Tumblr.com. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
- ↑ Christopher R. Weingarten (16 January 2015). "See Marvel Comics' Tribute to Run the Jewels". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
- ↑ "Marvel release third comic with Run The Jewels cover". Fact Magazine. 21 May 2015. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
- ↑ "Run the Jewels - Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved September 21, 2016.
- ↑ "Run the Jewels - Chart History:Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved September 21, 2016.
- ↑ "Run the Jewels - Chart History: Rap Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved September 21, 2016.
- ↑ "Run the Jewels - Chart History: Independent Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved September 21, 2016.
- ↑ "Run the Jewels - Chart History: Tastemaker Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved September 21, 2016.
- ↑ Rettig, James (October 14, 2015). "Urban Outfitters Launches Cassette Program With Retro Players, Exclusive Run The Jewels & Halsey Tapes". Stereogum. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
- ↑ Blistein, Jon (December 1, 2016). "Hear Run the Jewels' Defiant New Song 'Legend Has It' - El-P, Killer Mike detail new record, 'Run The Jewels 3'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
- ↑ "2100 (feat. BOOTS) by Run The Jewels on Apple Music". iTunes. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
- ↑ Camp, Zoe (April 14, 2016). "DJ Shadow Teams With Run the Jewels on New Track "Nobody Speak:" Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
- ↑ "iTunes - Music - Blockbuster Night, Pt. 1 - Single by Run The Jewels". iTunes. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
- ↑ "iTunes - Music - Oh My Darling Don't Cry - Single by Run The Jewels". iTunes. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
- ↑ Beauchemin, Molly (November 3, 2014). "Until The Ribbon Breaks and Run The Jewels Team Up For "Revolution Indifference"". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 14, 2015.
- ↑ Camp, Zoe (November 19, 2015). "Run The Jewels Remix Miike Snow's "Heart Is Full"". Pitchfork. Retrieved December 3, 2015.