Any time Killer Mike or El-P start to speak, every person within earshot perks up and pays attention. They have that “sit up straight and listen, this is going to be important” quality to their voices, especially when presented under the unified banner of Run the Jewels.
The duo aren’t cranked-to-eleven level of abrasive like they can be when the pop up as guests on Until the Ribbon Breaks’ ominous “Revolution Indifference,” but they’re still here to be heard. The British electronic trio sets the mood on the track with a moody, swiveling beat that sounds like a storm cloud rolling in. Then the thunder and rain starts to fall when Killer Mike starts to deliver hard truths in a matter-of-fact tone. “Lie, cheat, steal, kill, win, do it like a winner / The church steals, rapes, kills and they call you a sinner,” he states with a bite. Even on a track purporting to be about indifference, RTJ deliver their verses with a purpose.