Run the Jewels : "RTJ4"

Timing is everything. Especially when it comes to releasing what is the perfect sound track for the public consciousness right now. They released it for free on their website and it still clocked in on the Billboard Top...less impressive than it sounds as record labels have been holding back big releases due to Corona. Intellegent and aggressive in a manner than is not unlike Jurassic 5.  They have something to say and know how to say it. 2 Chainz has a hard time keeping up on "Out of Sight" . Killer Mike on the other hand has now had three albums before this one to acclimate to the more East Coast feel of the backing tracks.  The first three songs are pretty slamming then they lose momentum only by a few degrees on " Holy Calamafuck". Lyrically when they take shots at trap rap it is a strong moment, so the song grows on me , but lacks the groove.

"Goonies VS ET" find them continuing to cruise with the brakes on. They are becoming more experimental as the album progresses. This doesn't always play into the favor of their song writing. Not as dense in this department as Dalek. They recapture the spark of their song writing on "Walking in the Snow". "Jus$t" has Pharrell Williams and Zach De La Rocha. The propaganda is dialed up here in a manner not unlike that used by Rage Against the Machine. Yeah Zach's partner Tom Morello likes to use the fact he has a master's in politcal science to defend some of his shit, but I have masters in bi-polar, but I am still bi-polar, not to mention the fact you are basically saying "Yeah I raged with the machine and swallowed everything my liberal professors told me" ...but wait what does that have to do with this album, when it comes to that song everything. Normally I give some leeway when it comes to lyrics , but take away the lyrics from rap and what do you have ? Nothing.

"Never Look Back" your typical thinking man's hipster rap. I dod not envision this being a hit in the hood. The first few listens I was more sold on this album than when I sat down to analyze what is really going on here. "Ground Below" has politics up front and the groove not as urgent. "Pulling the Pin " with Mavis Staples and Josh Homme adding his trademark guitar does work pretty well. It gives the song a more organic feel despite the futuristic sounds that swirl around it. The rapped section come across more like spoken word than riding the beat. The last song is more about sound than song. I will round this up to a 9 as it is growing on me. It is not the best album of the year so far , not even in the top 10 , but as far as what we have gotten in terms of hip hop this year it's at the head of the class.