Run the Jewels: RTJ 3 ALBUM REVIEW

Killer Mike and EL-P are perhaps the most successful and well-received rap duo in the last decade. Especially after the release of the incendiary RTJ 2, these guys have been on everyone's list as some of the finest rappers to play the game in a long long time. Which meant that the anticipation for RTJ 3 was incredibly high, so, the question is, does it live up to the hype? Well, yes and no. Yes, this is a great album from front to bottom, but no, it is not as good as RTJ 2, in my opinion.

The album starts off surprisingly mellow with the track "Down"; not a bad start. but certainly not nearly as hype building as "Jeopardy" was on RTJ 2. But after the first track the album takes off at full speed with back to back hits that are sure to melt a few faces along the way, among my favorites in the first half are the banging "Legend Has It" and the odd "Call Ticketron". It's also worth noting that this album is the group's most overtly political as well, though the first half doesn't reveal this fact wholeheartedly; sure, the duo do have pseudo-political statements on the first half, but it feels more playful, much like RTJ 2 was.

But after the track "Stay Gold" with the exception of "Panther Like a Panther", the LP is one political message after another. However tiresome that may sound (because even the most political albums ever made still have moments of levity throughout), the duo never come off as preachy or overly forceful in their need to put political messages in their tracks, instead we get a powerful but level-headed approach that makes their points even more sharp and effective. Which is also helped by the fact that Killer Mike and EL-P are just as witty and fantastic in terms of flow and lyrics that they were on RTJ 2, and aside from some familiar moments, EL-P's production is as sharp as ever.

My biggest complaint with this album is that it simply isn't as straight to the point as RTJ 2 was. Which may be an unfair expectation, but I can't help but measure the two, because to this day I can still recite at least half of RTJ 2 based on memory alone, whereas I feel like while great, RTJ 3 isn't as memorable. Still, RTJ on an okay day is still better than 90% of modern rappers, so take my statements with that fact in mind.

8.4/10