Run the Jewels by Run the Jewels (2013) Album Review

Released: June 26, 2013.

Who are Run the Jewels?

Foreground: Killer Mike Background: EL-P

Run the Jewels began as the collision of two very different but deeply compatible hip-hop personalities: El-P, the dystopian beat-maker/MC and label head whose production gnaws at the edges of industrial noise and classic boom-bap, and Killer Mike, the gravel-voiced Atlanta powerhouse whose cadence blends street-level authority with political heat. Their self-titled debut, released June 26, 2013, was conceived as a straight, no-frills statement of purpose: two vets trading bars over El-P’s claustrophobic, kinetic production, leaning heavy on aggression, humor, and an obvious chemistry that makes the record feel more like a conversation than a feature-listing. Wikipedia+1

The album was originally issued as a free download and later saw expanded/regionally reissued editions — a distribution strategy that matched the duo’s ethos: get this music into as many ears as possible and let the tracks speak. It’s short and lean (about 33 minutes), which helps it hit like a single extended knockout rather than an overlong manifesto. Wikipedia

Track-by-track Breakdown

1. “Run the Jewels” — opening gambit

The title track is the thesis: a tight, violent handshake. El-P opens with a jagged, metallic beat that sounds like it was designed to prod the listener awake; Killer Mike answers with guttural proclamations and a signature mix of menace and swagger. The hook is simple and communal — it’s about dominance but also about partnership. Sonically this track establishes the palette: compressed drums, low-end bruises, and vocal interplay that favors rhythm and punch over melodic ornament. As an opener it’s effective because it gives you exactly what the record will offer and no apologies for it.

2. “Banana Clipper” (feat. Big Boi) — braggadocio with a wink

Featuring Big Boi, this is the most traditionally “hip-hop” song on the album — bright, propulsive, and built around a cheeky synth stutter. Lyrically the song trades the usual battle rap barbs for playful, almost absurd boasts. Big Boi’s cameo is perfectly cast: his Southern flow contrasts Killer Mike’s more forceful delivery and El-P’s spitting, angular cadence. Production-wise, the track breathes wider than the opener, offering a momentary release from the album’s claustrophobic textures and reminding the listener there’s room for humor amid the heat. Run The Jewels

3. “36″ Chain” — menace in miniature

At under three minutes, “36″ Chain” is compact and relentless. The production is taut — a cyclical synth line and tight snares that allow both MCs to trade quick, serrated lines. Mike’s verses lean into the visceral (there’s a line-by-line leveling of enemies), while El-P’s delivery fractures the rhythm in exciting ways. The song feels like a dagger: short, precise, and built to leave a mark on repeat listens. (This was one of the singles that helped introduce the duo’s chemistry to a wider audience.) Pitchfork

4. “DDFH” — lean, muscular and slightly playful

“DDFH” (an abbreviation that’s part joke, part boast) doubles down on call-and-response energy. The production is sparse enough to let lyrical venom dominate: both rappers show off cadence control and punchline density. The track’s strength is its economy — little wasted space, all aggression and swagger — which makes it a textbook example of the duo’s minimalist potency.

5. “Sea Legs” — deeper grooves and cinematic tension

This track shows off El-P’s capacity for tense, widescreen production. There’s more atmosphere here: slow-building synths, reverb tails, and a sense of underlying menace. The lyricism tilts toward the contemplative — braggadocio tempered by analogies and darker imagery. Musically “Sea Legs” functions as the record’s center of gravity, giving the album a slight mood shift and demonstrating that Run the Jewels can do more than just adrenaline blasts.

6. “Job Well Done” (feat. Until the Ribbon Breaks) — haunting chorus, sharper edges

This is one of the album’s more sonically ambitious tracks. Until the Ribbon Breaks provides a haunting, almost choir-like vocal that lifts the hook out of the rap arena and into something moodier and cinematic. The verses are clinical and sharp; the juxtaposition of that sung, eerie chorus with the abrasive verses makes for one of the album’s more memorable moments. It’s a reminder that when El-P opens up his palette, the duo can write songs that linger outside the immediate mosh-pit appeal. Run The Jewels

7. “No Come Down” — aggression and urgency

“No Come Down” is compact and kinetic, an exercise in intense, barely contained fury. The tempo and vocal delivery give it the feel of a live set highlight: crowd-ready lines, repeatable bars, and a beat that pushes both rappers to snap their flows tighter. The production is there to shove, not to wow; the net effect is exhilarating and slightly claustrophobic in the best way.

8. “Get It” — muscle with old-school flair

One of the record’s singles, “Get It” channels a deliberately old-school bravado with a fresh, modern crunch courtesy of El-P’s production. The structure is very much an MC showcase: alternating verses, tight hooks, and a low, steady boom that lets the vocal interplay shine. It’s a good reminder that while El-P’s beats are often industrial, he still knows how to construct a classic rap anthemic framework. Pitchfork

9. “Twin Hype Back” (feat. Prince Paul) — playful menace, producer cameo

Featuring legend producer/MC Prince Paul, this cut leans into experimental textures — jittery percussion, choppy vocal samples, and a sense of mischievous danger. Lyrically it’s a mix of threat and showmanship; production wise, Prince Paul’s presence (as a collaborator, not necessarily beatmaker here) adds a wink to the elder statesman of alternative hip-hop. The song is less immediate than the singles but rewards close listening because of its layered weirdness.

10. “A Christmas Fucking Miracle” — closer that lands with a smile and a bruise

The album ends on an odd, memorable note. The title signals the duo’s penchant for irreverence, and the track itself balances brash proclamations with a twist of seasonal absurdity. It’s a closer that does what a closer should do: leaves you smiling, a little breathless, and wanting to hit play again.

Production & lyrical themes — what makes this album tick

There are two big engines driving this album: El-P’s production and the conversational dynamics between him and Killer Mike.

Production: El-P supplies claustrophobic, compressed beats that mix analog rumble with digital serration. He favors low-end pressure, distorted synth textures, and percussion that snaps in the midrange. The result is a sound that can feel oppressive in an exhilarating way — like being in the middle of a mosh pit where the floor is shaking. That production aesthetic gives the duo a signature sound that’s both contemporary and referential to earlier aggressive hip-hop.

Lyrical themes: On the surface the album traffics in classic rap tropes — braggadocio, threats, flexes. But because both MCs are thoughtful writers, there’s often a doubled layer: the literal chest-thumping is accompanied by sly satire, political undertones, or lines that cut toward vulnerability or social commentary. Killer Mike brings the Southern moralist roar (and occasional righteous anger), while El-P brings paranoid, sci-fi inflections and off-kilter metaphors. Together they create a balance — Mike’s ground-level authority and El-P’s apocalyptic lens.

Outro — final thoughts and the album’s legacy

Run the Jewels (2013) is a compact, propulsive debut that introduces a partnership built on contrast and mutual amplification. It’s not an expansive concept record — it doesn’t need to be. Instead, it’s a concentrated blast of personality: El-P’s abrasive, sculptural production paired with Killer Mike’s authoritative cadence and moral weight. The album’s strengths are its economy (no filler), vocal chemistry, and a production palette that gives the songs a distinct physicality.

If you’re coming to the duo for the first time, this album is a perfect handshake — short, sharp, and impossible to ignore. If you’re following their arc, it’s the starting spark that explains why the subsequent Run the Jewels records became cultural touchstones: the combination of technical skill, political teeth, and a knack for writing hooks that stick even when they’re snarling. In sum: a modern hip-hop classic in miniature — brash, smart, and built to be revisited. Run The Jewels+1

Final Rating: ★(9/10)

When Run the Jewels dropped in the summer of 2013, few expected it to redefine what modern rap duos could sound like. What began as a casual collaboration between Atlanta’s Killer Mike and Brooklyn’s El-P quickly evolved into one of hip-hop’s most dynamic partnerships. Their debut album — self-titled, defiant, and distributed for free — arrived like a punch to the chest: fast, loud, intelligent, and unapologetically raw.

A Revolution in Chemistry

At its heart, Run the Jewels is a record about chemistry. Killer Mike’s booming, preacher-like delivery fuses perfectly with El-P’s rapid-fire precision. They sound like opposites on paper — Mike’s Southern grit and political fire meeting El-P’s dystopian, abstract poetics — yet on record, they move in lockstep. Every bar feels like a relay handoff, one finishing the other’s thought or mocking it with a grin. That energy fuels the entire album.

Production and Tone

El-P’s production here is blistering and claustrophobic. His beats are thick with distortion, built from metallic synths, clattering percussion, and bass that seems to quake beneath your feet. There’s an industrial sheen to it, but also a real funk groove hiding in the chaos. From the opening title track to the cinematic sprawl of “Sea Legs,” the production gives the record a sense of both urgency and menace. Each track is layered but never bloated; it’s lean and mean — a direct hit to the senses.

Lyrical Ferocity and Personality

Lyrically, Run the Jewels thrives on duality. There’s humor and absurdity (“Banana Clipper”), violence and vengeance (“36” Chain”), and self-awareness (“A Christmas Fucking Miracle”). Killer Mike often anchors the duo with his grounded perspective — fierce, funny, and unfiltered — while El-P brings cerebral, sci-fi imagery and surrealism to the table. Together, they create something volatile but balanced: a street-level superhero narrative set to the rhythm of apocalypse.

What’s refreshing is how unpretentious the whole project feels. Despite their lyrical depth, both MCs sound like they’re having genuine fun — two veterans reveling in their craft without the baggage of overthinking. That raw, confident joy is part of what makes the album timeless.

Bibliography

• Apple Music Editors. Run the Jewels (2013) Album Overview. Apple Music, Apple Inc., 2013. Accessed via artist discography listing.

• “Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels.” Discogs, Discogs.com, 2013. Retrieved for release details, personnel credits, and track order.

• “Run the Jewels (Album).” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, updated 2024. Used for background context, guest features, and release information.

• Billboard Staff. “Run the Jewels: Biography & Debut Overview.” Billboard Magazine Online, 2013. Used for historical release context and label/distribution details.

• Pitchfork Staff. “Run the Jewels: ‘36″ Chain’ and ‘Get It’ Single Reviews.” Pitchfork Media, Condé Nast, 2013. Referenced for critical insight on singles and stylistic analysis.