Picture a tag team of degenerates out to cause anarchy and chaos in what they perceive as an ant farm society controlled by unknown faces. They’re the readers of the books and leaders of the crooks, Run the Jewels. Run the Jewels is a new duo composed of Atlanta MC and Outkast affiliate Killer Mike and Underground hip hop producer/rapper and member of Company Flow, EL-P. On Oct.24, the group released the sequel to their 2013 self titled debut with Run the Jewels 2.

This unlikely pair came together through a mutual friend, Jason Demarco, an executive at Adult Swim. They then created 2012’s RAP (Rebellious African People)  Music. This album received praise from publications such as Time Magazine, Spin, and Rolling Stone. The next year Killer Mike and EL-P came out with Run the Jewels, lyrically described by PitchFork as “[…] dedicated to figuring out just how many ways there are to threaten bodily trauma in the most over the top language possible while not actually coming across like some screw face shock-value man-child.”

Right off the bat you get smacked with energy, Killer mike opens on the title track “Jeopardy” with an excited rant and then cuts to one of EL-P’s signature synthesizer heavy beats.  Killer Mike then gives you the exact idea of what direction, this dark, idealistic album is going. This album gives you an uncut desire to be predominantly lyrical and successfully recite some of the most outlandish and hard rap lines.

But don’t let some self-destructive rhetoric fool you, they get intellectual at the same time. In the song “Early” featuring Boots, the group dissects the recent events of police misconduct, Killer Mike was an avid commentator during the Ferguson, MO incident, so he just had to leave his mark on the subject musically. In addition they talk about Religion, social aspects of doing wrong, how good it feels to do wrong, and conspiracy. Tracks that are ripe with conciseness include “Crown,” “Angle Duster,” “Lie, Cheat, Steal,” and “Early.”

A great rap album isn’t complete without some treats, in the form of guests. On the second track “Oh My Darling Don’t Cry”, there is an electric voice that says, “You are now listening to run the jewels.”  That voice is Michael Winslow, the sound effects guy from the classic comedy movie “Police Academy.”

The only instrumental guest is Travis Barker who lent his fast, hard drum style to the song “All Due Respect,” giving the song a great “umph” to the group’s awesome hard hitting lyricism. The next was musician Diane Coffee on the song “Crown.” I can’t tell what was done on this, but it something impressive, because this is the best produced track on the album. The track has this electric blood wrapped in the skin made of blissful silhouette vocals.    

There are three vocal contributions, the first was from Zack de la Rocha, lead singer of Rage Against the Machine. Who sings a catchy chorus and a hard verse on one of the songs, ending it with,

“The only thing closing quicker than the casket is the factories.”

Making an obvious reference to the RATM song “Ashes in the Fall” with the ending lyrics,

“Ain’t it funny how the factory doors close around the time that the school doors close.”

As a RATM fan I was pleased. The next rap feature is probably the only dud on this album and that’s Gangsta Boo’s verse on “Love Again,” her lyrics are so annoying and forgettable. The last one for singing features Boots on “Early,” who pulls together a slick sad chorus that matches perfect with the song.

I give “Run the Jewels 2” 9.5 Malcolm X Autobiographies out of 10 strip club coupons. Righteous and ratchet in a perfect balance.