Since voluntarily self-dissolving his long-functioning Hip-Hop label Def Jux around February 2010, El-P has somehow managed to release 3 full-length records over a 2 year span, straying away from his previous crippling album/5 years pattern. Run The Jewels is actually El-P's first proper album with close friend and fellow veteran rapper, Killer Mike; It's Proto-Rap that pays homage to Hip-Hop's "golden era" and even lifts it's boastful group name from a old school LL Cool J track, "Cheesy Rat Blues" (1990). Preceded by 3 equally glitched-out teaser singles: "Banana Clipper," "Get It," and Adult Swim-backed "36" Chain," Run The Jewels [album] was uploaded to Fool's Gold Records early Wednesday morning (June 26th) for FREE download. But for diehard record collectors like myself, Fool's Gold has also pressed up a limited number of specially-designed 2xLP/T-shirts/herb grinder/standard CD sets available for a very reasonable price.

While Run The Jewels is far from a feature-heavy project, El-P & Killer Mike still managed to phone in a few powerful guest spots: UK singer-producer Until The Ribbon Breaks, super-producer Prince Paul (De La Soul), and former Dungeon Family general Big Boi. It's more or less a care-free and less politically-charged affair in stark contrast with El-P & Killer Mike's slightly more serious, collectively gloomy past work(s); "Five tracks in and so far, Run The Jewels is a real good soundtrack for feeling pretty good about the world," Tom Breihan cheerfully Tweeted, so I guess it shows! Maybe it's a little early to go ahead and crown a Record of The Year and all... But I think Run The Jewels is already amongst the top of the class for 2013's strongest albums (so far), right alongside modern day Industrial-Rap masterpiece Yeezus. Anyways, if you aren't convinced by now, maybe you should just go ahead and get back to that One Direction CD ha. But for those that can hang and self-admittedly enjoy the finer things in life, see if you can track down a 6-pack of Run The Jewels x Goose Island's micro-brewed pale ale!