RTJ4
Studio album by
Run the Jewels
ReleasedJune 3, 2020 (2020-06-03)
Studio
GenreHip hop[1][2]
Length38:57
Label
  • Jewel Runners
  • BMG
Producer
Run the Jewels chronology
Run the Jewels 3
(2016)		 RTJ4
(2020)		 RTJ Cu4tro
(2022)
Singles from RTJ4
  1. "Yankee and the Brave (Ep. 4)"
    Released: March 22, 2020
  2. "Ooh La La"
    Released: March 25, 2020
  3. "Just"
    Released: June 14, 2020

RTJ4[lower-alpha 1] is the fourth studio album by American hip hop duo Run the Jewels. It was released digitally through their own Jewel Runners imprint via BMG Rights Management on June 3, 2020, two days earlier than scheduled, with physical editions released in September 2020. As with their previous albums, a download of the album is available for free through their website, with the option of paying for it via other digital providers. The album features guest appearances from Greg Nice, DJ Premier, 2 Chainz, Pharrell Williams, Mavis Staples, Josh Homme, and frequent collaborator Zack de la Rocha.

RTJ4 received widespread acclaim from critics and debuted at number 10 on the US Billboard 200, their first top 10 album on the chart. The album was supported by three singles: "Yankee and the Brave (Ep. 4)", "Ooh La La", and "Just".

Background

The album was first announced on October 11, 2018, with the release of the non-album single "Let's Go (The Royal We)", which was featured in the 2018 superhero film Venom and debuted on Zane Lowe's Beats 1 show.[12]

Release

The original album release date was June 5, 2020. Due to the ongoing protests against police brutality and racism sparked by the murders of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery, and the killing of Breonna Taylor, the duo decided to release it two days early.[13] The accompanying note read:

Fuck it, why wait. The world is infested with bullshit so here's something raw to listen to while you deal with it all. We hope it brings you some joy. Stay safe and hopeful out there and thank you for giving 2 friends the chance to be heard and do what they love. With sincere love and gratitude, Jaime + Mike.[13]

Promotion

The album's first single, "Yankee and the Brave (Ep. 4)", was released on March 22, 2020.[14] The album's second single, "Ooh La La" featuring Greg Nice and DJ Premier, was released on March 25, three days later.[15] The music video for "Ooh La La" was released on April 27, 2020.[16] In collaboration with "Ooh La La", the duo announced a cannabis strain of the same name.[17] "Just" featuring Pharrell Williams and Zack de la Rocha, was sent to alternative radio as the third single on June 14, 2020.[18]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?8.8/10[6]
Metacritic89/100[7]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[19]
And It Don't StopA+[20]
Clash9/10[21]
Exclaim!9/10[22]
Financial Times[23]
The Independent[5]
NME[1]
Pitchfork8.3/10[24]
Rolling Stone[25]
The Times[26]

RTJ4 was met with widespread critical acclaim. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from professional publications, the album received an average score of 89, based on 26 reviews.[7] Aggregator AnyDecentMusic? gave it 8.8 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus.[6]

Will Lavin of NME praised the album, stating, "Easily Mike and El-P's best work to date, RTJ4 is protest music for a new generation; they're armed in the uprising with a torrent of spirited rallying calls".[1] Reviewing the album for Rolling Stone, Jon Dolan stated, "RTJ4, which the band rush-released a few days ahead of schedule, is laser-focused. [...] Mike unloads on racist cops, systemic poverty, corporate media, and other eternal enemies. But the album never feels preachy, because the music bounces as much as it brays, with an elastic flow and deep history".[25] Jack Bray of The Line of Best Fit wrote, "RTJ4 is Killer Mike & El-P's masterstroke. This is musical evolution for moral, social and political revolution, the group now creating anthems in the pursuit of tolerance, respect and unity".[2] Channing Freeman from Sputnikmusic also enjoyed the album, saying, "As is typical on Run the Jewels albums, every feature is perfectly placed, but the inclusion of Mavis Staples and Josh Homme may be El-P's finest production moment yet. Homme's ghostly wailing and questing guitar provide a backdrop for Staples to sing an image that perfectly distills not only RTJ's oeuvre but the bloody centuries of America's history".[27] For Pitchfork, Sheldon Pearce wrote that "RTJ4 centers protest music less explicitly than RTJ3 did, but the moments when the album is most pronouncedly in active revolt are still when it feels most essential".[24]

Neil Z. Yeung of AllMusic gave a positive review, stating, "RTJ4 distills the anger and frustration of the people through Run the Jewels' hard-hitting, no-nonsense revolution anthems. Trim with no filler, this fourth set from the outspoken duo provides relevant history lessons that are more useful than a classroom textbook".[19] Exclaim! critic Kyle Mullin said of El-P, "The New York rapper-producer's greatest contribution to RTJ4 is his vivid and varied sonic backdrops. His on-point production offers the lyrically superior Killer Mike both space and sonic support as he rises to new heights of artistry and activism, making El-P the kind of ally worth emulating".[22] Mike Milenko of Clash said, "RTJ4 is a must listen. It is diverse enough to appeal to even the hardest crowds. Many genres are represented here, but lyrical hip-hop is at the forefront of all that Run the Jewels is. They stand out from the crowd, whilst invoking the people to stand up for themselves. There is not a bad song on the entire album and the production and features are second to none".[21]

In his Substack-published "Consumer Guide" column, Robert Christgau assigned the album an 'A+' grade and applauded the "vigor" of the duo's political direction and the lyrics as their "sharpest" yet, while declaring, "With trap on its opiated treadmill, the gangsta sonics that power El-P and Killer Mike's inchoate aggressiveness will feel tonic to anyone with both an appetite for music and a political pulse".[20]

Year-end lists

Select year-end rankings of RTJ4
Publication List Rank Ref.
The A.V. Club The 20 Best Albums of 2020
3
Billboard The 50 Best Albums of 2020
14
The 20 Best Rap Albums of 2020
3
Complex The Best Albums of 2020
25
Entertainment Weekly The 15 Best Albums of 2020
3
The Guardian The 50 Best Albums of 2020
18
The Independent The 40 Best Albums of 2020
13
NME The 50 Best Albums of 2020
1
Pitchfork The 50 Best Albums of 2020
16
Rolling Stone The 50 Best Albums of 2020
6
Spin The 30 Best Albums of 2020
3

Commercial performance

RTJ4 debuted at number 10 on the US Billboard 200 with 38,000 album-equivalent units (including 30,000 pure album sales) from just two days of tracking, marking the duo's first top 10 album on the chart.[39]

Track listing

All tracks are produced by El-P, and co-produced by Little Shalimar and Wilder Zoby, except where noted.[40]

RTJ4 track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Yankee and the Brave (Ep. 4)"
 2:26
2."Ooh La La" (featuring Greg Nice and DJ Premier)
 3:01
3."Out of Sight" (featuring 2 Chainz)
 3:21
4."Holy Calamafuck"
3:58
5."Goonies vs. E.T."
  • Meline
  • Render
  • T. Schwartz
  • W. Schwartz
  • El-P
  • Little Shalimar[a]
  • Wilder Zoby[a]
  • Nick Hook[b]
3:03
6."Walking in the Snow"
 3:55
7."Just" (featuring Pharrell Williams and Zack de la Rocha)
 3:25
8."Never Look Back"
 2:57
9."The Ground Below"
 2:32
10."Pulling the Pin" (featuring Mavis Staples and Josh Homme)
  • El-P
  • Homme
  • Little Shalimar[a]
  • Wilder Zoby[a]
  • Boots[b]
3:37
11."A Few Words for the Firing Squad (Radiation)"
  • El-P
  • Sweeney[a]
  • Little Shalimar[a]
  • Wilder Zoby[a]
6:42
Total length:38:57

Notes

  • ^[a] signifies a co-producer
  • ^[b] signifies an additional producer
  • Track stylizations:
    • "Just" is stylized "JU$T"
    • "Goonies vs. E.T." is stylized "goonies vs. E.T."
    • All other track titles are stylized in all lowercase
  • "A Few Words for the Firing Squad (Radiation)" includes the hidden track "Theme Music", listed in the album's liner notes as a separate track with identical credits.

Samples

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the album's digital booklet and Tidal.[40][8]

Run the Jewels

Musicians

Technical

  • Joey Raia – mixing engineer
  • Joe LaPorta – mastering engineer
  • Nick Hook – recording engineer
  • Leon Kelly – recording engineer
  • Kaushlesh "Garry" Purohit – recording engineer (1, 3–11)
  • Carl Bespolka – recording engineer (2–11)
  • Taylor Jackson – recording engineer (3–11)
  • Dylan Neustadter – recording engineer (3–11)
  • Mat LeJeune – assistant recording engineer (3–11)
  • Jonathan Lackey – assistant recording engineer (3–11)

Artwork

  • Tim Saccenti – art direction, photography
  • Smartbomb.net – layout, design
  • Nick Gazin – lettering, font design

Charts

Chart performance for RTJ4
Chart (2020) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[41] 25
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[42] 35
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[43] 18
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[44] 105
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[45] 8
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[46] 52
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[47] 11
Irish Albums (OCC)[48] 8
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[49] 11
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[50] 38
Scottish Albums (OCC)[51] 3
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[52] 24
UK Albums (OCC)[10] 9
US Billboard 200[11] 10
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[53] 7

Release history

Release dates and formats for RTJ4
Region Date Label(s) Format(s) Ref.
Various June 3, 2020
  • Jewel Runners
  • BMG
 [9]
September 2020 CD [54]

Notes

  1. ↑ An initialism for Run the Jewels 4.[3] Physical releases[4] and some reviews[1][5] use Run the Jewels 4, but the initialism is used by online databases,[6][7] streaming services,[8][9] and record charts.[10][11]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Lavin, Will (June 5, 2020). "Run The Jewels – 'Run The Jewels 4' review". NME. Archived from the original on June 5, 2020. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  2. 1 2 Bray, Jack (June 5, 2020). "Run The Jewels – RTJ4". The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on June 5, 2020. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  3. ↑ "Run the Jewels 4". Run the Jewels. Archived from the original on October 1, 2020. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
  4. ↑ Run the Jewels (2020). Run the Jewels 4 (CD). Jewel Runners LLC.
  5. 1 2 O'Connor, Roisin (June 4, 2020). "Run the Jewels 4 review: Hip-hop duo pull the pin on this explosive album". The Independent. Archived from the original on June 4, 2020. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  6. 1 2 3 "RTJ4 by Run The Jewels reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Archived from the original on June 10, 2020. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  7. 1 2 3 "RTJ4 by Run the Jewels Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Archived from the original on July 7, 2020. Retrieved July 11, 2020.
  8. 1 2 "Credits / RTJ4 / Run the Jewels". Tidal. Archived from the original on June 4, 2020. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  9. 1 2 "RTJ4 by Run the Jewels on Apple Music". Apple Music US. Archived from the original on July 25, 2020. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  10. 1 2 "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 25, 2020.
  11. 1 2 "Run the Jewels Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  12. ↑ Leight, Elias (October 11, 2018). "'Venom' Soundtrack: Run the Jewels Release 'Let's Go (The Royal We)'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on July 10, 2020. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  13. 1 2 Krol, Charlotte (June 3, 2020). "Run The Jewels release new album 'RTJ4' early". NME. Archived from the original on June 5, 2020. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  14. ↑ Bloom, Madison (March 22, 2020). "Run the Jewels Share New Song "The Yankee and the Brave": Listen". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  15. ↑ Ruiz, Matthew Ismael (March 25, 2020). "Listen to Run the Jewels' New Song "Ooh LA LA"". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on April 30, 2020. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  16. ↑ Strauss, Matthew (April 27, 2020). "Watch Run the Jewels' New "Ooh LA LA" Video With Zack de La Rocha, DJ Premier, and Greg Nice". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on June 5, 2020. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  17. ↑ Rose, Anna (July 28, 2020). "Run The Jewels launch their own strain of cannabis". NME. Archived from the original on October 17, 2020. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  18. ↑ "Alternative Music Radio News, Stations, Bands, Videos, Free Songs". All Access. Archived from the original on June 21, 2020. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
  19. 1 2 Yeung, Neil Z. "RTJ4 – Run the Jewels". AllMusic. Archived from the original on June 6, 2020. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  20. 1 2 Christgau, Robert (June 10, 2020). "Consumer Guide: June, 2020". And It Don't Stop. Substack. Archived from the original on June 15, 2020. Retrieved July 15, 2020.
  21. 1 2 Milenko, Mike (June 4, 2020). "Run The Jewels – RTJ4". Clash. Archived from the original on June 4, 2020. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  22. 1 2 Mullin, Kyle (June 5, 2020). "Run the Jewels Capture Our Troubled Times Brilliantly with 'RTJ4' – but Police Brutality Is Sadly Always Relevant". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on June 6, 2020. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  23. ↑ Hunter-Tilney, Ludovic (June 5, 2020). "Run the Jewels' RTJ4 mounts a rap offensive against racism". Financial Times. Archived from the original on July 19, 2020. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
  24. 1 2 Pearce, Sheldon (June 5, 2020). "Run the Jewels: RTJ4 Album Review". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on June 5, 2020. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  25. 1 2 Dolan, Jon (June 3, 2020). "Review: Run the Jewels, 'RTJ4'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 9, 2020. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  26. ↑ Hodgkinson, Will (June 4, 2020). "Run the Jewels: RTJ4 review – the ills of a nation rapped out". The Times. Archived from the original on July 21, 2020. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
  27. ↑ Freeman, Channing (June 4, 2020). "Review: Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels 4". Sputnikmusic. Archived from the original on June 4, 2020. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  28. ↑ Reeves, Mosi (December 15, 2020). "The 20 best albums of 2020". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on December 19, 2020. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
  29. ↑ Digiacomo, Frank (December 7, 2020). "The 50 Best Albums of 2020: Staff Picks". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 7, 2020. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
  30. ↑ Glicksman, Josh (December 10, 2020). "The 20 Best Rap Albums of 2020: Staff Picks". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 3, 2021. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  31. ↑ Schube, Will (December 1, 2020). "The Best Albums of 2020". Complex. Archived from the original on June 11, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
  32. ↑ Suskind, Alex (December 4, 2020). "The 15 best albums of 2020". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on December 4, 2020. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  33. ↑ Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (December 18, 2020). "The 50 best albums of 2020: the full list". The Guardian. Archived from the original on December 1, 2020. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
  34. ↑ O'Connor, Roisin (December 21, 2020). "The 40 best albums of 2020, from Bob Dylan's Rough and Rowdy Ways to Taylor Swift's Folklore". The Independent. Archived from the original on December 21, 2020. Retrieved December 21, 2020.
  35. ↑ Bassett, Jordan (December 11, 2020). "The 50 best albums of 2020". NME. Archived from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  36. ↑ Nguyen, Dean Van (December 8, 2020). "The 50 Best Albums of 2020". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on December 9, 2020. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
  37. ↑ Grow, Kory (December 4, 2020). "The 50 Best Albums of 2020". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 4, 2020. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  38. ↑ Kohn, Daniel (December 10, 2020). "The 30 Best Albums of 2020". Spin. Archived from the original on December 10, 2020. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  39. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (June 7, 2020). "Lady Gaga Scores Sixth No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart With 'Chromatica'". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 7, 2020. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  40. 1 2 RTJ4 (PDF) (digital booklet). Run the Jewels. RBC Records; BMG Rights Management. 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 13, 2020. Retrieved June 13, 2020.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  41. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Run the Jewels – RTJ4". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
  42. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Run the Jewels – RTJ4" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  43. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Run the Jewels – RTJ4" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
  44. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Run the Jewels – RTJ4" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 25, 2020.
  45. ↑ "Run the Jewels Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  46. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Run the Jewels – RTJ4" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
  47. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Run the Jewels – RTJ4" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved September 25, 2020.
  48. ↑ "Official Irish Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 25, 2020.
  49. ↑ "Charts.nz – Run the Jewels – RTJ4". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  50. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Run the Jewels – RTJ4". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  51. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 25, 2020.
  52. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Run the Jewels – RTJ4". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
  53. ↑ "Run the Jewels Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  54. ↑ "RTJ4". Run The Jewels. Archived from the original on May 12, 2020. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
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