Run The Jewels

Released: December 24, 2016

Featuring: Joi

Songwriter: El-P Killer Mike

Producer: El-P

[Verse 1: Killer Mike]
I hope (I hope)
I hope with the highest of hopes
That I never have to go back to the trap
And my days of dealing with dope
So, I (I, I)
I only spit fire and dope
So later on, you can go quote
My lines to your people and folk
And they say, “Damn!” (Damn, damn)
That boy be spitting that pressure (Pressure)
And he be smoking that pressure (Pressure)
And he smart as a professor, yes sir
25 lighters on dresser, pound of that pressure
Sitting right next to, next to
Next to a book and a gun
Ballot or bullet, you better use one
One time for the freedom of speeches (Speeches)
Two time for the right to hold heaters (Heaters)
Just skip to the fifth if the cops in your house
Close your mouth and pray to your Jesus (Jesus)
Ask why 'cause the devil a lie (Lie)
So I stay holy and high (High)
May never get rich, but I never bitch
'Cause I made it here by and by

[Hook: Killer Mike & Joi Gilliam]
My, my, y'all, I coulda died, y'all
A couple times I took my eyes off the prize, y'all
I know a few people pray for my demise, y'all
But like cream, I had to rise, I had to rise, y'all
Who am I, y'all? I coulda died, y'all
A couple times I took my eyes off the prize, y'all
I know a couple people pray for my demise, y'all
But even birds with broken wings want to fly, y'all

[Verse 2: El-P]
RTJ!
You're gonna need a bigger boat, boys, you're in trouble
Aye, gonna need a little hope, boys, on the double
Aye, you muckin' with a G here, see? Talk to me
Or maybe listen to the man that barely dodged his own lobotomy
Pop the tape in, baby, we got shit we wrote for you, for you
Came from feeling what a pure absence of hope can do
Only to leap through flaming rings and break the nose of crews
Still in their wings'll be them darlings, hope they've broken you
Yeah, they better hope that
I'm a full force and a cold fact
See the cold floor where I licked dirt
When the dough dried and the pride died
Had a dumb max, had to shop right
Gimme two meals and the lights on
I'ma do right, get a new crew
Make a new life, never boo-hoo
Never lose sight, I'm a voodoo
With a burst heart from an old soul
Better stop, drop when the squad's hot, we don't stop a lot
We don't talk a lot about it, we just pop it off a lot
I'm high, man, I'm a cosmonaut
Scream, "Fuck 'em!" 'til they lop our bloody noggins off
I promise y'all

[Hook: Killer Mike & Joi Gilliam]
My, my, y'all, I coulda died, y'all
A couple times I took my eyes off the prize, y'all
I know a few people pray for my demise, y'all
But like cream, I had to rise, I had to rise, y'all
Who am I, y'all? I coulda died, y'all
A couple times I took my eyes off the prize, y'all
I know a couple people pray for my demise, y'all
But even birds with broken wings want to fly, y'all

[Outro: El-P]
RTJ!
RTJ!
RTJ!
RTJ!

No track is safe with the combination of Killer Mike’s aggressive flow straight from the ATL and the lyrical backflips and dense production by Brooklyn son and underground legend El-P.

The duo were first acquainted on Mike’s fully El produced and critically-acclaimed 2012 LP, R.A.P. Music. The two came together in 2013 to release an outstanding self-titled album that was widely considered one of the best Hip-Hop albums of the year. The name of the group is from the intro to LL Cool J’s “Cheesy Rat Blues”:

Just throw your hands in the air

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