Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels 3 (2016)

"For us, the RTJ1 hands were about "taking what's yours" – your world, your life, your attitude. The RTJ2 hands were wrapped in bandages, signifying injury and healing, which for us represented the growth in ideas and tone of that album. For RTJ3 the bandages are off, the chain is gone and the hands have been transformed into gold. For us this represents the idea that there is nothing to take that exists outside of yourself. You are the jewel." - Run the Jewels

I guess I had to get around to writing about it eventually, much like my suicide note. Run the Jewels return with a new album full of hilarious lyrics, political statements, and banging beats that'll make your subwoofer scream out "GIVE ME A FUCKING BREAK ALREADY, HOLY SHIT" because they'll be knocking around the insides like it ain't NOTHIN'!! El-P received a lot of production help with the second album, which isn't a bad thing in the slightest since that album was full of variety, and while there are still co-producers on this album, it's seemingly been condensed a bit, which is for better or for worse depending on your music taste, because the beats this time around are generally darker-sounding than before, but also sound like they have more power to the bass as well. Along with reinvigorated beats, El-P and Killer Mike have an even smaller temper this time around, due to the anger that the election has brought. If you'd recall, they both were big Bernie Sanders supporters and Bernie essentially got fucked in the race. I was angry, Run the Jewels were angry, and chances are, if you're a RTJ fan, you were angry as well.

Truth be told, I really didn't like this album the first or even second time I listened to it, but I knew I was missing something, because I felt the same way about the second album, no idea why, but in a second case of "truth be told", this album doesn't reach the heights of the previous studio album. Sure, I could say shit like the fact that "Call Ticketron" is hype, "Everybody Stay Calm" has a catchy beat that gets stuck in my head, and that "Thursday in the Danger Room (feat. Kamasi Washington)" is the deepest song they've done yet, with El-P talking about watching Camu Tao slowly die from lung cancer, and Killer Mike talking about a friend of his who was killed for his chain, and it's just one of those songs that makes you say "holy shit" after listening to for the first time, but as much praise as I can give nearly every song on this album.. It doesn't really feel new. The first album was good because it was new, the second album was great because of the variety and how much the musical chemistry between El-P and Killer Mike had increased, but when I listen to this, it's a good album, but it's exactly what would come to mind if someone were to say "imagine a new Run the Jewels album" because it kinda sounds like b-sides from the previous album. It's good, and if you liked either of the two previous albums, you'll probably dig it, but I'm just not -that- excited for it as a whole, with it not being able to reach and steal the crown that "Run the Jewels 2" wears proudly.

7/10
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Feel free to check out the song previews/buy this album using my Amazon Associate link!