Last week I bought my first El-P album. More about that when I roll it (randomly) but for now let’s talk about a magical time when El-P partnered up with a man who would become his long-time collaborator.
Disc 1946 is…R.A.P. Music
Artist: Killer Mike
Year of Release: 2012
What’s up with the Cover? Killer Mike, chillin’ in Adidas.
My amazing and talented fashion blogging partner Sheila also loves Adidas (as recently as today!) and I think she wears it better. Sure Killer Mike’s the better rapper of the two, but where is he when I need to know if my tie goes with my shirt? Off rappin’ somewhere…
How I Came To Know It: I came backwards to Killer Mike: after finding out he was one half of Run the Jewels I dug into his back catalogue as a solo artist. And here we are.
How It Stacks Up: I have five Killer Mike albums, and “R.A.P. Music” is the B.E.S.T. #1.
Ratings: 5 stars
Before “R.A.P. Music” you will encounter many a fine Killer Mike record but those early records are missing a secret weapon: El-P. A year later these two brilliant artists would fuse together to create Run the Jewels, and on “R.A.P. Music” you get an early offering of just how great a partnership it is going to be.
The infusion of El-P’s brilliant production, and his mastery of beat and rhythm elevates “R.A.P. Music” to another level and results in what is Killer Mike’s finest record.
When I say “finest” it doesn’t mean friendliest, though, and “R.A.P. Music” is a furious, sometimes downright challenging record, as Killer Mike takes no prisoners. If you are easily offended or if the occasional curse word makes you blush and cover your mouth and sputter a high-pitched “oh, my!” then this record is not for you. You have been warned.
OK, still with me? Because if you aren’t easily offended you will find yourself treated to one of the finest rap records made in this or any era. You don’t have to agree with what Killer Mike says, but getting inside the dark constellation of ideas and concepts that he explores on “R.A.P. Music” it is clear he’s not afraid of the sharp edges of the pulpit.
“Big Beast” is the introductory track to “R.A.P. Music”, an expletive-laced shot of energy where Mike makes clear what you can expect for the next 45 minutes and change. In it he describes his style:
“I don’t make dance music this is R.A.P.
Opposite all that sucker shit they play on TV”
Worth noting that that’s one of the few lines in the song you can quote in company.
As for his flow, Killer Mike has one of the best in the business, a ball of fury careening down a mountain, controlled just enough to make sure it hits every sensibility it encounters on the way. Often when you get someone flowing as fast as Mike does it comes off light and traipsing. Somehow Mike goes just as fast, but where every line drops as hard as a lead weight.
Helping considerably is the skill of El-P, who has an exceptional ability to reinvent very old beat structures into something new and futuristic.
“R.A.P. Music” has plenty of anger and thump throughout, but it also shows melodic variance that keeps you engaged, finding time for a song like “JoJo’s Chillin’” which feels more like a cross between Jackie Brown and Ocean’s Eleven.
As the record progresses Killer Mike also explores more of his youth and experiences. These individual vignettes of his life are just as compelling in their intimacy as his grand political statements. The range of emotion and experience is part of what makes the record better and better on repeat listens.
That range is not limited to the lyrics. On “Ghetto Gospel” the duo throw in echoes of church singing for good measure, showing that you can slip a little techno into your worship, mix in some relationship drama, thump out some of Killer Mike’s rap talent and have it all come out the other end bigger and better than any of its component parts.
There was a time when I would have said that El-P and Killer Mike first achieved perfection on the second Run the Jewels album, but that was before I knew about their pre-history. “R.A.P. Music” is all the things that make RTJ one of my favourite artists, only in the before times. Sure it would benefit from a bit more El-P on the mic, but all the ingredients of their awesomeness are here, and what’s more, it’s all for the first time.
For letting me experience the magic of El-P/Killer Mike all over again, but making me feel like it was the first time, I’m giving this record the full five stars.
Best tracks: all tracks
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