Editor’s Note: This story was originally published in October 2014 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.
Killer Mike and El-P kept the surprises coming following the success of the Meow The Jewels campaign and a handful of crazy singles, by releasing a free download of their highly anticipated Run The Jewels II LP four days ahead of the project’s scheduled October 28 release via Mass Appeal. Excited to share the release, the duo was also encouraged by a recent leak of the project. Determined to eliminate the middleman, Killer Mike and El-P served he full release up themselves:
AW FUCK IT. WE CAN’T WAIT ANY LONGER.RUN THE JEWELS AND MASS APPEAL RECORDS ARE PROUD TO PRESENT TO YOU: #RTJ2
We just couldn’t wait another damn day longer to share RTJ2 with you.
Thank you to all the jewel runners worldwide for all your support. It means everything to us. Please enjoy the music. It was made for you.
The early free release was a defining example of RTJ’s fan-first mentality—flipping the traditional marketing playbook on its head. The album’s themes, intensity, social commentary, defiance, still echo through hip-hop and RTJ’s later works.
Check the footage below to watch the RTJ2 “thank you” video from Run The Jewels.
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