Killer Mike Delivers Update On “Run The Jewels 5” Album

Killer Mike and El-P—collectively known as Run The Jewels—delivered their fourth album, RTJ4, in 2020. Bolstered by appearances from Greg Nice, DJ Premier, 2 Chainz, Pharrell Williams, Mavis Staples, Josh Homme and Zack de la Rocha, the project debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200. It marked the dynamic duo’s first Top 10 album. Of course, with RTJ’s growing popularity, demand for more music has been palpable. But it turns out, their fans are in luck.

According to a recent interview with High Times, Run The Jewels 5 is on the horizon. As Mike explained several weeks ago, “The album is literally two days away. I have to go in tonight and change two lines on a song. I’m just waiting for some drums from [producer] No I.D. and we’re done.”

Killer Mike never would’ve predicted the success Run The Jewels would find after initially forming in 2013 (or that they’d have their own Nike sneakers). The chemistry between the two on Killer Mike’s 2012 solo album R.A.P. Music—which El-P produced—proved impossible to ignore, so they simply kept going.

“I didn’t see it for exactly what it was because I’ve never been here before, but I knew we were something badass and we were going to be big,” he said. “Big is relative. Coming off the underground, big is just, ‘Hey man, I went gold,’ and I can play small clubs. Did I see us doing 100,000 people in England with [Labour Party leader] Jeremy Corbyn? Did I see us opening for the Foo Fighters at the Super Bowl in Atlanta? Did I see us doing Pitchfork Music Festival with 40,000 kids? No, I did not. I am so, so grateful.”

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Killer Mike also acknowledged the sacredness of a group and how losing one of its members—most recently Trugoy The Dove of De La Soul—is such a massive challenge.

“A group is a precious thing,” he said. “Run- DMC will never be the same. De La Soul will never be the same. A Tribe Called Quest will never be the same. I value every single day of the last 10 years. I value the mistakes we’ve made. I value the grievances. I value the arguments. All of it, because this journey don’t always last, but so far, it has been an amazing one.”

In related news, Killer Mike also announced his first solo album since R.A.P. Music will arrive on June 16, the aptly titled Michael. Ahead of its release, Killer Mike dropped the lead single, “Don’t Let The Devil” featuring El-P and Thankyougoodsir with production from El Producto, Little Shalimar and No I.D. Listen to it below.