All The Jewels: RTJ’s Legacy of Music, Movies, Entrepreneurship, and More

It’s almost easy to forget, but Run The Jewels isn’t just a rap moniker — it’s a command. If interpreted symbolically, it means Killer Mike and El-P are out to take everything the world has to offer. Everything except prisoners. Dating back to their formation 12 years ago, the cross-regional rap duo has used refined musical technique, functional galaxy brains and intellectual verve to level up across the worlds of music and beyond. 

Today, Okayplayer takes a look at how they’ve done it.

Music

Run The Jewels’ name itself is a nod to a 1990 LL Cool J classic. But from the beginning, they’ve operated from the distant future, fusing propulsive, spiritually political rhymes with El-P production that could soundtrack Terminator 12. Although known primarily as critical darlings - they’ve got an average Metacritic score of about 88 - they’ve also earned multiple RIAA plaques. “Legend Has It,” “Close Your Eyes,” and their appearance on DJ Shadow’s “Nobody Speak” have all been certified GOLD. In the years since their debut as a duo, RTJ has leveraged their musical might to penetrate all layers of the zeitgeist.

TV and Film

Run The Jewels tracks have always been cinematic, so it’s not all that surprising they’ve shown up in the worlds of TV and film. After appearing on DJ Shadow’s 2016 single, “Nobody Speak,” Killer Mike and El-P became soundtracks for various movie trailers, including Booksmart (2019), Suburbicon (2017), and Good Boys (2019). In each clip, their defiant deliveries, as well as a beat fit for westerns, signified an abrupt change in the lives of folks stepping firmly outside their element. All together, they’re fitting canvases for intrepid explorers; much like the people who created the track. Of course, RTJ’s onscreen musical representation didn’t stop there. In 2018, they teamed up with Adult Swim for a Rick & Morty-themed music video for “Oh Mama,” a dystopian cut from RTJ3. 

After “Nobody Speak” appeared in an episode of Ozark season 1, the folks behind the series chose RTJ’s RTJ4 single, “Ooh La La,” to send off Ozark season 3 — the sudden inclusion only understated the crazy killing that preceded it. Separately, Killer Mike also appeared on an episode of season 4. Clearly, they’re fans of the show. In addition to appearances in trailers and TV series, their tracks also surfaced in flicks like Baby Driver (2017) and Deadpool 2, crystallizing their status as perfect accompaniments for themes of chaos and unwieldy adventure. In 2018, Lexus used RTJ’s GOLD-certified single, “Legend Has It,” to score their Black Panther-themed LS 500 F Sport model commercial, which aired during the Super Bowl.

Entrepreneurship 

Surprise: Run The Jewels can also run a business. And business has been good. In 2018, years after Adult Swim cofounder Jason DeMarco introduced Killer Mike and El-P, RTJ performed in the first-annual Adult Swim Festival. In 2021, Killer Mike and El-P announced collaborations with breweries like Beer Kulture at Green Bench Brewing Co., Proximity Brewing and Spaceway Brewing, and Brew Gentlemen Brewery of Braddock, Pennsylvania. Three of the brands are Black-owned. 

That initial foray into the world of drinks evolved into Juice Runners, a specialized new brand of canned cocktail that they unveiled this year. Their first entry into the franchise, Paloma REMiX, adds smokier flavoring to the conventional mezcal beverage, and Killer Mike and El-P pride this one on being something they’d — you know — actually drink. 

When they haven’t been dipping into TV or breweries, RTJ has also slid into the world of sneakers. In 2023, Nike SB released two special RTJ editions of their SB Dunks, with each pair earning acclaim from fans and sneakerheads alike. The shoes dropped on Killer Mike’s birthday. 

Individually, they’ve been just as prolific. For his part, Killer Mike has run his own line of SWAG Shop barbershops since 2011. Down-home and interactive, it’s a slice of the down-home sincerity that’s made Killer Mike, as well as RTJ, resonate across generations. He’s also tentatively set to release a SWAG Shop grooming line. 

Philanthropy

When Run The Jewels hasn't been raging against the system, they've been hard at work fixing others. In 2015, they used their remix album, Meow The Jewels — an LP that reimagined their RTJ2 album with cat sounds — began with a Kickstarter that raised over $60,000; proceeds were pledged to charities and families affected by police violence (including the families of Eric Garner and Mike Brown) and the National Lawyers Guild, among others. 

 In 2020, they released "Hold our Hands‘ ChariTEES" collection, which launched with an assortment of four T-shirts sold to support the Liberty Fund, National Bail Out, RAICES Young Chicago Authors, and later expanded to include two more organizations. In 2022, they built upon that philanthropic tradition by teaming up with Omaze for a sweepstakes that ultimately awarded an ’87 Buick GNX to the winner while raising over $100,000 for the ACLU. It was a power move that made it easier to fight the power. And it wasn’t their last one. 

In a more recent initiative, they teamed up with WhyHunger, which saw them direct fans to donate to the nonprofit for the chance for a free trip to New York to meet the duo and see them perform at Madison Square Garden. In addition to their website's readily updated Donation page, RTJ has maintained a steady, multidimensional presence in the worlds of philanthropy and advocacy for those affected by American hypocrisy.