Brinley Hineman // Contributing writer
Those who missed Run the Jewel’s sold-out performance at Marathon Music Works on Monday missed an evening full of hardcore hip-hop that had the audience rocking to the beat.
Starting off the night were opening acts Fashawn, Cuz Lightyear and Boots. All three artists delivered dance-worthy hits and pumped up the crowd for the most anticipated act: Run the Jewels.
The duo’s members Michael “Killer Mike” Render and Jaime “El-P” Meline stormed the stage to Queen’s “We Are the Champions” and jammed out together, inviting the crowd to join them in their dance fest. Their energy was contagious and it wasn’t long before the crowd went wild.
They dove into their self-titled opening song “Run the Jewels” after announcing their plan to “burn the house down” which was greeted with an roar of approval from the crowd.
Throughout their performance of line upon line of clever lyrics, Killer Mike and El-P kept exchanging comical remarks with one another. The duo was well received by the audience, especially when El-P called fans to take up their position in the “Jewel Runner family.”
Those in the self-called Jewel Runner family are made up of die-hard fans who have followed the group since their debut album in 2013. In just two short years, the group went from being two respected independent artists rappers to household names in the underground and alternative hip-hop scene.
The pair took a moment to thank their Nashville fans for their support, reminiscing on their 2013 performance in Nashville.
“Our last show in Nashville is what made us a group,” recalled Killer Mike, paying special homage to what the two referred to as their “favorite city.”
The dynamic duo featured songs from both of their albums, Run the Jewels and Run the Jewels 2, mixing old hits with newer tracks. A crowd favorite was “Lie, Cheat, Steal,” a mantra dedicated to creatively discussing political corruptness.
While the show might be over, Run the Jewels’ career is not. Their new album, Meow the Jewels, is available on Soundcloud and Amazon now, and you can catch the pair on tour throughout the country for the rest of the year.
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To contact Lifestyles editor Rhiannon Gilbert email [email protected].