Run the Jewels 2 is a hip-hop album defined by its credited instrumental and vocal additions — not its themes, sound design, or production philosophy. It names who played what, and where. Nothing more is established.
RTJ4 is Run the Jewels’ fourth studio album, released digitally on June 3, 2020 — two days ahead of its scheduled June 5 date — as a direct response to nationwide protests against racial injustice. All tracks were produced by El-P, with co-production by Little Shalimar and Wilder Zoby on most. Its cover art was conceived by El-P and realised by Tim Saccenti as a low-poly 3D-printed sculpture of the duo’s logo, photographed under multi-coloured lighting to reference past album palettes. The record is officially titled RTJ4 — the first in the series to use the abbreviated form — and features guest appearances from Greg Nice, DJ Premier, 2 Chainz, Pharrell Williams, Mavis Staples, Josh Homme, and Zack de la Rocha. Its lead singles were 'Yankee and the Brave (ep.4)' and 'Ooh LA LA', and it was performed in full during the voter-engagement YouTube stream Holy Calamavote on October 18, 2020.