Run The Jewels surprised their fans on Wednesday (June 3) by releasing their RTJ4 album two days early. To make the release even sweeter, the duo also offered listeners a free link to download the project.
Although RTJ4 was scheduled to drop this Friday (June 5), Run The Jewels explained that they decided to release the project early due to the ongoing protests against police brutality.
“Fu*k it, why wait,” Run The Jewels wrote in a statement on Twitter. “The world is infested with bullsh*t so here’s something raw to listen to while you deal with it all.”
“We hope it brings you some joy,” the message continued. “Stay safe and hopeful out there and thank you for giving 2 friends the chance to be heard and do what they love.”
On the free album download page, fans are encouraged to donate to the National Lawyers Guild Mass Defense Fund, a joint effort between The Mass Defense Committee and The National Lawyers Guild. Both organizations are working to provide legal help to organizations in the form of “Know Your Rights” workshops, protester bail assistance and legal representation and legal advice for social justice organizations and protest organizers.
According to a tweet from El-P, it took less than an hour after RTJ4’s release for fans to raise over $10,000 for the protesting effort.
“I just want you guys to know that in the last 45 minutes you have already donated well over $10k to the charities on our suggested donations page,” he wrote. “THANK YOU. KEEP GOING.”
Killer Mike previously delivered a moving speech during a press conference in Atlanta about the recent police killing of George Floyd.
“I’m mad as hell. I woke up wanting to see the world burn yesterday, because I’m tired of seeing black men die,” he said. “[Derek Chauvin] casually put his knee on a human being’s neck for nine minutes as he died like a zebra in the clutch of a lion’s jaw.”
“We don’t want to see one officer charged, we want to see four officers prosecuted and sentenced,” he continued. “We don’t want to see Targets burning, we want to see the system that sets up for systemic racism burnt to the ground.”
See Run The Jewels’ statement below.