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Last year, Killer Mike and El-P gave us Run the Jewels. It was raw, gritty and fun as hell. Just in time for Halloween, RTJ2 will be released on October 28th (on Nas' Mass Appeal label). Here's the first single. So gully.

It was 1983. I was discovering hip-hop artists like Grandmaster Flash and Kurtis Blow. My older brother (who had previously been responsible for my musical tastes) continued to soak up outlaw country and rock. I remember when John Cougar Mellencamp's album Uh-Huh came out. It was huge. Not only because we were in Indiana (where Mellencamp hails from) - he had hits. This was not one of them but it was always my favorite cut on the record. Years before I actually decided to play guitar, Johnny told me to "Forget all about that macho shit and learn how to play a guitar". Done and done, Johnny.

I work with this cat - Kirkwood West. He's got vibey beats for days. Fuck with him.

All Sam Cooke songs are gorgeous but this one just about reduces me to tears every time. Let's sway together on this rainy Thursday morning. Sang it!

Riff Raff is not the best rapper but he's one of the best personalities. Now, don't get me wrong, that doesn't make him an emcee - it makes him a spectacle - and we need cats like that.  This cut has me and the boys in the audio department laughing every day. Check out the tune and then click on some of the fan vines. Ridiculous.