DJ Shadow (someone I’ve always loved) and Run The Jewels (a recent new music obsession) collaborating is like a dream for me.

If you’re unfamiliar with DJ Shadow, go check out 1996’s Endtroducing. He embraced the idea of an instrumental hip hop beat as its own art form and made hip-hop and rap much more accessible. It gave me an entry point when I was young, which led to a deep appreciation for hip hop.

Run the Jewels are easily one of my favorite acts of the last few years. I love the straight, fun, braggadocios rap and funky beats they’ve been cranking out consistently since their self-titled debut. They’ve also created an incredible marketing campaign, and have maximized their exposure without going commercial in an awesome way.

The song itself is fantastic. They both play to their strengths and the result is a clever, fun, and silly track. The keyboard line at 1:32 is the catchy loop that got me when I woke up today.

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

When I heard it last: ¯_(ツ)_/¯ Probably sometime in the last week. This track has been in pretty consistent rotation since it dropped.