The Fader trekked up an hour and a half outside New York City to watch El-P and Killer Mike record their second collaborative album;

Over the summer, we drove up to Garrison, NY to hang out with Killer Mike and El-P in the idyllic country recording compound where they were holed up hammering out RTJ2, their second album as Run the Jewels. As Killer Mike put it to us on camera, standing before a row of stately conifer trees, it was a pretty unlikely setting for the streetwise rappers to record: “The process of doing the album out here in the middle of nowhere is strange,” he said. “There’s no sex clubs and drugs and violence, and it’s pretty peaceful and serene. And that’s kind of not what Run the Jewels is about.” Still, as El-P described the woodshedding session, it was pretty much business as usual for the duo, who also cut their self-titled debut there: “Constant inebriation, consistent and potentially unhealthy marijuana intake, the occasional psychedelic journey, and we just rap our asses off.” RTJ2 is out on Mass Appeal on October 28th, but you to tide you over, we put together a behind-the-scenes experience of all the jamming, bickering, and brotherly love that went into it. Plus, catch that vibe live on the upcoming, ginormous Run the Jewels tour.

The duo also has a nation-wide tour to promote the album with Rat King, Despot and Joey Bada$$, check those dates below, also courtesy of the Fader;
10/15 – College Station, TX – Boulevard 217 %
10/16 – Austin, TX – Red 7 %
10/18 – Tulsa, OK – Cain’s %
10/20 – Little Rock, AR – Stickyz
10/21 – Memphis, TN – Minglewood Hall %
10/22 – Nashville, TN – Exit/In
10/23 – Birmingham, AL – Zydeco %
10/24 – Columbia, SC – Music Farm %
10/25 – Charleston, SC – Music Farm %
10/31 – Philadelphia, PA – Theatre of Living Arts *
11/1 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club *
11/2 – Charlottesville, VA – Jefferson Theater *
11/3 – Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle *
11/4 – Atlanta, GA – Masquerade *
11/6 – Dallas, TX – Trees *
11/7 – Austin, TX – Fun Fun Fun Fest
11/8 – Houston, TX – Fitzgerald’s *
11/10 – Phoenix, AZ – Crescent Ballroom *
11/11 – La Jolla, CA – Porters Pub *
11/12 – Pomona, CA – Glass House *
11/14 – San Francisco, CA – Mezzanine +
11/15 – Portland, OR – Hawthorne Theater *
11/17 – Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge *
11/18 – Englewood, CO – Gothic Theatre *
11/20 – Minneapolis, MN – First Line Music Café *
11/21 – Madison, WI – Majestic Theatre *
11/22 – Chicago, IL – Metro *
11/25 – Detroit, MI – St Andrews Hall *
11/26 – Toronto, ON – Danforth Music Hall *
11/27 – Montreal, QC – Club Soda *
11/28 – Boston, MA – Paradise *
11/29 – New York, NY – Stage 48 *
12/10 – Glasgow, UK – Glasgow Garage
12/11 – Manchester, UK – Gorilla
12/12 – London, UK – Koko
12/13 – Paris, FR – La Bellevilloise
12/15 – Oslo, NO – BLA
12/16 – Stockholm, SE – Debaser Strand
12/19 – Copenhagen, DK – Pumpehuset
12/20 – Utrecht, NL – Tivoli Vredenburg
12/21 – Dublin, IE – Opium Rooms
12/30 – Lorne, AU – Falls Festival
12/31 – Marion Bay, AU – Falls Festival
1/1 – Sydney, AU – Field Day
1/2 – Byron Bay, AU – Falls Festival
1/4 – Busselton, AU – Southbound Festival
1/7 – Sydney, AU – Enmore Theatre ^
1/8 – Melbourne, AU – The Forum ^
1/9 – Brisbane, AU – Hi Fi ^
1/10 – Auckland, NZ – Town Hall ^

% Red Bull Sound Select show
* with Rat King & Despot
+ with Despot
^ with Joey Bada$$