Back in 2012 an album came out that truly got me excited about hip hop again.

A white guy from New York and a black guy from Atlanta, each from different spectrums of the same genre, joined forces to collaborate and plant their freak flag in the middle of a cookie-cutter music industry.

I’ve since come to realize that what makes the 12 tracks on R.A.P. Music by Killer Mike so impressive is not only the atypical production style of El-P, but the passion and sincerity with which the leading character delivers his commentary.

That these two individuals have continued to make impressive music together over the past four years – under the Run The Jewels moniker – only reinforces how important this album is in the whole scheme of things.

Here’s three tracks worth trying to wrap your head around.

“Untitled” (featuring Scar)

Sample lyrics: “The Lord give a load, you got to carry it like Mary did… that’s why I’m giving honor to all these baby mammas… it takes a woman’s womb to make a Christ or Dali Lama… the world might take that child, turn that child into a monster… the Lord’ll take a monster and fashion him a saint…”

“Reagan”

Sample lyrics: “We brag on having bread, but none of us are bakers… we all talk having greens, but none of us own acres… if none of us own acres, and none of us grow wheat… then who will feed our people when our people need to eat… so it seems our people starve from lack of understanding… cause all we seem to give them is some balling and some dancing…”

“Ghetto Gospel”

Sample lyrics: “My mama said hustlin’ does come with feds… time do the crime you better had be prepared… for what comes with it, the killing and court convictions… snorting bitches, the snitches, often they get acquitted… while the real sent to prison to rot away while they living… and all because I say dope shit they on a mission… to nail my black ass to the wall with a conviction… I pray the Lord hear me, but really Lord is ya listenin’…”