Coachella is an endless hub for surprise guest appearances, collaborations, premieres and more, and Run The Jewels have taken this in their stride at their set this weekend.

Not only did they premiere the video clip to Love Again (Akinyele Back) ft. Gangsta Boo, but they brought out Nas, Gary Clarke Jr., Despot, Gangsta Boo and Boots on stage, as well as DJ Shadow, with whom they performed his phenomenal RTJ-featuring new track Nobody Speak. Perhaps most importantly, the duo debuted a brand new song to feature on their forthcoming album Run The Jewels 3. 

The pair were introduced to the stage by presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, via a short pre-recorded video. “One of the highlights of running for president over the course of this last year has been getting to know Killer Mike,” Sanders says in the message.

Killer Mike’s support for Sanders is renowned, which is unsurprising coming from Mike’s background of activism and social work. “His depth of passion, his knowledge and commitment to community is an inspiration to me and I value his friendship immensely.” Sanders also jokes that “the least I could do for both of you is help you out by bringing a few young people together.”

https://www.facebook.com/therealrunthejewels/videos/1097514653639607/

Following this, their star-studded set was by all accounts as wild as ever. Gansgta Boo came out on stage to perform her spitfire verse on Love Again, while Despot (who, along with El-P and others, recently opened a Jewish deli in Brooklyn) ripped into Big Boi‘s guest verse on Banana Clipper, Nas came out for Made You Look, Boots for Early, and Gary Clarke Jr. brought the rock ‘n roll to Angel Duster. 

One of the best moments no doubt came when Killer Mike and El-P performed new track Scenes. It’s sounding aggressive and fast and frantic as hell, and that’s exactly what I’m hoping for more of on Run The Jewels 3, which is hopefully dropping later this year.

Official footage of the whole set is not yet available, but here are some snippets from social media, as well as an mp3 file of the new track here (via Stereogum):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZiymsOX6To

“My favorite group, Run The Jewels” — Nas #coachella2016

A video posted by Mikey Fresh (@mikey_fresh1) on

Written with Alex Crellin

Image: Getty / Christopher Polk

Run The Jewels have released the video clip accompanying Love Again (Akinyele Back) ft. Gangsta Boo, from their 2014 album Run The Jewels 2.

Now, releasing a video about eighteen months after it first came out isn’t typical, and I usually wouldn’t pay too much attention. However, Run The Jewels, and this song in particular, are a special case. It’s without doubt my favourite track on the album, one that I delighted in discussing at length while interviewing them early last year.

A tremendous ode to dirty sex, the lyrics feature Killer Mike, El-P and Gangsta Boo with one verse each, going into raunchy detail about a particular sexual experience. Mike details a BDSM-laced dinner-turned-fuck-fest, El reminisces over the first time he met a woman, “smart and full of filth and joy.” Gangsta Boo then proceeds to knock them both outta the park with her raucous tale of turning a boy into a man, rating him so highly that she’s gonna “share yo’ ass with all my friends.”

The hook, “she want that dick in her mouth all day” and the reversed “he want this clit in his mouth all day” are hilarious to watch full mixed gender crowds rock along to. Not so hilarious the numerous times I’ve been walking down the street listening to this track, mouthing the lyrics along, not noticing people giving me weird looks. 

After teasing fans with cryptic clues across all social media, the Love Again video is now here. RTJ have long released powerful and interesting videos, with their politically-charged clips for Close Your Eyes (And Count To Fuck) and the darkly animated Early offering confronting views into racial violence and injustice in the USA, and, on the flip side, showing off innovation and technological feats with the virtual reality, 360 degree video to Crown. Love Again is totally different in every way imaginable. 

The pair performed at Coachella this weekend, during which they premiered the video. More nature documentary than video clip, the video is essentially a series of extreme close up shots of bees and flowers, with venus fly trap plants pulsating in time with the rhythm on the final verse. 

Watch the exceptionally suggestive visuals below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ks0GQ44xR4I

Image: Youtube / Run The Jewels