Run The Jewels

“Normally if I were to tell you that I book a rap duo – a guy from New York and a guy from Atlanta – and there’s three managers between them, the normal response would be, ‘That sounds like the biggest nightmare I can imagine,’” The Windish Agency’s Sam Hunt told Pollstar. “It’s actually one of the most functional, efficient and smart organizations I’ve ever worked with and is analogous to the artists themselves – different backgrounds and skillsets that work together extremely effectively.”

Hunt started booking New York rapper El-P about seven years ago and after El-P produced Atlanta rapper Killer Mike’s 2012 album, the two hit the road together. Run The Jewels eventually evolved out of that relationship, with the duo releasing the critically acclaimed Run The Jewels in 2012 and Run The Jewels 2 in 2014.

Both hip-hop artists already had solid careers but together they’ve shined, building strong touring business punctuated by a few spikes in growth – like the time they played a show in St. Louis the same night the Ferguson Grand Jury decision was handed down.

Killer Mike made a speech from the stage that went viral that night, showcasing the duo’s commitment to community building.

“They see themselves as an unlikely combination of backgrounds and perspectives and instead of clashing they’re able to blend and create a new way of looking at things that can serve as a model,” Hunt said.

Run The Jewels will spend most of 2016 writing and recording Run The Jewels 3, along with playing a few select festival dates, before heading out for what will likely be their biggest tour yet.