Run the Jewels reveals details of all-cat remix album ‘Meow the Jewels’

The rapper and producer El-P, who is one-half of the duo Run the Jewels with Killer Mike, has announced the release date for “Meow the Jewels,” the remix of the team’s 2014 album “Run the Jewels II.” The recording features various producers reworking the tracks with a central limitation: All sounds except the raps must be made by cats.

In a series of tweets, the rapper wrote, “We will be announcing an exact date very soon but if all goes right it drops in September.” It will be available as a free download, on the major streaming services and as a deluxe-edition vinyl package.

Those who haven’t been following the “Meow the Jewels” saga might be baffled, so here’s the back story. In the 2014 release of “Run the Jewels II,” the group teased a fictional item for sale: “The Meow the Jewels Package,” with a selling price of $40,000. Described as a re-recording of the album “using nothing but cat sounds for music,” the project became real when a fan took the bait and started a Kickstarter campaign: “So you’re telling me that if I can raise $40,000 I’ll get to hear a hip-hop album made with all cat sounds? CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.”

The goal eventually was met, and Run the Jewels accepted its own challenge with the stipulation that all proceeds from the project would go to charity.

Since then, El-P and Killer Mike have teased the remixes and recently unveiled the first track. Called “Meowrly,” it’s a remix of “Early.” On Thursday, El-P dropped this all-caps, cuss-laden bomb after getting a track from British producers Massive Attack: “ALERT: WE HAVE JUST RECEIVED THE MEOWMIXXX BY @MassiveAttackUK AND IT IS ... CRAZY!!!!!”

What followed were more tweets about the meows. Asked by one fan whether free felines were involved, El-P wrote, “Of course. each piece of vinyl has a flattened kitten inside it.”

Follow Randall Roberts on Twitter: @liledit