The entertainment world was hit with shocking news on Sunday when it was announced that longtime Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek died at the age of 80 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. As expected, Trebek’s biggest supporters took to social media to share their favorite memories. Among them was Run The Jewels’ El-P, who jumped on Twitter to share an idea involving Trebek that he and Killer Mike had hoped to make a reality on the rap duo’s recently released album Run The Jewels 4.
true story: when we were originally crafting “a few words for the firing squad” off RTJ4 we were going to make it a sequel to “jeopardy” from RTJ2 and call it “final jeopardy”. we reached out to alex trebeks people and tried to get him on the jam but couldn’t make it happen.
— el-p (@therealelp) November 8, 2020
we thought of that because run the jewels was an answer on jeopardy which we sampled and had in between verses but it didn’t quite work so we tried to get Alex to re-do it a little differently. when we couldn’t get him we scrapped the idea and created “a few words…” instead. https://t.co/NMjjkPBWAP
— el-p (@therealelp) November 8, 2020
“True story: when we were originally crafting ‘a few words for the firing squad’ off RTJ4 we were going to make it a sequel to ‘jeopardy’ from RTJ2 and call it ‘final jeopardy,’” El-P wrote. “We reached out to alex trebeks people and tried to get him on the jam but couldn’t make it happen.” The rapper explained why the duo felt that the Jeopardy! host’s involvement would be a great fit on the album. “We thought of that because run the jewels was an answer on jeopardy which we sampled and had in between verses but it didn’t quite work so we tried to get Alex to re-do it a little differently,” El-P said. “When we couldn’t get him we scrapped the idea and created ‘a few words…’ instead.”
to me Alex represented a calm joy of knowledge and it’s pursuit. he had a gentlemanly demeanor and seemingly kind soul and used intelligence playfully and encouragingly. sad to see him go and hope he rests peacefully.
— el-p (@therealelp) November 8, 2020
Run The Jewels’ “A Few Words For The Firing Squad (Radiation)” is a strong outro from Run The Jewels 4, and it was also crowned Uproxx’s mid-year song of 2020 so far back in June. El-P also shared what Trebek meant to him personally, saying he “represented a calm joy of knowledge and it’s pursuit.” He added, “He had a gentlemanly demeanor and seemingly kind soul and used intelligence playfully and encouragingly. sad to see him go and hope he rests peacefully.”