Artist Review... RJD2

I consider myself lucky that i found RJD2.His real name is Ramble John "RJ" Krohn. RJD2 was born in Eugene, Oregon, and raised in Columbus, Ohio. He currently resides in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.Ramble originally began his career in Columbus,Ohio,DJing in 1993 with a pair of turntables bought from a friend. He went to high school at Fort Hayes Metropolitan Education Center and graduated in 1994. He claims his name originates from another friend who referred to him as "Rjd2" in his raps, and the name stuck.Discovering his music came in a perfect timing for me.I had allready listened to my mousic houndrends of times and i was looking for something new.Not just a new artist but a new style different from the ones i was listening at the current period.I don't remember how i heard him for the first time but i think it was either in youtube or in a music blog i was surfing. His music is a mix of Hip hop, Electronica, Rock,Trip hop, Lo-fi and Nu jazz.It's a perfect solution for a car cd, your morning coffee or almost any activity you can imagine.Consider yourself lucky either if you allready knew him or just starting to explore him.


Albums


                                                             [2002] Deadringer

 1. The Horror
 2. Salud
 3. Smoke and Mirrors
 4. Good Times Roll PT.2
 5. Final Frontier
 6. Ghostwriter
 7. Cut Out to Fl
 8. F.H.H.
 9. Shot In the Dark
 10. Chicken-Bone Circuit
 11. The Proxy
 12. 2 More Dead
                                                                 13. Take the Picture Off
                                                                 14. Silver Fox
                                                                 15. June
                                                                 16. Work




It's his debut alboum released in 2002 by Definitive Jux label.My favourite album.The first song i heard was Ghostwriter.Stuck on it for many years.A masterpiece of music from the master of sampling.Search and find the tracks that he used for his samples in Ghostwriter and you will have a beautiful journey into the history of music.Listening to The Horror you will feel like James Bond for sure.Smoke and Mirrors proves the fact that RJD2 music is a mix of many different genres.It's very similar to Moby's style.A dreamy chillout Nu jazz  song i loved from the first time.Listen to Good Times Roll PT.2 for a celebration of life or The Proxy  and 2 More Dead for a special relaxing time of yours.The whole album is a masterpiece and i hope you will enjoy it as i did.


enjoy




               Soul Position - 8 Millions Stories (2003) 
 01. Intro
 02. Printmatic
 03. Inhale
 04. The Jerry Springer Episode
 05. Candyland Part 1
 06. Just Think
 07. Fuckajob
 08. Look Of Pain
 09. Survival (Feat. Greenhouse Effect)
                                             10. Candyland Part 2
                                             11. Share This
                                             12. Run
                                             13. Right Place, Wrong Time
                                             14. Candyland Part 3
                                             15. No Excuse For Lovin
                                                        16. 1 Love [+ hidden track at the end]
                                          



The second Album of His Majesty.More instrumental,more dark,more trip hop, more genius.Here the sounds are unique but RJD2 stays in the same style for the entire album.Soul Position is a hip-hop duo and blue print is the best vocalist RJD2 has ever paired up with.Look of pain and 1 Love is my favourites but also check the jazz break in Share This and Printmatic's awesome bass.


enjoy




                                                   Since We Last Spoke (2004)                                                 

  

 01. Since We Last Spoke
 02. Exotic Talk

 03. 1976

 04. Ring Finger

 05. Making Days Longer

 06. Someone's Second Kiss

 07. To All of You

 08. Clean Living

 09. Iced Lightning

 10. Intro

 11. Through the Walls
                                                         12. One Day
                                                         13. De L`Alouette
                                                         14. Holy Toledo

In Since We Last Spoke RJD2 breaking a little away from its hip-hop roots.The album is full of funk,jazz, guitar riffs.Not dark as 8 million stories was, Since We Last Spoke has  positive vibes and a more happy side of RJD2.Listen to 1976,Someone's Second Kiss,One day or just put all the album in constant repeat sit back and enjoy.


megaupload         mediafire



                                        

                                            The Third Hand  (2007)

 01. Intro
 02. You Never Had It So Good
 03. Have Mercy
 04. Reality
 05. Work It Out
 06. Laws Of The Gods
 07. Get It
 08. Someday
 09. The Bad Penny
 10. Beyond The Beyond
 11. Sweet Piece
                                                       12. Rules For Normal Living
                                                       13. Paper Bubbles
                                                       14. Just When
                                                       15. The Evening Gospel


The Third Hand is certainly a step in a new direction for RJD2, and he creates songs that could find some success on the radio while still maintaining a musical integrity that makes it interesting to a trained ear as well. It's the worst album of RJD2 but still has diamonds in it.You will not hear all the songs in the album that's for sure.But check Work It Out,Just When and Rules For Normal Living.



    Work it out comes with an amazing video clip featuring Bill Shannon who was born with a  degenerative hip condition. His legs cannot carry his  own weight and so he has lived a life on crutches. He has developed a new way of moving through life on his  skateboard and the crutches. Though this may look like  a recreational hobby or a debilitation, it is simply how   Bill maneuvers throughout the day.                                  




enjoy           


                           The Colossus (2010)

 1. Let There Be Horns
 2. Games You Can Win
 3. Giant Squid
 4. Salud 2
 5. The Glow
 6. A Spaceship For Now
 7. The Shining Path
 8. Crumbs Off The Table
                                                      9. A Son’s Cycle
                                                      10. Tin Flower
                                                      11. Small Plans
                                                      12. Gypsy Caravan
                                                      13. The Stranger
                                                      14. Walk With Me


The multi-genre approach of The Colossus is refreshing, especially following The Third Hand album. When you're considered by many to be one of the best up and coming production gurus, you damned well better deliver something that at least uses your renowned abilities and not some kind of mid-life crisis organic "experiment". The best summary for the entire record is a combination of back to back tracks "The Stranger" and "Walk With Me", showcasing a logical extension of Deadringer highlight "The Horror" and an expansion of his newfound poppy direction, respectively.Check also the wonderfull "Let There Be Horns".




enjoy      




The journey kind of ends up here for the moment. RJD2 has also releashed several mix albums.
Your Face or Your Kneecaps (2001)
Loose Ends (2003)
Lobster and Scrimp (2003)
In Rare Form: Unreleased Instrumentals (2004)
The Mashed Up Mixes (2004)
Constant Elevation (2005)
 I will blog them soon...
Until then pray to your Gods every day for giving us RJD2.
Babylon...