RJD2
- RJ
- The Insane Warrior
Eugene, Oregon, U.S.
- Hip hop[1]
- indie rock[2]
- Music producer
- DJ
- Definitive Jux
- XL Recordings
- RJ's Electrical Connections
Ramble Jon Krohn[3] (born May 27, 1976),[4] better known by his stage name RJD2, is an American musician and record producer based in Columbus, Ohio.[5] He is the owner of record label RJ's Electrical Connections.[6] He has been a member of groups such as Soul Position,[7] MHz Legacy,[8] and Icebird.[9] His stage name derives from the popular Star Wars droid R2-D2.[10]
Life and career
Born in Eugene, Oregon,[11] Krohn was raised in Columbus, Ohio.[12] He began making music in 1993.[13]
In 2002, RJD2 signed to El-P's record label Definitive Jux and released his debut solo studio album, Deadringer, to much acclaim.[14] RJD2 later collaborated with rapper Blueprint under the name Soul Position, releasing 8 Million Stories on Rhymesayers Entertainment in 2003.[15]
He released his second solo studio album, Since We Last Spoke, on Definitive Jux in 2004.[16] Soul Position's second album, Things Go Better with RJ and AL, was released in 2006 under Rhymesayers Entertainment.[17] 2006 also saw the release of Magnificent City, his collaborative album with rapper Aceyalone.[18] Magnificent City includes "A Beautiful Mine", which features in the title sequence of Mad Men.[19]
In 2007, RJD2 released the solo studio album, The Third Hand, on XL Recordings.[20] In 2010, he released his fourth solo studio album, The Colossus, on his own label RJ's Electrical Connections.[21] In 2011, he released the album, We Are the Doorways, under the pseudonym The Insane Warrior.[22]
RJD2 formed Icebird with Aaron Livingston, vocalist of a Philadelphia-based band called The Mean.[23] The duo's debut album, The Abandoned Lullaby, was released in 2011.[24] In 2013, RJD2 released his fifth solo studio album, More Is Than Isn't, on RJ's Electrical Connections.[25]
In 2015, RJD2 released a collaborative album with rapper STS, titled STS x RJD2.[26] His sixth solo studio album, Dame Fortune, was released in 2016.[27]
In 2020, he released his seventh solo studio album, The Fun Ones, on RJ's Electrical Connections.[28] It features guest appearances from Aceyalone, Homeboy Sandman, Jordan Brown, Khari Mateen, and STS.[29]
He released a course on sampling and arranging, RJD2: From Samples to Songs, with online music school Soundfly on July 27, 2021.[30]
Discography
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/66/RJD2.jpg/260px-RJD2.jpg)
Studio albums
- Deadringer (2002)
- Since We Last Spoke (2004)
- Magnificent City (2006) (with Aceyalone)
- The Third Hand (2007)
- The Colossus (2010)
- We Are the Doorways (2011) (as The Insane Warrior)
- The Abandoned Lullaby (2011) (with Aaron Livingston, as Icebird)
- More Is Than Isn't (2013)
- STS x RJD2 (2015) (with STS)
- Dame Fortune (2016)
- Tendrils (2018) (as The Insane Warrior)
- The Fun Ones (2020)
- Escape from Sweet Auburn (2022) (with STS)
- Visions Out Of Limelight (2024)
Compilation albums
- In Rare Form: Unreleased Instrumentals (2004)
- The Third Hand Instrumentals (2007)
- Inversions of the Colossus (2010)
- In Rare Form, Vol. 2 (2018)
Mix albums
- Your Face or Your Kneecaps (2001)
- Loose Ends (2003)
- Lobster and Scrimp (2003)
- Constant Elevation (2005)
EPs
- Pryor Convictions (2000) (with Poppa Hop, as The Dirty Birds)
- The Horror (2003)
- The Mashed Up Mixes (2004)
- Tin Foil Hat (2009)
- The Glow Remixes (2011)
Singles
- "June" / "The Proxy" (2001)
- "Rain" / "Find You Out" (2002)
- "Here's What's Left" (2002)
- "Let the Good Times Roll" (2002)
- "The Horror" / "Final Frontier (Remix)" (2003)
- "Sell the World" / "Ghostwriter (Remix)" (2003)
- "1976" (2004)
- "Through the Walls" (2004)
- "Exotic Talk" (2004)
- "Fire" (2005) (with Aceyalone)
- "Superhero" (2006) (with Aceyalone)
- "You Never Had It So Good" (2007)
- "No Helmet Up Indianola" (2020)
Guest appearances
- Pigeon John – "The Last Sunshine" from And the Summertime Pool Party (2006)
- Lushlife + CSLSX – "Toynbee Suite" from Ritualize (2016)
Productions
- Aesop Rock – "Kill 'Em All Remix" (2001)
- Cage – "Among the Sleep" from Movies for the Blind (2002)
- Mos Def/Diverse/Prefuse 73 – "Wylin Out (RJD2 Remix)" (2002)
- Souls of Mischief – "Spark" (2002)
- El-P – "Lazerfaces' Warning (RJD2 Remix)" from Fandam Plus (2002)
- Massive Attack – "Butterfly Caught (RJD2 Remix)" (2002)
- Murs – "Sore Losers" from The End of the Beginning (2003)
- Viktor Vaughn – "Saliva" from Vaudeville Villain (2003)
- The Weathermen – "5 Left in the Clip (RJD2 Remix)" from The Conspiracy (2003)
- Cage – "Weather People" from Weatherproof (2003)
- Nightmares on Wax – "70s 80s (RJD2 Remix)" (2003)
- Elbow – "Fugitive Motel (RJD2 Mix)" (2003)
- Tame One – "Up 2 No Good Again" from When Rappers Attack (2003)
- CunninLynguists – "Seasons" from SouthernUnderground (2003)
- Diverse – "Certified", "Uprock", "Big Game", "Explosive" and "Under the Hammer" from One A.M. (2003)
- Aceyalone – "Lost Your Mind" and "Moonlit Skies" from Love & Hate (2003)
- Babbletron – "The Clock Song" from Mechanical Royalty (2003)
- Vast Aire – "9 Lashes (When Michael Smacks Lucifer)" from Look Mom... No Hands (2004)
- Leak Bros – "Gimmesumdeath" from Waterworld (2004)
- Hikaru Utada – "Devil Inside (RJD2 Remix)" (2004)
- Leela James – "Music (RJD2 Remix)" (2005)
- Cage – "Shoot Frank" from Hell's Winter (2005)
- Astrud Gilberto – "The Gentle Rain (RJD2 Remix)" from Verve Remixed 3 (2005)
- The Go! Team – "Huddle Formation (RJD2 Remix)" from Ladyflash Remixes (2006)
- Pigeon John – "The Last Sunshine" from And the Summertime Pool Party (2006)
- Cool Calm Pete – "Black Friday" from Lost (2006)
- Aceyalone – "Never Come Back", "Angelina Valintina" and "Impact" from Grand Imperial (2006)
- Jack Peñate – "Learning Lines" from Matinée (2007)
- Yo La Tengo – "Here to Fall (RJD2 Remix)" from Here to Fall: Remixes (2010)
- J-Live – "Great Expectations" from S.P.T.A. (2011)
- CunninLynguists – "The Format" from Strange Journey Volume Three (2014)
- Son Little – "Cross My Heart (RJD2 Remix)" from Things I Forgot (2014)
- Tycho – "Apogee (RJD2 Remix)" from Awake Remixes (2016)
- Homeboy Sandman – "Gumshoe" from Kindness for Weakness (2016)
References
- ^ Sanneh, Kelefa (May 15, 2004). "Hip-Hop Review; Dissolving the Border Between CD and Live". The New York Times.
- ^ Faraone, Chris (May 6, 2008). "Experiment illness – RJD2 at Paradise Rock Club, May 3, 2008". The Portland Phoenix. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014.
- ^ Jurgensen, John (January 15, 2010). "Beyond the 'Mad Men' Sound – The theme song's creator releases a genre-bending album". The Wall Street Journal.
- ^ Spano, Charles. "Rjd2 – Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved November 17, 2014.
- ^ Gensler, Andy (April 7, 2016). "RJD2 Explains Losing and Winning With 'Mad Men,' the Licensing Inspiration of His New Record". Billboard. Retrieved April 9, 2016.
- ^ Coplan, Chris (January 4, 2011). "RJD2 drops free remix EP, announces Insane Warrior album and more". Consequence of Sound.
- ^ Chennault, Sam (October 23, 2002). "Soul Position: Unlimited EP". Pitchfork.
- ^ Eddy, Lincoln (February 13, 2013). "Resurrecting a MHz Legacy: RJD2 and Tage Future chase inspiration in "Out of Room"". Alarm.
- ^ Coplan, Chris (August 1, 2011). "RJD2 and Aaron Livingston form Icebird, ready debut album". Consequence of Sound.
- ^ Watercutter, Angela (October 10, 2011). "Building a Modular Synth With RJD2". Wired. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
- ^ Notman, Alex (May 13, 2014). "Dub Ball Recap: Medium Troy, Devin the Dude, RJD2 and more". Eugene Weekly. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014.
- ^ Dominic, Anthony (May 2014). "Editors' Picks the Best of the City this Month". Columbus Monthly.
- ^ Peck, Jamie (February 20, 2014). "Daily 5: Creed Bratton at Webster Hall, La Soiree Burlesque in Union Square, More". Newyork.com. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014.
- ^ Reyneke, David (April 23, 2013). "Our 12 Favorite Definitive Jux Albums (4/5)". Potholes in My Blog.
- ^ Rabin, Nathan (November 11, 2003). "8 Million Stories". The A.V. Club.
- ^ Heaton, Dave (May 25, 2004). "Rjd2: Since We Last Spoke". PopMatters.
- ^ Breihan, Tom (April 3, 2006). "Soul Position: Things Go Better With RJ and Al". Pitchfork.
- ^ Adams, Erik (March 27, 2013). "Untangling the threads of the Mad Men theme". The A.V. Club.
- ^ DeVille, Chris (February 19, 2014). "Beck Turned Down Multiple Offers To Write The Mad Men Theme". Stereogum.
- ^ Harris, Keith (March 15, 2007). "RJD2, 'The Third Hand' (XL)". Spin.
- ^ Sisson, Patrick (January 18, 2010). "RJD2: The Colossus". Pitchfork.
- ^ Schiller, Mike (February 28, 2011). "The Insane Warrior: We Are the Doorways". PopMatters.
- ^ Amorosi, A.D. (December 26, 2012). "RJD2/Icebird". Philadelphia City Paper. Archived from the original on October 3, 2015.
- ^ Curtin, Kevin (January 17, 2012). "Traveling at Different Speeds: An Interview with Icebird's RJD2". PopMatters.
- ^ McCurry, Francisco (November 21, 2013). "RJD2 – More Is Than Isn't". Potholes in My Blog.
- ^ Newman, Jason (April 8, 2015). "RJD2 Plots 'Soulful' New Album With Philly Rapper STS". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 2, 2016.
- ^ Peters, Taylor (January 6, 2016). "RJD2 announces Dame Fortune, shares track". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved April 2, 2016.
- ^ Minsker, Evan (February 19, 2020). "RJD2 Announces New Album The Fun Ones, Shares Song". Pitchfork.
- ^ Blistein, Jon (February 19, 2020). "RJD2 Returns With the Funk on New Song 'Pull Up on Love'". Rolling Stone.
- ^ Rabinowitz, Chloe. "Hip-Hop Innovator RJD2 And Online Music School Soundfly Team Up To Release New Music Course". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Official website
- RJD2 on SoundCloud
- RJD2 discography at Discogs
- v
- t
- e
- Deadringer (2002)
- Since We Last Spoke (2004)
- Magnificent City (2006)
- The Third Hand (2007)
- The Colossus (2010)
- More Is Than Isn't (2013)
- Dame Fortune (2016)
- The Fun Ones (2020)
- The Horror (2003)