RJD2  | |
|---|---|
![]() RJD2 performing at Moogfest in 2014  | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Ramble Jon Krohn | 
| Also known as | 
  | 
| Born | May 27, 1976 Eugene, Oregon, U.S.  | 
| Origin | Columbus, Ohio, U.S. | 
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | 
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| Years active | 1993–present | 
| Labels | 
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| Website | www | 
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

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)
 
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
- Official website
 - RJD2 on SoundCloud
 - RJD2 discography at Discogs
 
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