RJD2

Biography

Ramble Jon Krohn (born May 27, 1976), better known by his stage name RJD2, is an American musician and record producer based in Columbus, Ohio. He is the owner of record label RJ's Electrical Connections. He has been a member of groups such as Soul Position, MHz Legacy, and Icebird. His stage name derives from the popular Star Wars droid R2-D2.

Life and career

Born in Eugene, Oregon, Krohn was raised in Columbus, Ohio. He began making music in 1993.
In 2002, RJD2 signed to El-P's record label Definitive Jux and released his debut solo studio album, Deadringer×Deadringer23 July 2002 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1The Horror4:122Salud0:383Smoke & Mirrors4:264Good Times Roll, Part 24:575Final Frontier4:266Ghostwriter5:187Cut Out to FL3:428F.H.H.4:319Shot in the Dark1:2110Chicken-Bone Circuit3:5411The Proxy2:15122 More Dead5:1813Take the Picture Off1:0214Silver Fox3:3115June6:0416Work3:43, to much acclaim. RJD2 later collaborated with rapper Blueprint under the name Soul Position, releasing 8 Million Stories on Rhymesayers Entertainment in 2003.
He released his second solo studio album, Since We Last Spoke×Since We Last Spoke17 May 2004 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Since We Last Spoke4:152Exotic Talk3:44319762:274Ring Finger3:475Making Days Longer4:366Someone’s Second Kiss4:287To All of You5:098Clean Living4:309Iced Lightning4:0710Intro1:1011Through the Walls3:2812One Day6:2013De l’Alouette3:1114Holy Toledo4:10, on Definitive Jux in 2004. Soul Position's second album, Things Go Better with RJ and AL, was released in 2006 under Rhymesayers Entertainment. 2006 also saw the release of Magnificent City, his collaborative album with rapper Aceyalone. Magnificent City includes "A Beautiful Mine", which features in the title sequence of Mad Men.
In 2007, RJD2 released the solo studio album, The Third Hand×The Third Hand6 March 2007 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Intro1:012You Never Had It So Good4:053Have Mercy3:184Reality3:015Work It Out3:266Laws of the Gods2:117Get It3:318Someday1:229The Bad Penny4:0510Beyond the Beyond3:5711Sweet Piece4:0112Rules for Normal Living4:0313Paper Bubbles2:5014Just When3:2815The Evening Gospel2:54, on XL Recordings. In 2010, he released his fourth solo studio album, The Colossus×The Colossus19 January 2010 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Let There Be Horns4:092Games You Can Win5:263Giant Squid4:084Salud 20:495The Glow4:266A Spaceship for Now3:157The Shining Path4:088Crumbs Off the Table4:049A Son’s Cycle4:0510Tin Flower3:4811Small Plans4:3212Gypsy Caravan2:1313The Stranger3:5914Walk With Me5:24, on his own label RJ's Electrical Connections. In 2011, he released the album, We Are the Doorways, under the pseudonym The Insane Warrior.
RJD2 formed Icebird with Aaron Livingston, vocalist of a Philadelphia-based band called The Mean. The duo's debut album, The Abandoned Lullaby, was released in 2011. In 2013, RJD2 released his fifth solo studio album, More Is Than Isn't, on RJ's Electrical Connections.
In 2015, RJD2 released a collaborative album with rapper STS, titled STS x RJD2×STS x RJD25 May 2015 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Doin’ It Right3:482Trunk of My Computer3:433Hold On, Here It Go5:3544204:395Don’t Get Played3:396Tennessee (Whiskey Revival)4:037Cruisin’3:408All I Wanted Was a Caddy4:019Monsters Under My Bed4:5310Dice Game3:3911Fancy Car (Family Values)3:3912Fuck With That3:42. His sixth solo studio album, Dame Fortune×Dame Fortune25 March 2016 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1A Portal Inward2:472The Roaming Hoard2:343Peace of What3:294The Sheboygan Left4:505A New Theory2:056We Come Alive4:347PF, Day One4:568Saboteur3:599Your Nostalgic Heart and Lung4:4210Up in the Clouds4:4911Band of Matron Saints4:0212Portals Outward1:21, was released in 2016.
In 2020, he released his seventh solo studio album, The Fun Ones×The Fun Ones17 April 2020 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1No Helmet Up Indianola3:202Indoor S’mores4:42320 Grand Palace3:504One of a Kind3:495High Street Will Never Die4:586Pull Up on Love3:377All I’m After5:038Flocking to the Nearest Machine4:349And It Sold for 45k2:0510The Freshman Lettered4:1011A Genuine Gentleman3:5412Itch Ditch Mission2:4513My Very Own Burglar Neighbor3:0814A Salute to Blood Bowl Legends4:16, on RJ's Electrical Connections. It features guest appearances from Aceyalone, Homeboy Sandman, Jordan Brown, Khari Mateen, and STS.
He released a course on sampling and arranging, RJD2: From Samples to Songs, with online music school Soundfly on July 27, 2021.

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)
According To... (2026) (with Supastition)

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×Let the Good Times Roll2001 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracksA1Let the Good Times RollA2Let the Good Times Roll (instrumental)B1Let the Good Times Roll Part TwoB2Let the Good Times Roll Part Two (instrumental)" (2002)
"The Horror×The HorrorFebruary 2003 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracksA1The Horror4:11A2Smoke & Mirrors4:26B1Final Frontier (remix Drty)4:12B2Final Frontier (remix Cln)4:12B3Final Frontier (remix Instrmntl)4:12" / "Final Frontier (Remix)" (2003)
"Sell the World" / "Ghostwriter (Remix)" (2003)
"1976" (2004)
"Through the Walls×Through the Walls2004 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Through the Walls (radio edit)3:122Ghostwriter (The Cat Gut edit)4:30319762:27" (2004)
"Exotic Talk×Exotic Talk2004 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracksA1Exotic Talk (main)A2Exotic Talk (alternate)B1Get Off My Spaceship BitchB2The Move" (2004)
"Fire" (2005) (with Aceyalone)
"Superhero" (2006) (with Aceyalone)
"You Never Had It So Good×You Never Had It So Good16 March 2007 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracksA1You Never Had It So Good4:01A2You Never Had It So Good (instrumental)4:09B1Just When (instrumental)3:25B2Get It (instrumental)3:26" (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)
Cannibal Ox - "The F Word (Remix)" (2001)
Copywrite - "Fuck Sound Check" from Eastern Conference [High & Mighty] (2001)
Cage – "Among the Sleep" from Movies for the Blind (2002)
Mos Def/Diverse/Prefuse 73 – "Wylin Out (RJD2 Remix)" (2002)
RJD2 - "I REALLY Like Your Def Jux Baby Tee" from Def Jux 2 (2002)
RJD2- "True Confessions" from Urban Renewal Program (2002)
Souls of Mischief – "Spark" (2002)
El-P – "Lazerfaces' Warning (RJD2 Remix)" from Fandam Plus (2002)
Edotkom - "Blind Man's Eye" from Obsidian: The Altered States LP (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)
The High & Mighty- "Incorporate Anthem" from The Highlight Zone (2003)
Tame One – "Up 2 No Good Again" from When Rappers Attack (2003)
CunninLynguists – "Seasons" from SouthernUnderground (2003)
Diverse – "Certified"; "Uprock"; "Big Game"; "Explosive×Explosive2003 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 7 tracksA1ExplosiveA2Explosive (instrumental)A3Explosive (a cappella)B1Ain't Right (12" version)B2Ain't Right (instrumental)B3Ain't Right (clean)B4RJ's Cuts" + "Under the Hammer" from One A.M. (2003)
Aceyalone – "Lost Your Mind" + "Moonlit Skies" from Love & Hate (2003)
J-Walk - "Another Lover (RJD2 Remix)" (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)
Unkle - "Reign (RJD2 Vocal 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)
Fall Out Boy - "Dance, Dance (Remix)" (2006)
Aceyalone – "Never Come Back"; "Angelina Valintina" + "Impact" from Grand Imperial (2006)
Jack Peñate – "Learning Lines" from Matinée (2007)
Little Brother - "Best Kept Secret" (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)