RJD2

Instrumental Hip-Hop Sucks. Ban It Forever.

RJD2​ Instrumental hip-hop should be banned. It's the banal, meandering stepchild of hip-hop. It's a front-runner for the dubious honor of being the world's most snooze-inducing form of music. And, shockingly, there are still producers and fans who insist on validating it like it's anything bu ... More >>

RJD2 on the Dehumanizing of Music, and Performing with Four Turntables

​Performing with and producing for artists like EL-P, Aesop Rock, and Aceyalone, RJD2 has paved an unprecedented path for himself since the 2002 debut of his instrumental hip-hop album, Deadringer. He's shown his creativity in a variety of outlets, whether it be the soundtrack to a skate vide ... More >>

Last Night: RJD2 and Busdriver at the Independent

​RJD2, Busdriver Wednesday, April 7, 2010 The IndependentBetter than: Karaoke night with R2D2 and a bus driver.

Indie-rapper Busdriver called last night's bill at the Independent a "weird rap night." The music was eclectic, to be sure, but the vibe was strange too. It was ... More >>

RJD2

Track of the Day: From Joyo Velarde's Quannum Debut

Soulful singer Joyo Velarde has long been part of the Quannum family, lending her honeyed delivery to top names on the local label's roster, including music by husband Lyrics Born (she's given co-writing and performing credit for over half the material on LB's classic 2004 album Later That Day, for ... More >>

Saturday: Download Festival at the Shoreline Amphitheatre

JAMC , Gang of Four at Download Festival

Summer Fest Onslaught Continutes with Download

Gobbling Psychedelics with Stars of the Lid

Bay Area Picks for SXSW

Dangermouse and Girl Talk talk Copyright

Serious hip-hop's for the birds: Pigeon John's goofy humor

Cut Chemist puts a new spin on the art of the sonic collage

Beat This

RJD2's instinctive production style

Aceyalone and RJD2 team up for hip hop sweetness; Joaquin Joe Claussell brings soulful house from NYC

Videogames and Stevie Wonder compliments of Amon Tobin, RJD2, and "Wonder-Full 2"

On the Down-Low

Shovel away all that Usher, Prince and Lil Jon you've been jamming and dig this year's buried black-music treasures.

Dosh

Pure Trash

Return of the Jedi

Once hailed as the savior of instrumental hip hop, RJD2 is back with his sophomore release

Soul Position

8 Million Stories

Fabled Aesop

The rhymes are strange and the beats are bleak, but Aesop Rock insists that his latest is anything but experimental

This Week's Day-by-Day Picks

Hear This

Aceyalone and Prince Paul "Love & Hate the Business" of hip hop

Hear This

Prefuse 73 (aka Scott Herren) is a one-man beat Cuisinart whose sonic spray bridges hip hop and electronica

Boom Bip

Seed to Sum (Lex)

RJD2

Deadringer (Definite Jux)