For those of you out there who think hip-hop is nothing more than booty shaking and flashy jewelry – and are actually happy with that – Rjd2 may not be the sound for you.
But for those listeners thirsting for a more fundamental, creatively inclined branch of the genre, Rjd2, who will be performing Saturday night at the 9:30 Club, may be just what the doctor ordered.
Rjd2 is a DJ in the same vein as the more famous DJ Shadow. Both create mostly instrumental hip-hop that relies heavily on a large variety of samples in order to create a sound that recalls the 1980s heyday of hip-hop. While Rjd2’s songs feature the occasional guest rapper, the emphasis is clearly on the looping, soulful beats that resonate from the turntables.
Rjd2 is signed to the relatively unknown Definitive Jux record label, which is home to such underground hip-hop stars as Aesop Rock and El-P. Regardless of his fairly underground label, Rjd2’s stripped-down brand of hip-hop has attracted fans from all reaches of music. Indie rock idols Belle and Sebastian recently handpicked Rjd2’s track “Here’s What’s Left” for the Late Night Tales album, in which an artist selects some of his favorite tracks by other musicians. In March, Rjd2 is slated to perform at the annual Langerado Festival in Florida, alongside acts such as the very un-hip-hop Umphrey’s McGee, Wilco and The Flaming Lips, among others.
So if you are looking to rediscover what hip-hop was like before the existence of MTV, check out Rjd2, but unless you already have tickets you’ll have to catch him next time around.
Tickets were $15, but the 9:30 Club show is sold out.
– Adam Levin
