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]
RJD2
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RJD2 performing at Moogfest in 2014
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Ramble Jon Krohn |
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| Born | (1976-05-27) May 27, 1976 (age 48) Eugene, Oregon, U.S. |
| Origin | Columbus, Ohio, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1993–present |
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| Website | www |
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 StoriesonRhymesayers 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]
