RJD2 starts his own label

Mindbender Futurama · Fri Aug 21, 2009 11:39 am

As a producer, turntablist, and emcee, RJD2 is no stranger to juggling more than one endeavor at a time. The multi-faceted artist recently announced to fans several of his musical plans.

RJ has started his own record label called Electrical Connections, in which he will sign himself as the first artist. The name has been RJ's publishing company dating back as early as 2001. He called the launching of the label "one of the most exciting moments of my career." In addition to being able to work for himself, he has acquired his first three releases (Dead Ringer [click to read], The Horror EP, and Since We Last Spoke [click to read]) for the new label.

With what is perhaps the biggest news, on October 20th, RJD2 will release a box set of his music, commemorating almost 10 years in the music game. Titled RJD2 2009-2010, the set will include seven unreleased songs as well as his older tracks.

RJ lastly announced that his latest album is finally finished and will probably see a 2010 release.

"I feel the need to say something that's important to me," he wrote. "I've realized recently that I do music, make records, LISTEN to records, tour, and generally hole myself up in the studio because I love it, not because it's my job. It's become as natural as breathing, and keeps me sane--most of the time. I'm much more concerned with making a timeless record."

In related news, one of RJD2's earlest projects, the MHz' Table Scraps, just re-released on Man Bites Dog Records.

ogie · Post by **ogie** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 11:41 am

his last record was unlistenable. i imagine he'll be doing more of the same.

hellriser · Post by **hellriser** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 12:11 pm

ogie wrote:his last record was unlistenable. i imagine he'll be doing more of the same.

true.... - last record is horrible.

Employee · Post by **Employee** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 12:45 pm

Mindbender Futurama wrote:. It's become as natural as breathing, and keeps me sane--most of the time. I'm much more concerned with making a timeless record."

Trademark · Post by **Trademark** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 12:47 pm

hellriser wrote:
ogie wrote:his last record was unlistenable. i imagine he'll be doing more of the same.
true.... - last record is horrible.

Reggie · Post by **Reggie** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 12:53 pm

Wow, he got Jux to cough up those first three releases, huh? I wonder if a scathing anti-Jux diatribe is in his future.

Website · Post by **Random Sample** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 1:22 pm

Reggie wrote:Wow, he got Jux to cough up those first three releases, huh? I wonder if a scathing anti-Jux diatribe is in his future.

I was holding out to sell my copy on ebay for big bucks, because I thought another release wouldn't see the time of day. I guess I am screwed now. They have been going for a decent amount on there lately.

LameAim · Post by **LameAim** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 2:09 pm

ogie wrote:his last record was unlistenable.

I liked the instrumental version quite a bit. Singing-wise, not a fan. Respect due though, he took a hell of a chance with it.

GhostDog · Post by **GhostDog** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 4:15 pm

LameAim wrote:
ogie wrote:his last record was unlistenable.
I liked the instrumental version quite a bit. Singing-wise, not a fan. Respect due though, he took a hell of a chance with it.

Agreed. Singing was a huge mistake, but the production was tight. I hope he goes back to what he did on his first two albums.

The Afronaut · Post by **The Afronaut** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 4:18 pm

Rjd2 wrote:Also, if you donגt see me posting left and right on whatever the most current social networking site is, its not cause I donגt like being social, its cause I feel like our time on earth is very very short, and that the most I have to offer this planet in my little window of time here is through the vessel of music. I would rather leave behind something you can hopefully use a little more than an update on my belly button lint. Hopefully, a catalog that speaks more volumes than all the blogs I could possibly write in a hundred years.

Dopest part of his announcement.

Reggie wrote:I wonder if a scathing anti-Jux diatribe is in his future.

Doubt it. He's been quiet this long and implied enough really by acquiring those releases for himself...

Remo the Great · Post by **Remo the Great** » Fri Aug 21, 2009 11:51 pm

I'm glad he's made this move for himself. I was just wondering what he was working on the other day.

blackaspirin · Post by **blackaspirin** » Sat Aug 22, 2009 10:40 am

best news of the morning...

Captin Planit · Post by **Captin Planit** » Sat Aug 22, 2009 2:59 pm

Third Hand is a terrible, boring record through and through. Even the production is terrible. Wish he would give people more of the Deadringer shit like everybody wants.

madtapes · Post by **madtapes** » Sun Aug 23, 2009 11:33 pm

Fuck RJD2. Anyone remember a few years ago when he went through the trouble to announce that he was leaving rap music behind? He then went on to talk shit about how amateurish the whole industry was and how he was better than that.

perabigail · Post by **perabigail** » Mon Aug 24, 2009 12:10 am

Captin Planit wrote:Third Hand is a terrible, boring record through and through. Even the production is terrible. Wish he would give people more of the Deadringer shit like everybody wants.

i didn't like the album at all, but i don't think the production was terrible, or not all of it anyway. i especially liked beyond the beyond (no vocals though plz).

he's not gonna be doing the dead ringer shit because it's too expensive to make sample based records anymore. i have to imagine this is similar reasoning to slug saying blockhead beats would get him sued, rj has been through all kinds of legal woes with his previous music. to whoever said he's expecting more of the same of the last record, i would not expect that. third hand was received very poorly, and he knows this. he tried something new, it didn't work out at all, and while i don't think he's going to go deadringer on us, i would be very surprised if his next record sounded anything like third hand.

battlecatmeowstab212 · Mon Aug 24, 2009 12:24 am

GhostDog wrote:
LameAim wrote:
ogie wrote:his last record was unlistenable.
I liked the instrumental version quite a bit. Singing-wise, not a fan. Respect due though, he took a hell of a chance with it.
Agreed. Singing was a huge mistake, but the production was tight. I hope he goes back to what he did on his first two albums.

I agree with this. I forgive his diatribe as well. Just think, for every step forward and success he had, he had to take at least three steps back due to sample issues. His bitterness and depression must rival Chaplin. Poor guy. I'm curious to hear what that second Soul Position album would sound like with the original samples intact.

odium-LSC · Post by **odium-LSC** » Mon Aug 24, 2009 1:39 am

Mindbender futurama wrote:
As a producer, turntablist, and emcee

waitaminute, RJD2 raps?

The Afronaut · Post by **The Afronaut** » Mon Aug 24, 2009 8:05 am

battlecatmeowstab212 wrote:I'm curious to hear what that second Soul Position album would sound like with the original samples intact.

I had no idea there he had to pull samples from this record.

drizzle · Post by **drizzle** » Mon Aug 24, 2009 11:17 am

odium-LSC wrote:
Mindbender futurama wrote:
As a producer, turntablist, and emcee
waitaminute, RJD2 raps?

you never heard him and marley marl do double trouble?

Stepfather · Post by **Stepfather** » Mon Aug 24, 2009 11:58 am

RJ sounds like he wants to be the next "Postal Service"...no thanks.

Captin Planit · Post by **Captin Planit** » Mon Aug 24, 2009 12:55 pm

perabigail wrote:he's not gonna be doing the dead ringer shit because it's too expensive to make sample based records anymore. i have to imagine this is similar reasoning to slug saying blockhead beats would get him sued, rj has been through all kinds of legal woes with his previous music. to whoever said he's expecting more of the same of the last record, i would not expect that. third hand was received very poorly, and he knows this. he tried something new, it didn't work out at all, and while i don't think he's going to go deadringer on us, i would be very surprised if his next record sounded anything like third hand.

This all makes sense, but how the fuck does somebody like Girl Talk get away with sampling 80 songs without having to pay a scrap of royalties? What loop hole is he exploiting that any other sampling producer can't exploit? And if things are really that dire for sample-based producers, major or indie, people need to start picking up fucking instruments and start leaving synths behind a little more often.

Reason · Post by **Reason** » Mon Aug 24, 2009 1:04 pm

you better be extraordinarily talented if you're gonna say self-aggrandizing shit like "i'm much more concerned with making a timeless record"

whatafag4lyfe

blueprint · Post by **blueprint** » Mon Aug 24, 2009 1:35 pm

Captin Planit wrote:
perabigail wrote:he's not gonna be doing the dead ringer shit because it's too expensive to make sample based records anymore. i have to imagine this is similar reasoning to slug saying blockhead beats would get him sued, rj has been through all kinds of legal woes with his previous music. to whoever said he's expecting more of the same of the last record, i would not expect that. third hand was received very poorly, and he knows this. he tried something new, it didn't work out at all, and while i don't think he's going to go deadringer on us, i would be very surprised if his next record sounded anything like third hand.
This all makes sense, but how the fuck does somebody like Girl Talk get away with sampling 80 songs without having to pay a scrap of royalties? What loop hole is he exploiting that any other sampling producer can't exploit? And if things are really that dire for sample-based producers, major or indie, people need to start picking up fucking instruments and start leaving synths behind a little more often.

If i remember correctly, all of Girl Talks albums/mixes are freely distributed. That's why he gets away with what he does.

LameAim · Post by **LameAim** » Mon Aug 24, 2009 1:43 pm

blueprint wrote:
Captin Planit wrote:
perabigail wrote:he's not gonna be doing the dead ringer shit because it's too expensive to make sample based records anymore. i have to imagine this is similar reasoning to slug saying blockhead beats would get him sued, rj has been through all kinds of legal woes with his previous music. to whoever said he's expecting more of the same of the last record, i would not expect that. third hand was received very poorly, and he knows this. he tried something new, it didn't work out at all, and while i don't think he's going to go deadringer on us, i would be very surprised if his next record sounded anything like third hand.
This all makes sense, but how the fuck does somebody like Girl Talk get away with sampling 80 songs without having to pay a scrap of royalties? What loop hole is he exploiting that any other sampling producer can't exploit? And if things are really that dire for sample-based producers, major or indie, people need to start picking up fucking instruments and start leaving synths behind a little more often.
If i remember correctly, all of Girl Talks albums/mixes are freely distributed. That's why he gets away with what he does.

Yup.

GhostDog · Post by **GhostDog** » Tue Aug 25, 2009 9:33 am

I forgot that RJD2 must be getting some good cash from AMC for them using his track "A Beautiful Mine" off "Magnifcent City" for the theme song. I'm sure it's eased his inactivity the last few years.

I hope we see another "Soul Position" album as well.

DLG · Post by **DLG** » Tue Aug 25, 2009 9:44 am

RJ is definitely cakin off his songs getting used in a buttload of commercials and shows and stuff, that's why I think he's been more about experimenting and doing whatever lately.

Trademark · Post by **Trademark** » Tue Aug 25, 2009 10:05 am

wells fargo used that one track for like 4 years...

DLG · Post by **DLG** » Tue Aug 25, 2009 10:32 am

there's an extensive list on his wiki page of songs people are using or have used.

blackaspirin · Post by **blackaspirin** » Tue Aug 25, 2009 12:50 pm

DLG wrote:RJ is definitely cakin off his songs getting used in a buttload of commercials and shows and stuff, that's why I think he's been more about experimenting and doing whatever lately.

yea ive been noticing this too. i could be mistakin but i swear i thought i heard some blockhead on a commercial the other day... i know for sure ive heard bonobo on some silly ass shampoo commercial, but hey, get money...

SYM · Post by **SYM** » Tue Aug 25, 2009 1:07 pm

^ if not used already there's a shitload of bastard jazz that's probably in line for the same type of work, i'd imagine.

never heard the third album. deadringer and since we last spoke is all i need (the latter in my opinion was his creative peak).

RJD2 starts his own label

RJD2 starts his own label

Re: RJD2 starts his own label

Re: RJD2 starts his own label

Re: RJD2 starts his own label