RJD2:
Deadringer


Release Date: 23rd July 2002

Reviewed By: Matt Tomer

1. The Horror

2. Salud

3. Smoke & Mirrors

4. Good Times Roll part 2
 
5. Final Frontier (feat. Blueprint)

6. Ghostwriter

7. Cut Out to FL.

8. F.H.H. (feat. Jakki da Motamouth)

9. A Shot in the Dark

10. The Chicken Bone Circuit

11. The Proxy

12. Take a Picture of

13. Silver Foxx

14. June feat Copewrite

15. Work.

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 At its purest form, hip hop music is an emcee and his DJ. Before we had Jay-Z acapella albums and Pete Rock instrumental collections, it had always been the rapper and the beat-maker. It has obviously come in different forms, from legendary duos like Gang Starr, to the "three emcees and one DJ" combo of the Beastie Boys, to nine-man super groups like Wu Tang Clan. Without a beat, most rappers are left naked, and without an emcee, most beats feel uninspired and repetitive. Enter RJD2.

A former member of the Megahertz Crew, RJD2 has ably boasted the rare ability to construct mesmerising sonic landscapes from scratch, seemingly at whim. The Ohio native has been making his name as a producer extraordinaire since getting the attention of Rolling Stone magazine with his ‘Your Face or Your Kneecaps’ debut of 2001. Since then, RJ has easily been one of the most talked-about producers in the indie scene, ranking high on year end lists and remaining a highly sought-after beat-smith.

‘Deadringer’ marks RJD2's debut as a member of the Def Jux collective, and an impressive debut it is. Right from the get-go, RJ comes out guns blazing, maybe more literally than figuratively on the epic ‘The Horror’. An ensemble of clashing symbols and eerie sirens, ‘The Horror’ could easily stand as the backdrop for any Hollywood thriller action sequence. From this point on, the entire LP follows suit in terms of quality. ‘Good Times Roll, Pt. II’ is a ridiculously soulful explosion of horns, claps and thumping drums, glued together by a chanting chorus.

Among the other exceptional instrumentals are ‘Here's What's Left’, a bluesy, Wurlitzer-inspired joint, the short but intriguing ‘Shot in the Dark’, and my favourite of the entire album, ‘Smoke & Mirrors’, a track in which words simply do not do it justice.

Musically, there is nothing wrong with ‘Deadringer’. RJ's expert use of samples and adept selection of drums is unlike almost anything available to heads today. In fact, this reviewer would go as far as saying that ‘Deadringer’ is at the very least the best instrumental album of the young century, and it certainly holds its place among the best of all time.

However, that's not to say there aren't any missteps. RJD2's beats are not well suited for most emcees, due to the intricacy and overwhelming nature of each composition, ultimately leaving guest stars in the dust. RJ teams up with Soul Position partner Blueprint, who sounds right at home on ‘Final Frontier’, but the normally ferocious battle rapper Copywrite sounds humbled on ‘June’, and his weak writings don't compliment the guitar-laced backdrop.

RJD2 may be the first ever producer whose beats can only be complimented by the right emcee, rather than it being the other way around. On ‘Deadringer’, he achieves a rare instance of musical nirvana, sure to leave many listeners captivated by the end of the listen. RJ's all-out orchestrated opuses may very well not be your shtick, but for anyone who has yet to give him a chance, I highly recommend ‘Deadringer’.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Top Three Tracks:

The Horror

Smoke & Mirrors

Good Times Roll, Pt. II

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