RJD2

Acknowledged as much for his production and mixing skills as for his own recordings, Ramble John "RJ" Krohn deftly incorporates the working class ethic of his Ohio upbringing into his unique brand of hip-hop and ambient rap. Dubbed RJD2 by a friend, Krohn has collaborated with several acclaimed indie rappers such as Blueprint, Copywrite and MF DOOM. Ironically, Krohn's most recent effort, The Third Hand, is actually a pop record gussied up with the trappings of his more celebrated past. "You Never Had It So Good," the opening cut, is angular rock punctuated with enough blips and beeps to suggest that Krohn just couldn't leave well enough alone. Yet on sturdy and funky gems such as "Have Mercy" and "Law of the Gods," Krohn injects just the right amount of techno flourish into the bare bones arrangements in order to both recognize his roots and look toward a fascinating future.