In 2002 RJD2 released his debut LP on Def Jux, and in doing so presented the world with a whole new species of hip hop. If DJ Shadow’s Endtroducing introduced society to the possibility of sample based hip hop, Deadringer ripped open the genre’s limitless potential. Mixing elements of soul, funk, psychedelia and techno, RJD2 created vast soundscapes of crafty (if not unusual) instrumentals throughout the album. Tracks like “Smoke and Mirrors” and “2 More Dead” bring a bluesy melancholy to the record while “Good Times Roll Pt. 2” and “Ghostwriter” have enough funky rhythms to get a party moving. “Final Frontier” brings Blueprint into the mix and shows that while RJD2 can craft some arty solo jams, he is also quite adept at taking the backseat to an MC. The two would go on to form powerhouse duo Soul Position, but for my money they have never sounded better than did on “Frontier.” Deadringer also has its share of the bizarre, like offbeat instrumentals “Cut Out to FL” and “The Proxy.” The peculiarities don’t always make for the easiest listen, but with time the album comes together as a cohesive and rewarding experience. RJD2 hasn’t been able to match his debut since, and I am not sure that he will ever be able to.

RJD2 “Good Times Roll Pt. 2″ (mp3)

Official | MySpace | Wikipedia

Also: More from Culture Bully’s Best of the Decade