Considered a prominent figure in the development of instrumental hip-hop, D… Read Full Bio ↴Considered a prominent figure in the development of instrumental hip-hop, DJ Shadow (real name Josh Davis) has proven himself with groundbreaking, genre-defining solo output on such respected labels as Solesides and Mo' Wax.

DJ Shadow spent his teenage years in Davis, California and was a DJ at the community radio station KDVS. During his time as a radio disc jockey, DJ Shadow was significant in developing the experimental instrumental hip-hop style associated with the California-based Solesides record label. His early singles for the label, including In/Flux and Lost and Found (S.F.L.), were genre-bending works of art merging elements of funk, rock, hip-hop, ambient, jazz, soul, and used-bin found records. DJ Shadow is often cited as a leading creator of trip-hop, though this is a label he strongly contests.

Although he previously released a couple of original works (during 1991-1992 for Hollywood Records) by the time Mo' Wax's James Lavelle contacted him about releasing In/Flux on the fledgling imprint, it wasn't until his distribution association with Mo' Wax that his sound began to mature and cohere.

Shadow's first full-length work, Endtroducing....., was released in late 1996 to immense critical acclaim. Following the success of this album, he acted as a shadow producer for Rage Against The Machine for their album, Evil Empire. It is said he influenced the solo on their song "Bulls On Parade". Endtroducing... made the Guinness World Records book for "First Completely Sampled Album" in 2001. Preemptive Strike, a compilation of early singles, followed in early 1998. Later that year, Shadow produced tracks for Psyence Fiction, the debut album by U.N.K.L.E., a long-time Mo' Wax production team that gained superstar guests including Thom Yorke (of Radiohead), Richard Ashcroft (of The Verve), Mike D (of the Beastie Boys) and others. His next project came in 1999, with the transformation of Solesides into a new label, Quannum Projects. Nearly six years after his debut production album, his second album, The Private Press, was released in June 2002. In the same year, the movie "Scratch" (2001, Doug Pray) was released to DVD with DJ Shadow appearing several times throughout the movie.

The documentary films "Dark Days" and "Wisconsin Death Trip" feature music of DJ Shadow while "Scratch" features an interview and more music.

DJ Shadow has also collaborated with fellow artist Cut Chemist. Together they have made two CDs entitled Brainfreeze and Product Placement. These albums fuse jazz, funk, and soul in the framework of a cohesive concept. The second of these (Product Placement) followed a very similar pattern to the first, but using remixes/other versions of the songs in roughly the same order.

In the year 2004, Shadow released his feature length DVD, In Tune and On Time. The DVD features a live performance in London, emphasizing intricate visuals.

In 2005, Shadow released a Deluxe Edition of his first album, Endtroducing.... and a new album, titled "The Outsider" in 2006.

While Shadow's earlier works, especially 'Endtroducing.....', are known for their innovation in genres such as hip-hop, ambient, and trip-hop, his fourth full length album, The Outsider, had several tracks dedicated to Hyphy. This decision has been controversial, leaving many fans feeling alienated. DJ Shadow addressed this point in an August, 2006 interview, in which stated, "Repeat Endtroducing over and over again? That was never, ever in the game plan. Fuck that. So I think it's time for certain fans to decide if they are fans of the album, or the artist."

Also in 2005, Brian Udelhofen began work on the Shadow Percussion Project, an attempt to adapt some of the tracks from Endtroducing... for a live performance group. The result was largely successful and well-received by DJ Shadow himself.

In 2007 DJ Shadow was contacted by the Hollywood Bowl to do a show featuring Freeze with Cut Chemist. However, not wanting to repeat old material DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist came up with a whole new routine entitled The Hard Sell. In 2007 and 2008 they went on The Hard Sell tour and were accompanied on stage by two large video screens with visuals created for the tour.

Discography

Solo Albums

* 1996 - Endtroducing.....
* 1998 - Preemptive Strike
* 2000 - Dark Days
* 2002 - The Private Press
* 2003 - The Private Repress (Japanese Remix Album)
* 2004 - In Tune and On Time
* 2005 - Endtroducing... (2xCD Deluxe Edition)
* 2006 - The Outsider
* 2007 - The 4-Track Era Vol.1 Best of the KMEL Mixes
* 2007 - The 4-Track Era Vol.2 Best of the Remixes and Megamixes (1990-1992)
* 2011 - The Less You Know, the Better

with Q Bert

* 1997 - Camel Bobsled Race (Q-Bert Mega Mix) CD-EP

with UNKLE

* 1998 - Psyence Fiction

with Cut Chemist

* 1999 - Brainfreeze
* 2001 - Product Placement
* 2004 - Product Placement on Tour
* 2005 - Freeze
* 2008 - The Hard Sell

with Dan The Automator

* 1998 - Bombay the Hard Way: Guns, Cars and Sitars

Dj Shadows Theme
DJ Shadow Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

हम तो डूबे हैं उनकी तस्वीरों में
मिले सकून नहीं उनके बिन नींदों में
क्या याद मुझे भी करती होगी वो
क्या याद मुझे भी करती होगी वो
अब उसका पता नहीं दिल में जो रहता था
उसकी बातों के अफ़साने लिखने बैठा
क्या याद मुझे भी करती होगी वो
क्या याद मुझे भी करती होगी वो

हा मैंने करी ये ख़ता, लिया मेरा side
ग़लती छुपा के सारे black को किया white
मेरे बिना she's dying, फैलाऊँ मैं अफ़वाहें
काफ़ी सारा कहना, पर पता नहीं तू कहाँ है
जैसे miss मैं करूँ, baby, you miss me क्या
मेरे birthday में, बेटा, तूने wish नहीं किया
"Dino strong है", बता, ये तुझे किसने कहा
ख़ैर अब तो झेलना पड़ेगा तेरे हिस्से का
क्या पुराने अपने chats को तू करती होगी read
क्या तू type करके messages करती होगी delete
क्या तू भी पूछना चाहती है कि कैसा है तू D
क्या तू भी try कर रही है? Are you trying to reach
तेरे ख़्याल में नहीं हूँ, पर तू ख़्याल रखना
D साथ में नहीं, थोड़ा मलाल रखना
जो भी था मेरे पास वो हुआ exhaust
वापिस प्यार करने की करूँ मजाल अब ना
हम तो डूबे हैं उनकी तस्वीरों में
मिले सकून नहीं उनके बिन नींदों में
क्या याद मुझे भी करती होगी वो
क्या याद मुझे भी करती होगी वो
रहु मै जैसे

ख़याल तेरा दिल से मिटाया नहीं अभी
तू गई फ़िर दिल ये लगाना नहीं कभी
बेवफ़ा मैंने तुझको बुलाया नहीं अभी
प्यार किया बस तुझे गिनवाया नहीं कभी
बस गिनी बरसातें और तेरे दिए ग़म
दिल माने ना ये बात कि अब साथ नहीं हम
भोले बाबा, थोड़ा करो इन कष्टों को कम
मेरे साथ काली रात और एक पूरी बोतल rum
पूरी रात नहीं sober, दारू बड़ी पी है
ये जो मोहब्बत, ख़यालों में ही जी है
हम तो मरे जा रहे हैं मिलने को
क्या तूने भी मिलने की कोशिश कभी की है
मेरी याद में तू रोई, रोटी खाई तूने नहीं है
दोस्तों को बोला मेरे बारे बुरा नहीं है
छोड़ के तू गई पर बंदा खड़ी वहीं है
ग़लत बस हम, वो तो लड़की है तो सही है
हम तो डूबे हैं उनकी तस्वीरों में
मिले सकून नहीं उनके बिन नींदों में
क्या याद मुझे भी करती होगी वो
क्या याद मुझे भी करती होगी वो
Yeah, जो दिखे ना, वो दर्द नहीं क्या
महौल ये सर्द नहीं क्या
आँसू ना देखे, आँखें हैं किसकी
रोता है, वो मर्द नहीं क्या
ये बता मुझे कि कौन नहीं रोता
मैं हमारे कमरे में नहीं सोता
लाइटें बंद, TV on नहीं होता
मैं हूँ old school, मुझसे move on नहीं होता
जाने वो कहाँ गई
पहले भी लड़े हैं, ये पहली दफ़ा नहीं
पर कभी ऐसी हुई वो ख़फ़ा नहीं
ग़लती है मेरी, वो बेवफ़ा नहीं
मैंने ऐसा क्यूँ किया
पिछले महीने cancel हर show किया
कल flight में यूँ ही बैठे-बैठे रो दिया
तेरे जाने पे पता चला, मैंने क्या खो दिया
हम तो डूबे हैं उनकी तस्वीरों में
मिले सकून नहीं उनके बिन नींदों में
क्या याद मुझे भी करती होगी वो

क्या याद मुझे भी करती होगी वो
रहु मै जैसे

Overall Meaning

The lyrics in DJ Shadow's song "DJ Shadows Theme" are ominous and thought-provoking. The opening lines "The stage is set", "The cards have been dealt" suggest that the singer is entering into a situation in which he has little control. He is no longer in control of his destiny and is now merely a puppet being controlled by an unknown force. The use of "shadow" in the lyrics creates a sense of hidden control, as if the singer is being controlled by something that he cannot see.

The lyrics' message appears to be about the character's realization of his lack of control over his destiny. He is not in a position to influence his own life, but must instead allow external forces to shape his existence. The theme of relinquishing control runs throughout the song, with the character becoming more and more aware of the shadowy forces that control him.

Overall, DJ Shadow's "DJ Shadows Theme" is a haunting exploration of the human condition, and the sense of powerlessness that can come with it. The lyrics and music combine to create a powerful sense of foreboding, and the sense that things may not end well for the singer.

Line by Line Meaning

The stage is set
Everything is prepared and ready for the performance to begin.

The cards have been dealt
The circumstances and events leading up to this moment are beyond anyone's control.

He is now, no more than a puppet
Despite his individual talents and abilities, he is being controlled by external forces.

In the shadow of his own destiny
He is living in the wake of his own predetermined fate.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Ikka, Badshah, Dino James

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS