From 1998 to 1999, he saw success blossom as DJ/producer for the Columbus-based group the Megahertz, with two twelve-inch singles on Bobbito Garcia's legendary NY label, Fondle 'Em Records. This explosive entrance to the underground hip-hop scene gave way to shows from Europe to Japan, not to mention garnering mention in Vibe magazine's "History of Hip-Hop" historical volume. Opening doors outside of the east coast, the MHz went on to appear on the Bay Area's ABB records compilation, Always Bigger and Better, Volume 1. Their contribution (entitled "This Year") was voted best track on the ABB website, while competing against major label heavyweights such as Dilated Peoples and Defari.
In 2000, the praise only continued for RJD2, producing Copywrite's debut single "Holier Than Thou" on Rawkus Records. The work certainly didn't stop there; spring of 2001 was RJD2's formal introduction to hip-hop as a solo artist on Def Jux Presents, a compilation showcasing the roster of his record label, Definitive Jux Records. Having to hold his own next to NYC underground legends such as Company Flow, Cannibal Ox, and Aesop Rock, RJD2 did no less. That summer he followed up this string of releases with his own twelve inch entitled June, which featured fellow MHz member Copywrite laying down two incredible book-end verses. Melding the hip-hop tradition of raw, gritty samples with a more classical approach to song structure, he has concocted a style of production that pleases the most discerning hip-hop scholar without compromising that old dance floor aesthetic.
2002 saw RJD2 release the critically acclaimed debut Dead Ringer, which not only solidified his spot as one of the underground's top producers, but also caught the ears of Grammy-man ?uestlove of The Roots who called the album one of his favorites of the year. Not to mention even landing the track Ghost Writer in a Saturn ad, with juggling solo ventures, producing rappers, and DeeJaying, the man is certainly in the hot seat at the moment. It has been said by many legendary producers that the ultimate goal is to move a crowd-not just to dance, but sometimes also to feel and think. In this vein, RJD2 is only continuing a time-honored tradition.
In 2003, RJD2 released The Horror, and the landmark Since We Last Spoke in 2004. A track from his 2006 release Magnificent City Instrumentals, "A Beautiful Mine," is the theme song of the AMC television drama Mad Men.
In 2007, RJD2 released The Third Hand which, if nothing else, showcased his ability to evolve beyond the hip-hop genre. Around this same time RJ created a compilation album with fellow underground DJ's Mick Boogie and DJ Flash for their A.B.B. compadres Little Brother entitled AND JUSTUS FOR ALL.
In 2010, RJD2 released The Colossus on his own label, RJ's Electrical Connections. The album could be described as RJD2's meshing of Since We Last Spoke's grittier tracks with The Third Hand's Moby-esque pop. The album contains a variety of recording methods, with most songs featuring an amalgam of sampled, programmed, and recorded sounds.
RJD2 has participated in numerous collaborations with artists such as Aceyalone, Ric Ocasek, and Goapele. RJD2 is also part of the group Soul Position with Blueprint. They have released two full length studio albums, 8 Million Stories and Things Go Better with RJ and Al.
Junior
RJD2 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yo, what up?
This is Aceyalone.
What's happening?
Yo.
Let me tell you a story real quick about one of my partners,
About this cat I know.
One of my homeboys, and we just gonna call him Junior.
He sealed it up and never even opened up the lid.
Girls gave him candy cause he treated him nice.
He took it home and chopped it up, and doubled up the price.
Miss Thomas at the parent's conference said we honest.
She was astonished at his confidence and what he accomplished.
He respected his elders, but he knew who he liked.
He listened before he talked, and he never would fight.
It's like, everybody knew him or they wanted to know him,
And anytime they did something for him, they felt that they owed him.
He was learning a life game that no one would show him.
He had more than an idea of where he was going.
He grew into a young man and gained some trust,
And he had a knack for pleasing people, and that was a plus.
Any situation he was in, he would adjust.
He never cussed, and he never fussed what he discussed.
Yeah, that's what I'm talking about.
We was the same age, but I still looked up to him because we had this thing together.
Some people just got that knack, and you can't do nothing about it.
But they end up being a victim of circumstance because he's on the rise and, you know, he's gotta battle against the odds,
And my man had such a good demeanor.
He was smart, man.
And he was a hustler.
And he had his ? up.
And he had a natural ability to bring people together,
And which people he brought together.
By the time he turned 26, he was a...
He was becoming a young prince with a whole lot of sense.
Not only could he make money hustling white,
He had a little bit of everything to get you some height.
They made cash with him so nobody wanted to hit him,
But they'd get him if they had to get him, get rid of him quick.
But why kill off the goose if you're making grip,
And why kill off the captain if you run a good ship?
Some people are strong,
Some people are weak.
Other are smart, but still don't got a stomach for the streets.
But Junior had a different angle, he was an angel.
The Calypso changed, though ?
The game could tango.
'Cause he can't tango.
A dance with wolves or waltz with a rattlesnake,
What would it prove?
They started salting ? up his program, hoping he'd lose.
But he stayed cool, and he stayed steady, making moves.
Yeah, okay.
Meanwhile, Junior's off doing his thing, and living up to his full potential,
But the haters, and I don't even want to call them that cause they're worse than that,
But he's become a victim of the monster.
You know, the machine, the revolving door.
It's them that got versus them that can't get, and ain't gonna never get.
Junior had it good.
Man, four years later, Junior got him a nice stack.
Compared to what he used to have, now he's got twice that.
When beef is at his door, he decided to ice that.
Now knowing more and more, he was caught in a mice trap.
He wanted to fight back.
But who could he tell?
The lesser of the two evils would just put him in a cell.
Everybody around knew that Junior was frail,
But he didn't need muscles to make it, all he needed was a scale.
A hundred and twenty-thousand in cold hard cash,
A stash at gun blast that don't even ask.
You get beat by the only one thing that can beat you,
Defeat you, cheat you, the streets will eat you.
Jealousy and envy make a person deceitful,
Then you add greed to it,
Combonation is lethal.
Well it's a short life knowing that it won't be a sequel.
Sometimes bad things just happen to good people.
Yeah. So they killed him.
They murdered him in cold blood.
He died face-down in front of an empty safe.
And for the fools that did this, I hope you rot in hell.
I hope you live in hell.
For my nigga, Junior.
Rest in peace.
Junior had it good.
The song "Junior" by RJD2 featuring Aceyalone tells the story of a person named Junior who, as a kid, was given some money as a reward for good behavior. Junior sealed it up and never even opened up the lid. As he grew up, he became a hustler and had a natural ability to bring people together. Junior started making a lot of money from dealing with drugs, and soon he was becoming a young prince with a whole lot of sense. By the time he turned 26, he was well established in the game and had a little bit of everything to get you some height. However, Junior became a victim of the monster that is the machine of the revolving door.
The story of Junior portrays how life is not fair, and sometimes bad things just happen to good people. Junior was a victim of a cold-blooded murder orchestrated by someone who wanted his money. The killers never got caught because the streets had eaten him.
The song delivers a message about the vicious nature of street life and how it can sometimes be difficult to get out alive. The story of Junior is an excellent representation of how easy it is to get into something that can be hard to get out of.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah.
Acknowledging the start of the story.
Yo, what up?
This is Aceyalone.
What's happening?
Yo.
Introducing the singer and setting the scene for the story to be told.
Let me tell you a story real quick about one of my partners,
About this cat I know.
One of my homeboys, and we just gonna call him Junior.
Starting the story about a friend named Junior.
Yeah, Junior got some money just for being a good kid.
He sealed it up and never even opened up the lid.
Explaining how Junior started building his wealth.
Girls gave him candy cause he treated him nice.
He took it home and chopped it up, and doubled up the price.
Showing how Junior's business sense started to develop at a young age.
Miss Thomas at the parent's conference said we honest.
She was astonished at his confidence and what he accomplished.
Highlighting Junior's positive qualities, including honesty and confidence.
He respected his elders, but he knew who he liked.
He listened before he talked, and he never would fight.
Describing Junior's respectful and peaceful demeanor.
It's like, everybody knew him or they wanted to know him,
And anytime they did something for him, they felt that they owed him.
Illustrating how popular and well-liked Junior was.
He was learning a life game that no one would show him.
He had more than an idea of where he was going.
Emphasizing how Junior was a self-starter and had a clear sense of direction.
He grew into a young man and gained some trust,
And he had a knack for pleasing people, and that was a plus.
Any situation he was in, he would adjust.
He never cussed, and he never fussed what he discussed.
Detailing Junior's personal growth and sociable personality traits.
Yeah, that's what I'm talking about.
We was the same age, but I still looked up to him because we had this thing together.
Some people just got that knack, and you can't do nothing about it.
But they end up being a victim of circumstance because he's on the rise and, you know, he's gotta battle against the odds,
And my man had such a good demeanor.
He was smart, man.
And he was a hustler.
And he had his ? up.
And he had a natural ability to bring people together,
And which people he brought together.
Reinforcing how impressive Junior was and how his talents made him stand out.
By the time he turned 26, he was a...
He was becoming a young prince with a whole lot of sense.
Not only could he make money hustling white,
He had a little bit of everything to get you some height.
Indicating Junior's rising success and diversified business ventures.
They made cash with him so nobody wanted to hit him,
But they'd get him if they had to get him, get rid of him quick.
But why kill off the goose if you're making grip,
And why kill off the captain if you run a good ship?
Describing how Junior's associates profited from him, but also highlighting the dangers he faced as a successful hustler.
Some people are strong,
Some people are weak.
Other are smart, but still don't got a stomach for the streets.
But Junior had a different angle, he was an angel.
The Calypso changed, though ?
The game could tango.
'Cause he can't tango.
A dance with wolves or waltz with a rattlesnake,
What would it prove?
Revealing the unique qualities that made Junior successful and pointing out the inherent dangers of street life.
They started salting ? up his program, hoping he'd lose.
But he stayed cool, and he stayed steady, making moves.
Describing how Junior's enemies tried to sabotage him and how he persevered despite the obstacles.
Meanwhile, Junior's off doing his thing, and living up to his full potential,
But the haters, and I don't even want to call them that cause they're worse than that,
But he's become a victim of the monster.
You know, the machine, the revolving door.
It's them that got versus them that can't get, and ain't gonna never get.
Elaborating on Junior's success and how he became a target of those who wanted to bring him down.
Man, four years later, Junior got him a nice stack.
Compared to what he used to have, now he's got twice that.
When beef is at his door, he decided to ice that.
Now knowing more and more, he was caught in a mice trap.
Providing an update on Junior's wealth and how he dealt with threats to his safety.
He wanted to fight back.
But who could he tell?
The lesser of the two evils would just put him in a cell.
Everybody around knew that Junior was frail,
But he didn't need muscles to make it, all he needed was a scale.
Explaining Junior's dilemma and highlighting his intelligence in finding solutions to problems.
A hundred and twenty-thousand in cold hard cash,
A stash at gun blast that don't even ask.
You get beat by the only one thing that can beat you,
Defeat you, cheat you, the streets will eat you.
Jealousy and envy make a person deceitful,
Then you add greed to it,
Combonation is lethal.
Describing how Junior accumulated wealth but also how dangerous the streets can be.
Well it's a short life knowing that it won't be a sequel.
Sometimes bad things just happen to good people.
Reflecting on the fleeting nature of life and how fate can be cruel.
Yeah. So they killed him.
They murdered him in cold blood.
He died face-down in front of an empty safe.
And for the fools that did this, I hope you rot in hell.
I hope you live in hell.
For my nigga, Junior.
Rest in peace.
Revealing the tragic end to Junior's story and expressing anger toward those responsible.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: EDWIN M. JR. HAYES, RAMBLE JON KROHN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind