MP3: RJD2 and STS to Release Album on May 5th
Celebrated producer and Atlanta-by-way-of-Philly Rapper Unite to Release Trunk-Rattling Album Titled STS x RJD2
04.09.2015
Critical Praise for RJD2 and STS:
“The album shuffles between moody, soulful beats and triumphant, horn-anchored tracks” – Rolling Stone
“RJ’s well able to inject spirit and spontaneity into tunes new and old in the live setting, certainly better than most beatmakers and producers out there” – Philadelphia Weekly
“[STS is] unique in style, creative in approach” – Red Bull Sound Select
“STS has the best of both worlds as far as what he offers as an MC: consistent bars, dazzling wordplay, and a Southern bravado” – HipHopWired
The Album:
Esteemed producer RJD2 and lauded rapper STS, also known as Sugar Tongue Slim, are releasing their self-titled album STS x RJD2 on May 5th via RJ’s record label, RJ’s Electrical Connections.
RJD2, the man behind the theme for Mad Men and Ghostwriter, and many more tracks on TV and film, recruited fellow Philadelphia transplant STS for his ninth album. STS, whose fingerprints are on Ciara’s “Oh,” The Roots‘ How I Got Over LP, and songs from Jill Scott, Jazzy Jeff, and more, lends his soulful, poetic, and heart-wrenchingly honest lyrics to this timeless project. Cultivated via face-to-face recording sessions, the two formed a unit and cut a full-length album of beautiful, soulful, poetic, and fluid music that is both timeless, and like nothing else in rap today. Heavily melodic and still able to rattle a trunk, this debut album takes nods from the Impressions to Ludacris to Wu-Tang, all the while holding originality, razor sharp lyricism and a deep pocket in the highest regard. Philly’s finest are shining.
The single, entitled “Hold On, Here It Go” was premiered by Rolling Stone and is a unique, shapeshifting song that intermittently omits the drums and simultaneously modulates upwards throughout the song. Describes RJ, “Rarely do I cut a track and get the goosebumps, slam dunk type feeling RIGHT away, but it happened on this one. The chorus was fly, with the horns and the drums in the pocket (shout out to Bohemian Dub Orchestra for putting it over the top!), so there was almost no way to take the energy higher. The only way to go for the verses was to take it all the way down-no rhythm section at all. To give it some momentum, the chord changes keep shifting up octaves every 8/16 bars or so. Definitely one of my proudest moments ever making rap music. This was one of the first songs that we cut where I stood back was like, WOW, this cat Jordan can sing his ASS off!”
Listen to “Hold On, Here It Go”: https://soundcloud.com/officialrjd2/hold-on-here-it-go
Check out the Rolling Stone premiere: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/rjd2-plots-new-album-with-philly-rapper-sts-20150408
Pre-order STS x RJD2: http://radi.al/STSRJD2
Follow RJ on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/officialrjd2
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/197491398″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]Please contact Michelle or Rory if interested in talking with RJD2 and STS.
RJD2 Background:
RJD2, a transplant via Ohio, has a history spanning back to the late 90’s indie hip-hop scene. After notable stops on both the Definitive Jux and XL labels, he ventured forth with his own label in 2009 (RJ’s Electrical Connections, which brings you this fine piece of work today). With a catalog of albums running back to 2002, he likely qualifies as an underground vet at this stage of his career. With the tunes“Ghostwriter” and the “A Beautiful Mine,” aka the Mad Men theme making their rounds on TV, his reach has continually spread beyond the sold out club dates and festival appearances of the last decade+.
STS Background:
STS, aka Sugar Tongue Slim, is an Atlanta transplant who found himself amidst the orbit of Dre andVidal, Jazzy Jeff, Jill Scott, and the cast of players that were in and out of Larry Gold’s “The Studio.”This led to being a writer on Ciara’s “Oh,” working intimately with Def Jam. He was first introduced to the public on The Roots‘ Grammy-Nominated release, How I Got Over, where he was featured on the cuts, “Right On” and “Hustla.” Later that month he released Demand More II featuring the underground hits, “The People” and “In For The Kill.” He soon brought his G.O.L.D act to stage, setting off sold out shows for acts such as Travis Barker, 50 Cent, J-Cole, Big Sean, B.O.B and The Roots among others. That buzz resulted in a spotlight on MTV2’s Sucker Free Sunday as the featured act for XXL’s Show & Prove segment.
Links:
official site | twitter | facebook | youtube
“Hold On, Here It Go”: https://soundcloud.com/officialrjd2/hold-on-here-it-go