DJ Shadow
Born: 1972
Location: San Jose, California, USA
Genre: Trip Hop
Years Active: 1991 -
Real Name: Josh Davis
Meaning of the Name: Refers to working behind the scenes, in the shadows
Way of Working: Singular vision
Associated: Unkle, Cut Chemist
Essential Releases
What Does Your Soul
Look Like EP (1995)
early precursor to Endtroducing...
Endtroducing (1996)
A groundbreaking masterpiece built entirely from samples.
Unkle -
Psyence Fiction (1998)
Essentially the second DJ Shadow album. Blends trip hop with vocal features from rock and hip hop.
In the mid-'90s, as hip hop seemed to be losing its way, one man stepped into the shadows to save it. Not with a mic in hand, but with turntables and a singular vision: DJ Shadow. He worked in the background to put music in the spotlight. He, a Californian based in the UK, released a masterpiece of instrumental hip hop in 1996, Endtroducing.
This album defined the emerging concept of plunderphonics, and contributed significantly to the emergence of trip hop. At this point, the art of DJing itself, like alchemy or ancient religious texts, seemed almost lost to the sands of time. A few, however, still carried the torch.
It's a time-honoured truism that the most important thing in hip hop is the DJ, but by 1996, you could be forgiven for thinking otherwise. When the genre began, you couldn't have a party with only an MC, but you could with a DJ. Think of '80s trendsetters such as Eric B. & Rakim, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, or DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. Notice how the DJ is listed first, which is a clear sign of their prominence.
Endtroducing reminded people what a DJ could do. For a while, even the necessity of the MC was questioned. Shadow didn't need a rapper to make a groundbreaking album. He didn't need a vocalist, or even anyone who could play an instrument, for that matter. All he needed was a trip to his local record shop, and the entire history of music was at his fingertips, ready to be conjured into whatever form he saw fit.
In the '90s, Shadow spent a couple of hours at Sacramento's Rare Records each day (the shop features on the cover of Endtroducing). Therein lies the glory of DJing: finding a sample, flipping it, making something new in the process. You swear you've heard it before, but you can't quite put your finger on it, that irresistible tip of the tongue feeling demands your attention.
In the same way, Endtroducing, a groundbreaking work listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the first album made entirely of samples, stayed true to the spirit of hip hop.
It made the new with the old and old with the new. He achieved 'the new with the old' by taking dusty records and turning them into something fresh. While also creating 'the old with the new' by using old techniques introduced by the pioneers of '80s sampling such as Grandmaster Flash, to innovate a new sound and attitude.
Shadow made introspective hip hop, exemplified by song titles such as What Does Your Soul Look Like, at a time when no-one else seemed to be even thinking about it. As an aside, What Does Your Soul Look Like, as a title, asks a question but doesn't use a question mark. Even this subtle nuance of language indicates a change from established conventions that was deliberate and informs the listener to expect the breaking of established rules. Shadow's output also pushed hip hop beyond its usual boundaries in musical terms, contributing to the burgeoning scene known begrudgingly as trip hop.
As if that wasn't enough, Endtroducing, and Shadow's early work, was also foundational in the creation of plunderphonics, a genre dedicated to making entire records from samples, or, to put it another way, doing exactly what Shadow did here. This was the original Lo-Fi Beats for Homework ten years before YouTube even existed. Yes, it featured DJing, sampling, and the elements we knew and loved from turntablists, but never like this.
DJ Shadow's contemplative, nocturnal mid-'90s run was something truly special, not only for hip hop fans, but for all lovers of sound. It offered a remedy for the enshittification of the form, elevating music once again to the level of composition in an era dominated by the attention-shredding antics of MTV.
Skills
*This is a work in progress. Values are subjective.Emotional Impact
80
Mental Impact
65
Originality
95
Artistry
55
Authenticity
85
Live
45
Production
95
Musicianship
70
Texture
100
Songwriting
55
Danceability
40
Fun
35
Consistency
65
Range
65
Cool
90
Charisma
55
Commercial & Critical Success
Awards >>>
- Guiness Book of World Records: Endtroducing - First Album to be made entirely of samples
Certifications >>>
- Endtroducing: Platinum in UK; Gold in Canada
- The Private Press: Gold in UK
Charts >>>
- The Private Press: #8 in UK
Critics >>>
- About.com: Endtroducing - Greatest Hip Hop Albums of All Time: #67
- Melody Maker - Endtroducing - Best Albums of 1996: #2
- Muzik - Endtroducing - Best Albums of 1996: #1
CRITICISM
- Shadow was kicked off the decks at the Mansion Nightclub in Miami during a set in 2012. The club expected mainstream music for a party crowd but Shadow refused to compromise and played his regular stuff. They were not impressed.
