DJ Shadow

DJ Shadow, born Joshua Davis in San Jose, California, is a foundational figure in sample-based hip hop and trip hop; his 1996 debut, Endtroducing....., was recognized by Guinness World Records as the first album made entirely from samples and was later named one of Time magazine's all-time 100 best albums. "Six Days," from his second album The Private Press, builds its haunting hook from a 1971 recording by Colonel Bagshot; a hip-hop version featuring Mos Def was later used in the film Phone Booth and in two Fast & Furious movies. Shadow is also a famously dedicated record collector, with a personal vinyl archive of more than 60,000 records. His seventh studio album, Action Adventure, was released in 2023.

From the notes for Episode 06 · fact-checked Sep 23, 2026.