It wasn’t long ago we featured this silent “K” duo of alternative hip-hop brothers in our Weekly Jukebox. The New Orleans natives employ electronic, alternative and hip-hop to create a steady flow of multiple genres of music in their 2008 release Remind Me In 3 Days. Their most famous single “Bang! Bang!” has been featured on this thing called the radio and also some show called Entourage.
But after picking up their album, I was [not] surprised to find a whole album of catchy tracks not far from the very attractive beats in their first single. Songs like “F!re (Put It in the Air)” and “Cappuccino” take hip-hop, stick it in a blender with guitars, hardcore and awesome and toss out a delicious hip-hop milkshake on the other end. Pretty appetizing? I know.
In a sea of auto-tune and a top 40 that time and time again has followed the same formula, a group like The Knux show that some artists can still hang with the big dogs. They make me believe that it is still possible to make unique beats and create a unique sound without the “help” of Kanye West. Take that Kanye West.
After the two brothers “Krispy” and “Joey” were displaced by Hurricane Katrina, they re-located to Los Angeles where they kicked off their now successful music career. They were quickly invited to pretty much every major U.S. festival including the famous Lollapalooza where they were discovered by the also famous me. And I promise, once you check The Knux out you’ll be hooked on your new favorite hip-hop artists. You can send thank you cards to me. Money is also accepted.
Check out the video for “F!re (Put It in the Air)”:
Listen to the album:
Buy the album:
If you like The Knux, check out k-os!
There were a lot of bands that helped get me through my college years. But, like most people, some are more memorable than others. Now, I’m not talking about Dave Matthews Band or OAR. Both were staples for some people in their own right, but I was more in to the less popular music. It made it seem more personal for me and I got more meaning from it than the stuff on the radio. That’s why I was completely drawn to Dispatch.
I remembered the first time I heard Dispatch. It was at the end of my high school career (a while ago) and it was by accident. A friend of mine had one of their songs on a burned CD (a new concept at the time) and for a long time, I had no idea who the artist was. After growing so attached to the song “The General”, I decided to find out more about the band and explore their collection in more detail. I soon discovered such staples as “Two Coins” and “Bang Bang” (both off the same album with the same name, Bang Bang) and I immediately fell in love.
Their mixture of numerous genres of music range from acoustic folk to funk to even reggae. Their mix of solid vocals and harmonies on top of that make the overall sound something unique and lovable. But don’t take my word for it. Thousands of people across the world fell in love with Dispatch before their official break-up in 2004. Actually, many thousands of people across the world fell in love with Dispatch. Their final concert was held in Boston and was expected to draw a maximum of 30,000 fans. The concert ended up drawing a little over 110,000 concert-goers from all over the world making it the largest concert in independent music history. They have since reunited for a handful of shows, but the band members have officially moved on to other projects.
Dispatch will always hold a special place in my heart. I still cry thinking about their break-up. Which is all the time. So yeah, I cry all the time. But I also do push-ups, watch boxing and drink beer. So I think it balances out.
Check out Bang, Bang below:
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Lala
The Knux – “Bang! Bang!”
Kentrell “Krispy Kream” Lindsey and Alvin “Rah Almillio” Lindsey are The Knux. They are biological brothers. They hail from New Orleans. One of them is named after my favorite doughnut joint. All of those factors add together for a hard hitting track that will get you quickly hooked. Be warned. This song is just as addictive as a warm doughnut.
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La Roux – “Bulletproof”
Been craving some British electropop synth? Indulge on this sweet finger-snapping track that will cover you like a Kevlar blanket and shield you from the evil outside world. Listening to this song will make you bulletproof (*)
(*) This song will not make you bulletproof.
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Billy Boy On Poison – “On My Way”
This track is intense. It will make your pulse pound. It is similar to the effect an episode of “24″ has on all of us here at FreshScouts. Coincidentally this group was signed by Kiefer Sutherland’s Ironworks Music. Jack Bauer loves this song. Enough said.
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There are only a handful of new hip-hop artists that really capture my attention nowadays. With all of the hip-pop junk on the radio these days, it’s hard to find artists that are true to the roots and poetic flow of true hip-hop. Enter K’naan.
K’naan is a Somali-Canadian rapper based out of Toronto, Ontario. But don’t let the fact that he’s Canadian put you off (just kidding Canadians…sort of.) His music is completely genuine and exhibits qualities of some of the best rappers out there today.
Imagine Bob Marley mixed with the revolution-inducing lyrics of Rage Against the Machine compounded with beats more closely related to Common or Lupe Fiasco. And that wouldn’t even touch the full spectrum of K’naan’s musical capabilities.
His first debut album The Dusty Foot Philosopher was met with open arms by the public in 2005. But the album that’s guaranteed to get your head bobbing is his latest release and sophomore album, Troubadour. I’ve been listening to this album over and over again for the last few weeks and am still completely glued to the compelling beats and original lyrics that are so often neglected in current hip-hop albums. It’s actually refreshing to know that breakout hip-hop artists still exist and are making a name for themselves by staying true to the roots of hip-hop instead of “licking lollipops” and “supermanning that ho” or whatever is happening these days. Check out one of my favorites from the album below:
And as if blessing you with that song wasn’t enough, check out some of the other hits on the album including (but not limited to) “Bang Bang” featuring Adam Levine, “ABCs”, “T.I.A.” and “America” featuring Mos Def. This album is by far one of my favorite hip-hop albums this year. Pick it up and check me out. I mean check it out. Check the album out. Not me.
*Note: Album may cause dancing and contain beats that are so hot even Nelly would say “It’s gettin’ hot in hur.”
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Are you digging K’naan? Check out Simon Webbe!
