About Me
Today's Los Angeles hip hop scene has basically forked into two separate, distinct roads. The more recognizable one is what the West Coast has always been known for - Impala bouncing, 40-sipping gangsterism, the style that originally put the region on the map. The other road is the deep underground sound, the grimy, often abstract, sometimes overly dry style that has been heralded by its select fan base but not recognized on a wide commercial scale. Few hip hop acts from the City of Angels have been able to walk their own path, choosing a style which defies any traditional labels, while still being able to create something both original and entertaining.
Enter Knucklheds, the Los Angeles-based trio of Latin MC's who are able to fuse the traditional sound of sample-heavy, underground hip hop with a club/party-friendly bounce that adds a dimension of fun to their music that many artists have a hard time achieving. They defy the label of "backpack rap" that could be easily applied to many of their peers by bringing tales of drunken revelry and alcohol-fueled adventures involving women, barroom brawls, and hangovers into the mix. In other words, Knucklheds bring an authentic hip hop sound to the table while, at the same time, coming across as the guys that you'd probably want to party with (and hopefully not get into a fight with). In addition, many of their songs carry the traditional rhythm of Cumbia music intertwined with their beats, giving the Knucks a special appeal to the Latin market without resorting to the gimmicky sounds of reggaeton. They are able to take this unique blend of styles and make it universal, accessible to hip hop fans of all backgrounds and tastes.
Knucklheds consists of three members. Hyskills is their drunken frontman, the ringleader when it comes to anything booze-related. "El Borracho", as he is often referred to, carries a strong presence on the mic with his straight forward flow, clever lyrical content, and a rock-solid, self-assured vocal tone that is unmistakable. Hadies brings a darker style to the table, focusing not only on party lyrics but also on street-savvy, sometimes-unnerving tales that detail reality at its coldest. In addition, he has patented a unique rapid-fire delivery, shooting off multi-syllabic rhymes like bullets from automatic weapons, making you wonder how he can drop 16's without taking a breath! Judice is the third member of the Knucks, and provides many of their beats as well as verses. He is the "thinker" of the trio, the most introspective member of the group, who is capable of getting down on uptempo party tracks or slowing the pace to reflect on life when necessary. It can be said of Judice that he is the backbone of the Knucklheds sound, thanks to his patented style of production that melds Latin rhythms and soulful samples with the staples of West Coast production - skull-rattling subs and hard-hitting handclaps.
Having built a strong following by opening for high-profile acts such as Ill Bill, The Beatnuts, Chino XL, The Visionaries, KRS One, Sly Boogy, Dirty Birdy, Tash (Alkaholiks), Guru (Gangstarr), Psycho Realm, Self Scientific, and others, Knucklheds are now poised to drop their debut album. Entitled "Double Fisted", it is slated to drop in 2008.
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