The Knux

I'm in the mood to bring up something a little more fun this week. Something you can throw on at your next party or play over your car stereo and feel cooler than you really are. The Knux, short for knuckle heads, consists of brothers Kentrell "Krispy Kream" and Alvin "Rah Almillio" Lindsey. This duo, currently living in LA after being forced out of their native New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina, have gained popularity since they released their debut album, Remind Me In 3 Days..., last year, so they may be somewhat old news to you, but I want to make sure no one is missing out on them.

Those that know me well, or at all really, can tell you that I really like to dance. Although that is very true, I generally keep my rap/hip hop listening to the party/club scene and don't put it on when hanging out at home. The Knux, however, provide a definite exception. They lend themselves well to repeatable listening for many reasons: (1) their flow is similar to that of Outkast and De La Soul, (2) they break out of the norm by layering their tracks with electric guitars and a thick bass (which the guys play themselves), and (3) they drop witty lyrics that include references to Elvis Costello, Orville Redenbacher, Chuck Taylors, and the 80s and 90s professional wrestlers Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka and Rick Steiner, among others. Although they also use ample references to guns, hos, and ice, they are generally far more intelligent than those of their keepin' it gangsta counterparts. They are trading in the street cred for fun and it works.

When looking for standout tracks on the album, you have to start with the party favorites "Bang! Bang!" and "Cappuccino". If you've heard anything by them, it was probably one of these two songs. If you decide to dig deeper into the album though, I suggest you check out the more ominous "Life In a Cage", the ode to bathroom lovemaking ("Powder Room"), the absolutely filthy "Parking Lot", and the "Cappuccino" remix (to the tune of Crazy Town's "Butterfly"). I'm definitely looking forward to throwing on my oversized gold chain and setting the fields of Grant Park ablaze with my footworkin' when they perform on the opening afternoon of Lollapalooza.

The embedding of their youtube videos has been disabled, and I can't get the links to work for some reason, so check out these websites (the first one is for the "Bang! Bang!" video and the second is for their myspace page):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPlWs3oQpXE
http://www.myspace.com/theknux