Ghetto Psalms of The Knight Produced by Rediculus
Back on October 19th Brooklyn emcee Frank Knight released his album Ghetto Psalms of The Knight. The album was produced in its entirety by Chicago based (formerly) producer Rediculus.
Now first of all I was super hyped for this album. For one I had been privileged enough to hear a few tracks off the project before its release. Secondly I am a huge fan of Rediculus. He has produced for some of my favorite emcees and through blogging I have also gotten to know him as a friend. But I’m not a fan because he’s a cool person. Every single project he touches this guy is constantly surprising me. I can never hear a beat and just be 100 percent sure it’s his production because I just don’t know! Trust if you let him bless your track it will be something new and fresh and dope. It won’t be regurgitated with samples we have all heard before. And that’s why I get excited when I hear he’s working on something new.
Third yes I know it dropped on October 19th and we’re in November but I’ve been crazy busy. And to be fair Frank Knight and Rediculus made us wait over a year for this so…
I know what you’re thinking… oh this is Scy’s friend so this is gonna be a biased review. On the contrary I actually judge my friends harsher than the average submission. This is business… not personal. If it’s wack I’ll tell you. And some of my people will tell you I have refused to post something for that reason.
So back to Frank Knight. I was first introduced to him by another track that Rediculus produced that didn’t make it onto the album but I was like yo this kid is ill. So I had to go browse his catalog. I wasn’t disappointed. He’s nice. And not regular nice but dope. So after this do yourself a favor and go peruse some of his other projects.
So that being said…come take this Scyventure with me. Throw on the album, link at the end of the post, and let’s check it out!
1. Ghetto Psalms of The Knight Intro
Ah okay you guys not playing. From the opening lines of
“America, America my block where they tear you up
Also known as Babylon where things ain’t fair enough”
My head just started doing that involuntarily bob. I’m digging the production on this. The vibe is real laid back.
2. Black Superman
I love the message behind this song but I wish the hook was just a little different. Lyrics wise Frank Knight goes hard and I just wish that there was more behind the hook. Nonetheless Nathalie Noboa more than makes up for it. I love her voice on this track. *in rotation
3. Darkseid
This song is dope as fuck!!! I love how his voice has that double vibrato to it. This song makes conjures up images of self and your alter ego fighting the good fight. If a song makes me picture the video in my head I fuck with it heavy.
“Heard you want to ride on the dark side,
Well come on and ride on the dark side,
Here where the hardest of the hard lies
And they smell fear so don’t tell no heart lies”
Fuck! *in rotation
4. New York Summer (Featuring Arbed)
Crazy we’re in winter and I still get that NYC summer vibe. Brooklyn summers is no joke. It’s a whole culture. I remember getting dressed up just to stroll through Prospect Park. While I like this song the placement was a little off. After a song like Darkseid you want more hype. I feel like track 3 and 4 should have been switched. However the horns on this track… yes!!! Thank you Rediculus. *in rotation
5. Dope Dime Shorty
This is a hip-hop love story. Love comes and goes. Intentions and promises. I feel like anyone can relate. Plus it had that 90s feel…brings back memories for sure.
6. Homicide The Truth
I don’t know if I really like this track to be honest. I mean Frank iis one of those emcees that don’t spit wack shit and Ridiculous is on point with the production…add in a splash of DJ TMB and it should be dope right? It’s okay. Love the cuts, love the production, love the lyricism but I’m just not sure they go together.
7. Greatness
I love this song so much because there is some real ass truth to this. There are those that flock to you and feed you fake praise. It’s hard to know what real and fake support these days. The vibe on this shit is real chill too. This is a smoke a blunt and reflect on all the snakes in your life. This is another one that conjured up a video in my head..and in this case I was rocking a silver jumpsuit and the dope fro. I dig it. *in rotation
8. Yahweh (Featuring Redddaz)
This was so unexpected but the energy shift came at the perfect time. This song is chaotic and all over the place…but in a good way. I fuck with this. I love the hook too. Island vibes. Brooklyn in the house and we always hold it down… facts B! *in rotation
9. Flying Trapèze Ninja Monkeys
Fire! This song is ill as fuck. This is a straight cypher banging chest anthem. I also found myself rahing along with this. Ahhh. Plus those cuts fuck!! Just by the name of this track I would have been so disappointed if it wasn’t dope. Thank goodness it was! Love this one. *in rotation
10. Spaceship
Word! I’m ready to picked up by the Mars squad too. The beat on this is so slick. I can guarantee that there was many smoke sessions on the conception of this track. I fuck with it.
11. Bamboozled: The Clowning of The Clowns
Oh my! If I had pearls I would be clutching them right now. This is a short track but it gets straight to the point. I had to listen twice to make sure I head correctly… I did.
12. Shorty Bad
This is one of those 90s vibe songs you would call into the radio station and dedicate to a shorty you was trying to get at. I can fuck with this. My only complaint is I wish they used another singer on the track. Nathalie Noboa has a smooth voice that I love but her on this track sounds a bit repetitive.
13. Smooth Billy Dee (Colt .45)
I know this was inspired by Billy Dee but I’m about to dedicate this to two of my people. Tone Liv and Chan Da Akan. This their anthem. They both have this same vibe. “You don’t really know us shorty, we too live I be smooth Billy Dee with the Colt 45” Landooo
Digging this *in rotation
14. Novels In Purgatory
Wow this was another unexpected track. Just from the opening notes I knew this was gonna be some deep shit. Rediculus knows how to capture a moment perfectly. I felt this one to my core. I appreciate Frank Knight opening up on this track. *in rotation
15. Black Jealousy (Outro)
This was the perfect outro in my opinion. It just conjured up the entire vibe of the project. Deep meaning with a smooth vibe backdrop. I really love this beat too. *in rotation
Overall:
Okay so I tried to be as unbiased on this as possible. But after listening on the play through and shuffle a small part of me was like fuck yeah my boy did that! Rediculus reinvents himself time and time again and this project is no different. He has a concept and sees it through. Production was unfuckwitable on this album. And Frank Knight! I mean after going through his catalog to try and get to know him as an artist all I have to say was how did I not know about this man? In every project he puts out you just see his growth. He just has an intensity to his flow that you can feel what he says whether it’s an ode to a shorty, a warning to a rival or just a message to the people. He sounds…genuine. And that’s something that has been missing in much of today’s music. In fact I won’t even say he’s a dope emcee from NYC… I can actually say he’s one of ours. I can say with pride Frank Knight? Yeah he’s from Brooklyn. Do yourself a favor and go cop this dope!
Overall: A
*in fact this is a contender for my AOTY
