Knucks has set the scene for his new record A Fine African Man alongside his team at Tru Tribe Management and new partner ADA.
Due out on October 31 via NoDaysOff in partnership with ADA, the album is a follow-up to the rapper and producer's 2022 LP Alpha Place (126,796 sales, OCC), which peaked at No.3 in the UK.
“I don’t think there was anything else like Alpha Place, because it was really me trying to staple a sound that I’d made with [2019 single] Home,” said Knucks in his Music Week interview with Yemi Abiade. “It was so new, and it was at a time that UK culture was also on a high with Top Boy; the world’s eyes were kind of on us. So it allowed people from all over to access that kind of sound, whereas before it might have been more difficult for them to be able to understand it. Alpha Place allowed people to see me as the artist I feel I always was."
The 30-year-old Londoner, who has almost 2.5 million monthly listeners on Spotify and 1.3m TikTok likes, jointly won Album Of The Year at the 2022 MOBO Awards for the record, alongside Little Simz’s Sometimes I Might Be Introvert.
“I’m more mature now, I have more variation,” Knucks said in the November edition of Music Week. “It’s important for me to remind people that I’m not ‘the drill guy’, and that was just a period in time. I always try to find a new sound and in looking and going through different things, I find out things about myself and my creative process. I start to see myself in a different light. This new project, thematically, is very African. It has a lot of variety to the sound, but it has a constant nod to Africa or the diaspora.”
I want a level of control over the music, the ownership of the music and my masters
Knucks
A Fine African Man was recorded predominantly in Nigeria, the birthplace of his parents. He also filmed all four music videos from the project there, including Cut Knuckles and Goldtooth, the latter featuring Nigerian rapper and singer Blaqbonez. Compatriots KCee, Phyno and Tiwa Savage also appear on the project.
“I’m at an age where there is a lot of self-reflection and finding yourself,” said Knucks. “It got to a point where I was just asking myself questions to find out what kind of person I am today. This era is a result of me looking at different experiences and honing in on how I can use those things to make myself a better person.
"But there’s also this pride that many people are having in their cultures now. Even African Americans are all doing ancestry.com wanting to know where their roots are. I think it’s important to know where your home is and where you’re from. Literally going back home allowed me to explore that for myself."
Real name Ashley Nwachukwu, Knucks signed with Island for 2019's NRG 105 before returning to independence for 2020 EP London Class. On Alpha Place, he partnered with Believe.
“I want a level of control over the music, the ownership of the music and my masters,” he said. “I don’t think I’ll go back [to a major] unless I have enough leverage to really have the control that I would want. I didn’t consider going back, but I feel I work better [with label services]. There’s just more freedom.”
The UK scene is opening up, it’s more global, less boxed into one sound. Knucks sits right at the centre of that
Sandy Abuah
Sandy Abuah, who co-manages Knucks at Tru Tribe Management, pointed out that his success has been built without traditional backing.
"That underdog mentality is part of who we are,” she said. “It keeps us hungry and makes the wins mean more. I’d say that feeling hasn’t gone away.
“Knucks’ evolution shows him levelling up across the board. Lyrically he’s sharper, socially he’s more reflective, and aesthetically everything feels elevated. What sets him apart is that he can deliver substance and depth, while keeping it relatable and timeless."
She added: “The UK scene is opening up, it’s more global, less boxed into one sound. Knucks sits right at the centre of that. He’s rooted in culture but reaching far beyond borders, and that makes his voice important for where the scene is headed.”
Trenton Harrison-Lewis, SVP artist and label development, ADA and Warner Music UK, laid out ADA’s vision for the new campaign.
“The cornerstone of our strategy is to be different and do what has not been done before,” he said. “Art is forever changing, as are the artists that make the music. In terms of goals, the aim is always to achieve something that you have not previously, but in this case Knucks owns his music, and that is more important than anything else."
He concluded: “Knucks has a special place within the rap market because he has not even hit his final form. A self-taught producer with impeccable lyricism who yearns for growth will always be able to dominate and carve out a lane for themselves.”
Subscribers can read the full interview in the November issue of Music Week.
