K-Nite 13 is somewhat of a hidden gem in the UK Hip Hop scene. Whilst his name may not saturate radio playlists or appear at the beginning of every track, his presence is most certainly felt on everything he produces. Not merely remaining behind the boards, K-Nite is also pretty capable with the mic. Whether he’s more Kanye than Pete Rock (when it comes to producers spitting) remains to be seen, however The Drawing Board is where all have been summoned to catch a sample of his first outing.
Following on from an intro which only wrestling fans would really understand (an audio clip of an infamous Iron Sheik interview) ‘Miracle Worker’ opens the studio door to K-Nite’s world of samples, beats and hungry rappers. Big Cakes offers a slice of the ‘realness’ on ’Miracle Worker’ with direct bars and aggression.
Made up of an assortment of rappers repping UK Hip Hop, K-Nite maintains his reputation as a sought after producer with a distinguishable soul sound which the UK lacks. Although its raucous chorus somewhat clashes with the mood, ‘Salute’ featuring TB and Skillet is an example of the East London producer’s signature stylings.
The Drawing Board is somewhat akin to Ski Beatz’ recent 24 Hour Karate School LP in its straight rhyming motif as it brings new and emerging rappers to the forefront. It is these tracks which arguably stand out the most; most notably Jaunty’s ‘Battle Axe’ and ‘Back To The Drawing Board’ featuring Zuz Rock.
Long time collaborators Mentalist and Loudmouth Melvin drop their standard dopeness on their respected tracks, whilst Pyro Barz addresses the wild and abrasive street culture on the cinematic ‘Young Men’.
For a producer/rapper what’s somewhat disappointing is the lack of K-Nite’s verses, as even his sole track on the entire album contains decent enough verses to warrant more from him. More K-Nite appearances may have led to a greater consistency on The Drawing Board as some of the songs appeal dip depending on the guest performer.
The Drawing Board is a solid, first offering from K-Nite 13, whose talents as a beatmaker will ensure that UK Hip Hop stays away from the shallow end of simple beats and choruses. Albeit a few wobbly moments with regards to lukewarm choruses and rappers being too ‘hard’ at inappropriate moments, K-Nite and co give memorable performances over stellar productions, which gets stronger throughout the latter end of the project.
With UK Hip Hop now having a concrete foundation for artists to build upon, K-Nite proves he’s more than capable of providing the score for a genre which has been overlooked for much time.
The Drawing Board is out now. Listen & Stream the album below.
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