Kno's first solo album sets him apart

Kno is simply the best hip-hop producer you don't know about.

The producer of Kentucky hip-hop group CunninLynguists released his debut solo album, Death is Silent, today.  Kno only laid down four verses over CunninLynguists' last four albums, so this is the most rapping he's done in a long time, doing most of the vocals on the album with appearances from fellow CunninLynguists members Deacon the Villain and Natti, plus others.  The album is entirely produced by him, as he works to cement his name as the best producer in the Southern underground hip-hop game.

As the title might make you think, Death is Silent is a concept album.  Braving the topic of death gracefully, the album follows the theme of different ways it affects major aspects of life like love and family.  Kno's best-executed verse in both lyrics and delivery reflects the theme perfectly on "They Told Me":

"(They told me) that I'll soon see the light, if I like it or not / That's the icing on top of the cake that is baked for a tot / So he's taught, to count the days 'til he drops"

Kno has always held his own lyrically on CunninLynguists material, but Death is Silent makes it seem like he's been practicing even while he's hardly stepped up to the mic, showing solid writing and flowing skills that go along with the concept.  Mainly staying away from punchlines with Cunnin', on some of the album's more upbeat tracks like "Graveyard" he displays skills with those too:

"I'm the Talcum Malcolm, the emo Primo / Got no need for beef, got a vegan ego"

Calling himself the "Emo Primo," a reference to DJ Premier, Kno created amazing beats for this album and didn't let down those who recognize him as an icon of Southern beat-making.  Kno utilizes the types of sounds with strings that he's often used in his past work to compliment the theme of the album excellently.  Some hardcore fans of hip-hop criticize the use of samples in songs because they're not created by the artist, but this is a technique that the great DJ Premier uses to create combinations of clips of rapper's past vocals to create unique new sounds, and Kno is known as one of the best at finding the right sample for the right song.  A perfect example is the chorus of "Spread Your Wings," where he uses a sample of a female singer's vocals to form an atmosphere:

"If you do, spread your wings please let me know/ Take me with you when you go / You can't leave me here alone"

I pre-ordered this album and got it in the mail today.  It's one of the few albums I've actually bought in the past few years; I buy an album when it's that good and it makes me want to support the artist.

You can get the instrumentals of the album for free when you buy a copy through the Boston-based undergroundhiphop.com.