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Blake Knight, one half of the soulfoul and acoustic Uprok Recordings duo ill Harmonics, has ventured into unchartered waters in the ‘solo’ album release of BK & Associates: Beat Maker Session 1. The recording boasts various different flavours, and artists, blended smoothly throughout the twelve tracks and, somewhat disappointing, forty minutes of music. The LP accompanies an impressive line-up of artists from Mars ILL and L.A. Symphony, to Playdough and the Tunnel Rats. Blake Knight shows impressive versatility on all tracks, fitting in well with the different styles of the artists on the project.
The album starts with some rhythmatic acoustic guitar strings over smooth flows from fellow ill Harmonican and Deepspace 5 emcee Playdough. Discussing the roads travelled in a lifetime, Playdough comes correct expounding about the never ending journey we call life in Babylon Suburbia. Suprisingly, fellow Uprok labelmate KJ-52 laid down a very nice track in What I Love, over mellow effects and consistent kicks, explaining what he loves most about his relationship with the Creator. The single was planted on the top ten charts for over 9 weeks at CMJ. ManCHILD displays his verbal excellence with three solid verses over another humble track from Blake with Dust sprinkling some fitting cuts and samples throughout the near four minutes of ear pleasure.
L.A. Symphony’s Pigeon John, Flynn and Sharlok Poems represent on Rhythm To The Rhyme, nothing short of what you’d expect from the Symph crew. Checking in at well under three minutes, this track will only leave you hungry wanting more. Veteran Peace 586 joins some old friends in Raphi and Macho of the Tunnel Rats on What’s Real. Featuring some hypnotizing synth melodies and vocal samples, making for the best song concept on the project. Dax of LPG drops knowledge on the fading beat near the end asking ‘what is real?, the perception is irrelevant to what’s right and wrong… and what is real?, is it something you can touch?… is it something you feel?, reality is the substance of hope, it’s the evidence of things not seen.’ MG! the Visionary shows up on All Around The World, featuring his custom hyper-active delivery and flow, the verses really have nothing to do with the title as MG! warns wack emcees to ‘proceed in fear.’
Blake Knight delivers a memorable product on volume one of his Beatmaker Sessions collaboration project. Smooth, jazzy, soulful, mood swings of sound poured over drum patterns and basslines. This album is a darkhorse, caught up in all of the other major releases coming from the Uprok camp, and deserves an honest ear.
Release Date: May 7, 2002
Label: Uprok Records
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Tracklisting:
01. Welcome To My World
02. Frisky (feat. Sivion (of Phat K.A.T.S.))
03. Babylon Suburbia (feat. Play-Dough (of Ill Harmonics))
04. What I Love (feat. KJ-52)
05. Theme Music (feat. Mars Ill)
06. Rhythm To The Rhyme (feat. LA Symphony (Pigeon John, Flynn & Sharlok Poems))
07. Where I Was (feat. Blake Knight & Paul Meany (of Earthsuit))
08. Melodic Parabolic (feat. Freddie Bruno)
09. Blue Room (feat. Lojique & Moon)
10. What’s Real (feat. Tunnel Rats (Peace 586, Raphi, Macho & Theory))
11. All Around The World (feat. MGI The Visionary)
12. Not That Serious (feat. John Reuben, Scott Bellows, Bustone & Nathan Smart)
