The Tape

An Interview With The Knux! YAY!

Written by willshoob on Monday, 20 of October , 2008 at 6:25 pm

One of our favorite up and coming hip-hop groups, The Knux, were nice enough to take a few minutes out of their hectic media day to chat on the phone with me. The New Orleans born brothers are really, really nice guys who make fresh and exciting music. I’d quickly like to thank them for being really cool, along with Victor for setting the interview up. Enjoy!

P.S. My crappy tape recorder couldn’t pick up everything, so I had to leave out a few parts.

The Tape: How’d you guys get your name?
The Knux: Ooo I didn’t know you were gonna do it like that. That’s a real easy one, it’s short for knuckleheads.

The Tape: How would you describe your new album? Do you guys consider it hip-hop, or is it a cross between many different genres?
The Knux: You call it hip-hop because we’re black. No, it is hip-hop but it steps into other genres too. Like if it were a house, the foundation would be hip-hop but there would be other rooms as well.

The Tape: So I saw you guys on Jimmy Kimmel a few nights ago, and you were really good… Do you think you can describe your live set up, like who plays what instruments?
The Knux: It depends on what song it is. Like on the second song, I’m playing keyboard (Krispy Kreme) and on the first one, I’m playing guitar. We can’t both rap and play instruments at the same time, it’s totally impossible. It really varies from song to song.

The Tape: So I saw that you guys opened for Lupe Fiasco, how was that for you guys?
The Knux: It was actually our second time opening for him, but it’s like opening for anybody. We toured with Common and performed with The Roots. I mean damn, it’s a new number FUCK (Krispy, Referring to his brother accidentally hanging up again, mid sentence). Anyways, performing with Lupe… He’s a great performer. We’re actually going on tour at the end of November…

The Tape: Around the blogs you guys are often referred to as hipsters; do you have a problem with that, do you mind it?
The Knux: (Al) Uhhhhh… It’s cool, I just think that the hipster thing is played out. I mean if people want to label, then that’s fine. Everybody gets a label at the beginning, when everyone is starting to know you. You know, you get labeled by who people think your influences are. But eventually, everyone will catch on and the music will speak for itself.

The Tape: If you could point out any one thing that influenced this album, what would it be?
The Knux: Uhh. That influenced it? I’d say just going back between New Orleans and Los Angeles. We’ve never had a real sit down before, and for this we got to sit down for two years. You know, being embraced in Hollywood by Steve Aoki and the whole Dimmak crew, really influenced this album. The transition from New Orleans to being embraced in Hollywood.

The Tape: We have a segment called Guilty Music Monday where we talk about some of the guilty pleasures we like, but are afraid to like; what are some of your guys’ all time guilty pleasures?
The Knux: (Al, mumbling something I don’t understand)… (Krispy Kreme) I have a lot of guilty pleasures… I’ve got to say (laughs) damn there are a lot. What’s one of them, (with help from his brother) a Gavin Degraw song. (Singing) I don’t want to be anything da da da da da da da. Chariot, Gavin Degraw’s Chariot.

The Tape: Now we have a couple of questions that really don’t have to do with music, but we always ask them anyways. If you guys could build a robot, what would it do?
The Knux: (Krispy Kreme) Wow… My robot would breakdance, uhh give hand jobs, and cook. (Al) My robot would go out in the crowd, because I’d get ripped to shreds. I used to love going out during the smaller shows, but yeah I’d have a robot who would go into the crowds, and do it better.

The Tape: In your opinion, what is the most bad ass movie line ever?
The Knux: Tombstone, when Doc Holliday says “I’m your huckleberry.” (Al then repeats the statement, for reassurance.) Have you ever seen tombstone?
The Tape: No I Haven’t…
The Knux: Awwww come on!
The Tape: Wait, how old is it?
The Knux: It’s old.
The Tape: I’m only 15.
The Knux: You’re only 15???
The Tape: Yeah.
The Knux: (Al) It’s from the early 90′s. (Krispy) Wait hold up, you’re only 15?? You have the coolest motherfucking job in the whole world.

(This conversation literally goes on for 10 more minutes.)

The Tape: Alright, I just have one more question… In one word, describe your sound.
The Knux: (Al) Authentic. Yeah authentic, there we go. Dude you have the coolest fucking job in the world.

The Tape: Alright guys, thanks so much.
The Knux: Yeah, anytime. (More talk about my age, and their upcoming tour).

The end!

The Knux- Cappuccino (Remix)

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Category: Interviews

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