Black Knights
Medieval Chamber
Self-Released
Street: 01.14
Black Knights = Eazy-E + Mos Def + Synthetic Epiphany
Wu-Tang affiliates and Black Knights members Rugged Monk and Crisis the Sharpshoota met John Frusciante through mutual friend, RZA. After meeting and beginning an experimental collaboration, the final product is Medieval Chamber. This 10-track LP made my head explode. Prepare for sounds of electronica with unrelated samples and effects, which are backed with an orchestra and an occasional chorus. Rugged Monk and Crisis spit harmoniously with the beats, hitting you with those West Coast, hard-hitting flows. “Black Knights, you know the story, since we lost Doc Doom the game ain’t got nothing for me,” Crisis shouts out to deceased member Doc Doom in “Knighthood.” However, the tracks remind me of the snyth-pop sounds I made on my brothers’ Yamaha keyboard in the ’90s. I have respect for John Frusciante because I’m a huge RHCP fan, but I’m still debating if I’m a fan of his hip-hop production skills. –Allie Russell