More than twenty years after their debut in the rap game, California hip-hop supergroup Black Knights of the North Star releases their debut album. In 1997, the group became the first on the West Coast to sign a contract with Wu-Tang Records and in 1998 was the main protagonist of the Wu-Tang Killa Beez' "The Swarm", as the only act to have two solo spots. In the following years, the collective split into two groups: Black Knights, consisting of Quintarus "Crisis" Bennett, Dewayne "Rugged Monk" Rose and Anthony "Holocaust / Warcloud" Brown (until 2007, also including Deshawn "Doc Doom!" Cunningham), and North Star, a duo formed by Andre "Christbearer" Johnson and Reginald "Meko the Pharaoh" Grier. Under the leadership of RZA and with the arrival of new collective member Shaka Amazulu the 7th, Black Knights of the North Star reunites and works on a full album: the production is mainly made by Skarekrow (of Da Monstar Mob, Holocaust group), while Devious, Rise, 4:44 Trumpets, Emmit, RZA, and Shaka Amazulu offer a rhythm. The guests of the album are RZA, Kurupt, Killarmy, Cappadonna and Ghostface Killah, both cataloged as "Wu-Tang Clan".
The record is opened by the founder of the Wu-Tang Clan RZA: lean and fast snare drum, dry and hard, dark samples. Intro by RZA, then different boom bap made by Skarekrow, jazzy, with double drums pattern (dry hard pounding and dirty midtempo + supporting snare drum in the background), and dark piano looped with dark horror / thriller movie vibes. The festive hook celebrates Killa Beez, then Christbearer delivers hardcore, dirty and energetic, follows Crisis with an eclectic style, closes Monk, decently, slow and syncopated. The second track features a bouncy jazzy boom bap performed by beatmaker Rise, with a slow, pounding snare drum + dry midtempo drum, combined with a dark background sample: Christbearer performs with a slow, energetic and raw rapping, follows Crisis with an energetic lively delivery, then Meko, with his raw and rough, effortless flow, closes Monk once again.
"Follow Instruction" sees the first rapping appearance of Shaka Amazulu and Warcloud. A slow pounding and hard dry drum, combined with a couple of samples including a male soul, make up a simple production provided by Devious, third different beatmaker in three tracks: opens Christbearer, energetic hardcore, rough and regular, then Shaka Amazulu, slow and smooth. Crisis spits bars with a cumbersome flow, follows Meko, again slow and rough, closes Warcloud, with a syncopated and unconventional, irregular style. The fourth choice presents rapping with only Christbearer, Crisis and Monk: simple Skarekrow rhythm, slow syncopated drum machine in the background accompanied by a prominent electronic piano, North Star rapper delivers hardcore and syncopated, then Crisis goes rough, it closes Monk, with a lively style and energetic. Kurupt is the host of "Thin Ice", he might seem the only one outside the Killa Beez in this edition, if he wasn't part of the Four Horsemen, a group founded by Killah Priest. Skit intro on jazzy beats with slow and tight skeletal drum and tense sample. The rhythm for the song isn't too different, with sci-fi samples, tight and slow drum, simple hook. Kurupt performs effortlessly after the hardcore bars of Christbearer, Meko and Crisis complete the song, the latter with a slow, almost spoken style.
The sixth choice is a posse among all the original elements (still alive) of the group: simple jazzy boom bap again by Skarekrow, slow and light skeletal midtempo drum, melodic female soul sample in the background. Long and simple hook, slow and crude delivery by Christbearer, while Crisis looks more inspired and offers bars with a lively and flowing style. Meko is the third MC, with a slow and rough style, follows Monk, closes Warcloud, with a flowing, fast, syncopated and dominant rapping. "Blackest Star, Darkest Night" is an even greater posse, with part of Killarmy: Skarekrow production, hard and pounding dry drum, light jazzy sample, it opens 9th Prince with a chanting and eclectic style, syncopated and slow, raw and irregular. Christbearer spits hardcore, lively and energetic, here he's particularly inspired and fit, at times dope. Kinetic performs with a syncopated and raw style, then Monk offers bars with his effortless flow, he sounds relaxed, calm, discreet. Shogun kills the cut with an agitated flow, it closes Warcloud, with his rough and raw voice, resonant, echoing, slow and syncopated, grave delivery.
He's probably the fittest and best performer of the project, and completely deserves the next solo: skit, simple beat made by Shaka Amazulu, slow and dry hard pounding drum with string samples and good samples. On this musical carpet, Warcloud offers bars with a slow and syncopated, flowing style, accelerating in the second verse, blessed with one of the best rhythms of the edition. "4:44 Trumpets" is the name of the beatmaker of the ninth song: apocalyptic boom bap, slow and pounding dry drum, very hard and pressing, dark apocalyptic samples, crazy intro. On this soundscape, Christbearer maintains his slow and energetic hardcore style, Shaka Amazulu spits bars with a darker and more energetic style than usual, so Crisis calms the waters. The rhythm is perfect for Meko the Pharaoh, which delivers with a quick, dirty, raw and smooth rapping, evidently inspired, before Warcloud, who closes again the track: the guy here is obviously at home on an end-of-the-world beat, performing with a smooth flow.
RZA produces "Diary of a Madman Pt. 2", the choice that comes closest to being a Black Knights song: boom bap with skinny syncopated drum machine, tightly looped melodic female sample and annoying second sample. Christbearer and Crisis perform their lyrics worthily, prior to the inclusion of a posthumous verse from Doc Doom!, then Warcloud closes with a fluid delivery. "Don't Die" is the track that comes closest to being a North Star track: simple beat provided by Emmit, tight and slow drum, oriental sample, good slow and energetic Christbearer delivery, simple hook, then the lively flow of Crisis anticipates Meko, who closes the piece with a rough and dirty rapping. "Can't Tell Me Nuthin'" boasts the participation of Cappadonna and Ghostface Killah, both credited as Wu-Tang Clan: intro by Tony Starks, flute sample in the background, good hardcore and fast delivery by Christbearer, who rip this rhythm composed of a rough and dry downtempo drum. It follows Crisis, with an irregular and whimsical slow chanting style, his voice almost feels like some sort of uncredited Method Man, then Ghostface kills the cut with a relaxed, smoothness, dope flow. Finally, Cappadonna, rough, slow, syncopated and irregular bars, he closes the song almost by speaking.
"People of Today" is a posse with the modern Black Knights of the North Star group, therefore with all six components: simple Skarekrow production, lean and syncopated drum machine, eclectic sample combined with a melodic female sample. For the umpteenth time, Christbearer is the first to perform, with a slow and lively style, Crisis boasts a more energetic and hardcore delivery than usual. Meko is the third MC, raw and rough, it follows Shaka Amazulu with a hardcore and slow style; the hook is formed by the sample, left to breathe, Monk is the next rapper, who performs with his discreet style, so Warcloud closes the posse: he offers a pro attack, the best MC in this edition by far destroys the song with an aggressive, hardcore, energetic, fluid, dope flow. "Opening Doors" is the last posse of the album: rhythm made by Devious, dry and slow drum, rough sample, good hardcore delivery by Christbearer, good energetic slow and irregular rapping by Crisis. Meko spits bars with his rough and regular style, it closes Warcloud once again, clean, smooth, fast. The project ends with a one-minute outro in which Christbearer performs on a dark boom bap with tight drum and bleak samples, conceived by Skarekrow.
Released by Black Stone of Mecca, the album is the union of Wu-Tang-affiliated West Coast groups of Black Nights & North Star, along with London-based producer Shaka Amazulu, part of several Wu-affiliated groups. They make 15 long songs, often over four minutes, for a total of 62 minutes of listening. The major performers are Christbearer (14), Crisis (12), Meko (8), Warcloud (8), Monk (6) and Shaka Amazulu (5). Maybe I'm wrong, but if I've listened carefully, the position of the performers in the tracks practically never changes: Christbearer is always the first, Crisis the second, Meko the third, Monk the fourth and Warcloud the last. The fact that they never exchange facilitates the recognition of the different performers, but takes away the unpredictability and dynamism of the project. While devoid of obvious bangers or classics, it's a solid, tight and energetic album, reflecting the soul of Killa Beez well. I was forgetting the cover, that's something fantastic.
Rating: 7/10.
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