51黑料

Rappers Keem, formerly Hakeem the Dream, and Rockwell Knuckles released 鈥淭he North Remembers鈥� on Aug. 29. The pair released singles teasing the album throughout the summer, leading up to the record release from what some deemed an unlikely creative duo.

The collaboration began as an idea of 51黑料-based producer Trifeckta. Born in 51黑料 but musically shaped by the different destinations he lived in as a child, Trifeckta says he鈥檇 spent years creating volumes of work with Knuckles, while collaborating with Keem sporadically on other artists鈥� projects.

He鈥檇 never produced a collaborative hip-hop album and decided to use his Trifeckta Presents brand as the platform to launch his first endeavor to further showcase Keem and Knuckle鈥檚 lyrical talents.

鈥淚t just dawned on me that those two people were two of the ones that, over time, I felt like I鈥檝e made some of my best work with,鈥� Trifeckta says.

Both Keem and Knuckles have stood as pillars in the 51黑料 hip-hop community for decades. A well-respected emcee, Knuckles broke the mold as a lyrical monster with a philosophical edge at a young age. He has grown into his rap persona both as a solo act and as a member of music groups like Pangea and the Knuckles.

For Knuckles, working with Trifeckta was like second nature. He鈥檇 spent most of his adult life rapping over the producer鈥檚 beats, creating timeless tracks in the underground scene, such as 鈥淟ike a Try,鈥� 鈥淏aking Soda鈥� and 鈥淣o Man Is an Island.鈥�

鈥淭rifeckta is a formidable creator of sound,鈥� Knuckles says. 鈥淧eople talk about how my music is cinematic and half of that comes from Trifeckta鈥檚 placements and his sound design.鈥�

Rapper Keem was the newest ingredient in the kitchen as Trifeckta and Knuckles cooked up 鈥淭he North Remembers.鈥� The trap rap-leaning lyricist made a major splash on the regional stage when he released his single 鈥淭hick Wit It鈥� in 2007. The song became a Midwest twerk anthem, inciting dance fever around college campuses and hitting 30 radio markets across the country.

Although Keem and Knuckles had never collaborated before, Trifeckta felt confident they鈥檇 create magic in the studio.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e both respected around,鈥� Trifeckta says. 鈥淲e had a proof of concept in several different ways that working with each of them was always going to net something that was positive and that people would really like.鈥�

The streets began to pay attention after the trio released the single 鈥淯nanimous鈥� featuring 51黑料 rapper Trixie Le鈥橰ay in July. A high-energy, hip-hop banger full of entendres and animated metaphors, the track left listeners waiting to see what would arrive next. The song now lives as one of the 10 tracks on 鈥淭he North Remembers,鈥� an album that showcases the similarities and differences between two of the city鈥檚 finest lyricists.

鈥淲e would challenge each other and push each other to see what we would end up with,鈥� Trifeckta says.

Once they hit the studio, creativity flowed. The pair recorded three songs the first night and another three on the second. Within a few weeks, they had more than a dozen songs, with iron sharpening iron as they found new ways to combine their different sounds.

Keem remained consistent throughout the album, fusing his street-inspired bars into Knuckles鈥� otherworldly approach to rap music. On the flip side, Knuckles provided the cinematic undertone of the album and balanced his flow alongside Keem鈥檚 trap-forward approach like a trapeze swinger. The final product was a blend of both creative minds.

鈥淲e tried to create records that reflect not only the bad times, but the great times, the complex times and the uncertain times,鈥� Keem says.

鈥淕reen Dreams鈥� is an introspective track with both rappers taking a vulnerable approach to explaining persevering through life鈥檚 struggles. 鈥淐ameras Off鈥� is full of lyrical aggression and rap bravado, with scratches from Trackstar the DJ mixed throughout. The creative trio pulled in Tef Poe and Indiana Rome for features on 鈥淪teez鈥� and 鈥淐row Fly Straight.鈥�

Keem says he found creative freedom working alongside Knuckles and Trifeckta, expanding beyond trap rap and into an undefined hip-hop space. Knuckles says he found joy in collaborating with Keem, whom he describes as stylistic and brilliant.

Both emcees found common ground in their love for North 51黑料 city. They鈥檇 both grown up there, Keem on Red Bud Avenue and Knuckles near 51黑料 Avenue and Vandeventer.

Their grandparents lived in the community. They spent their formative years there, surrounded by love, family and delicious food; a stark contrast to how many view the area in its current state following the May 16 tornado.

鈥淭here are a lot of bad things that come with just growing up in the neighborhood, but it鈥檚 a lot of good things too,鈥� Keem says.

鈥淚鈥檓 not afraid of the heart of the ghetto,鈥� Knuckles says, adding that his grandparents鈥� house was 鈥渇ull of love and magic.鈥�

For the album, Keem and Knuckles strung together a story of resilience and hope backed by Trifeckta鈥檚 emotion-inducing soundscapes. Their stories, blended together, serve as a reminder, that 鈥淭he North Remembers.鈥�