Brooklyn rapper/producer
Kirk Knight had platinum hits for other artists before he linked up with Pro Era and began gaining traction with his own original songs. Establishing a sound marked by dark, moody atmospheres and laid-back rhymes that sway between lonely R&B and tense introspective lyricism,
Kirk Knight developed his brand on tracks for artists like
Smoke DZA and
A$AP Ferg, and on his own mixtapes.
Kirk Knight was born
Kirlan Labarrie, and began rhyming and working on music during his early teenage years. An encounter with
Joey Bada$$ led to membership in Pro Era. Along with output as part of that crew,
Knight amassed collaborations with
Statik Selektah,
Lee Bannon, and
Smoke DZA, as well as with
Bada$$, whose "Big Dusty" was something of a breakthrough for the artist. In October 2015, after he signed with Cinematic Music Group, he released
Late Night Special, for which he either produced or co-produced each cut. Featuring appearances from
Bada$$, Noname Gypsy, and
Thundercat, the album debuted at number 24 on Billboard's rap chart. He continued producing while working on his own music, crafting beats over the next few years for
Joey Bada$$,
CJ Fly, Nick @ Knight, and many others. In 2017 he scored a major hit with the beat for
A$AP Ferg' song "Plain Jane." The song went platinum and elevated the producer's profile even further, setting the scene for his solo music to get more exposure. In late 2018 his mixtape IIWII arrived with a blend of introspective R&B and trap production. Following the project's release he embarked on a European tour with long-time friends
Flatbush Zombies. ~ Andy Kellman