Sidney

18-year-old KnowledgeΔustin is unique in that while beaming with youthful exuberance, his new project feels like the beat selection was made by an artist in his thirties. The Sarasota, Florida, native—and son of a DJ—has been at it for five years now, but Hip-$oul is his most interesting collection of tracks, that includes a handful of original production mixed with ‘dubs.’ I’ll double down on my original point in that the tracks he did choose to remake were ones that I’d never heard tackled, especially not by a cat his age.

A few examples include “My Mind Made Up,” a remake of the Daz Dillinger produced posse cut off of 2Pac iconic Deathrow debut. His version, though, is made his own, with the sing-song chorus addition, sandwiched between a story of a lost relationship, and a good friend trying to get his mind off of it by pushing him to talk to some girls. Two of the strongest records are “Changes,” with its soulful vibe and “70(5ive)” with it’s seductive down south bass and chunky guitar riffs. The latter is the most standalone vibe on the project.

The (too) short “OTP is a highlight should you at all question is ‘hip-hop,’ with bars like “Blasting Illmatic out of a 2000 Pontiac, windows down, cause the left passenger side is broke down.”

The project’s title is aptly explained in an interlude that likens “Hip-$oul” to the same feeling you get when you get that new car or score a date with the girl you thought was out pf your league; essentially, the project’s entire concept is a euphemism for feeling good. It lives up to this, with its unique vibe that while not wholly original, definitely stands out in the current wave of releases. Whether talking about a drug raid on his home (“Reminisce”), or tackling more introspective themes, KnowledgeΔustin delivers honesty and good vibes. - Above Average Hip-Hop

So I recently did a write up that featured Knowledge Austin and he reached out to show more of his music which I'm fucking glad he did, he sent me this track titled "Changes" on the boards we got Donato who just made this soulful ass beat like damnnn (really dope shit bro) & Knowledge Austin really match the mood with the production and did the damn thing. More music from him is needed more on the site and I be damn sure to have it always (salute bro) - Wavez Movement

KnowledgeΔustin is an 18 year old Hip-Hop Artist from the small Florida city of Sarasota, FL. His father, DJ Superyakk was well known around the city, and specialized in old school music genres such as; funk, soul, jazz, fusion, and some forms of rock n’ roll. Sidney aka Knowledge, has been doing music for over 7 years, but been recording his own music for 5. Knowledge does everything from producing, mixing and mastering as well as photography, writing as well as work instrumentation. His career trajectory runs counter to that of an artist working to infiltrate hip-hop’s mainstream. He doesn’t seem to pine for the A-lister referrals and feature circuit ubiquity that lubricate the most well-oiled artist rollouts. He doesn’t search to hobnob with hit makers or kowtow to the will of radio. Instead KnowledgeΔustin launched into an exploratory experiment; a soul-themed hip-hop album.

“Hip-$oul” isn’t an album that will inspire a revolution, such as Public Enemy’s It Takes A Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back. It also isn’t an album that will evoke a deep and profound psychological reaction, like the Roots’ Things Fall Apart. What “Hip-$oul” is, though, is something just as unique and treasured: an album that is the raw undistilled manifestation of the artist’s creative power, combined with the technical ability to polish it into a shining diamond of an album…at 18 years old! KnowledgeΔustin is a technician on the microphone, hitting you with a precise flow in each verse, while maintaining a cool, charismatic personality. The beats, possibly influenced by J Dilla in places, but certainly not limited to that, are funky and soulful.

The production moves each song along with a sharp bounce and a deep groove, but never gets in the way of the verses. The opening track, “All on da (One) sets the mood of the album, before kicking off official with “Reminisce” which beats to a rolling bass line and some fiery verses. “Changes (Prod.Donato)”, showcases mid-tempo, dreamy riff and lots of vocal harmony, along with some serious rhyming.

One of the best tracks on the album, “70 (5ive) (Feat. LAGARIAN) (Prod. TaylorKing)” makes your head nod, your brain chew on the lyrics, all while your heart feels full. This feeling is also recreated one track later on the funk-driven “Got My Mind Made Up (Feat.Shambased)”. “Soulerlude” and “Real ( do I keeps it)”, are another two outstanding cuts, which carry the “Hip-$oul” theme comfortably.

If I were a professor of hip-hop, “Real ( do I keeps it)” would be a track I would hold up to my students as having almost every element that makes a great hip-hop song. The beat is driving, layered with a full-force horn section, it grips your ears and doesn’t let go. KnowledgeΔustin lyrics, rhetorical yet educated, show a rapper coming into full bloom.

“Hip-$oul” is the result of when an artist hits a sweet spot in the recording. His music is still pure, unaffected by label demands, budget constraints, and the pressure of having to follow up quality work. The artist is young, hungry and ready to show and prove. KnowledgeΔustin does that and more, blending his style into a soulful and vibrant album that is a great listen, front-to-back. - Jamsphere