I met up with Parts Unknown, also commonly referred to by their shorter name, PX, on a chilly evening a few weeks back. Through the short interview I got a glimpse at of one of Baltimore's talented rising groups as well as an advance listen to their EP.
PX is made up of emcees Blankman and Kneel Knaris and producer LB (abbreviation of Lord Baltimore), all of whom hail from the east side of the city. Kneel is known as the rugged one of the bunch, and he looks the part, dressed in a black ODB tribute shirt and talking with a slight drawl.
His rhyming partner Blankman is a little more laid- back and makes his mark in the group by not only rhyming on tracks, but singing verses, as well. LB, seated appropriately in the center of the two emcees, is the musical anchor of the group whose layered tracks feature live instrumentals, as well as samples.
One striking thing about the group is their age. Upon meeting them it was surprising that all the men were in their late twenties and early thirties and were college graduates as well.
This might not seem special for the average rock act, but in modern hip-hop, age and wisdom have usually fallen behind wild youth and braggadocio, if they were ever present at all.
Also, it might surprise some to know that the in addition to being "the gentleman thug" of the group, Kneel was an english literature major at the University of Maryland.
All three members acknowledged their age with happy confidence and explained that it was their experiences through the years and their maturity that led to their unique sound.
That sound, what they call "urban blues," is a throwback to old-school hip-hop that is at the same time modern and not at all forced like some of the earlier Jurassic 5 experiments. As much as their sound may be inspired by the blues, the group also promises that they will take listeners "back to the sound when hip-hop was fun."
As we talked about the state of the culture and life as a mature emcee, they kept coming back to the experiences of the group in life and on stage, and how modern rap has strayed drastically from its origins.
One point LB brought up was that emcees (or MCs, as they were called originally) have forgotten their purpose as "Master of the Ceremony."
In PX's view, many of today's rappers aren't putting their all into working the audience and really interacting. "It's time for the true emcees to take it back and really do more than just a stage show," says Blankman.
After the interview they passed on a copy of their new EP and single, "Make You Famous" on a freshly burned disc straight from the studio. The first thoughts after listening through it: the Urban Blues tag is dead on.
The songs bleed R&B in the original sense, not the R. Kelly usurpation. Both emcees have smooth voices that skate on top of the downplayed but engaging beats. "Make You Famous" is definitely a stand out track, worthy of single status with an off-kilter metronome effect that swings back and forth with the vocals and Blankman's soulful hook.
This track is probably killer live; you can hear the restrained excitement in Kneel's verse. Another stand-out is the Police sampling "S.O.S." that would sound right in a collection of tracks by people like Little Brother and Common, and it deserves its own 12".
