Biography
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Born
1979
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Born In
Taranaki, North Island, New Zealand
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Died
13 August 2021 (aged 42)
“I’m one drink from jail”
This line from Auckland emcee Louie Knuxx perfectly sums up the dichotomy of an artist whose music and life balances precariously between ignorance and introspection.
Hailing from Aotearoa’s dirt city Louie Knuxx is one of the true journeymen of the local hip hop scene. After first appearing on the Dubious Brothers album Trade Secrets he’s slowly built a fan base around his unique delivery and hopeful tales of hardship. In a culture filled with fantasies of thugs and cartoon violence, Louie stands out as a man that has lived the life and refuses to water it down for pop consumption or to glorify the gutter.
In 2003 jail time and ambition convinced the up and coming rapper that he needed a change of scenery and he made the pilgrimage to Auckland city.
After threatening to pitch a tent on Breakin’ Wreckwordz founder Cyphanetiks lawn until he signed him, Louie became a member of the BWW roster. Breakin’ Wreck crew Insomniacs revolving door policy opened up a spot for Louie Knuxx to become part of the group, and led to the tracks Bang Your Head, Super Heroes and the politically correct nightmare Dreams of Fucking a Retarded Bitch.
Around 2005 Insomniacs was put on hiatus as the various members pursued solo projects. Louie found him self holed up in the Auckland suburb of Beachlands with producer Exile, a portable recording studio, a head full of songs and a lot of liquor. He emerged two months later with an album that not only featured many of New Zealand’s top hip hop artists, but one that managed to capture a down-and-out life style that is unique to this country.
From weekend tales of excess on the heavily rotated single Fly to the soulful cries of redemption on Melancholy, Knuxx gave the listener an uncensored view of his life to date.
Not being the type to mince words he titled the album Wasted Youth and set about promoting it with two New Zealand tours. The first with label mate Cyphanetik, Smash Proof, Tha Feelstyle, Juse and Ethical, the other with Frontline whom, along with the Breakin’ Wreck roster, appeared on Wasted Youth.
As we speak Louie Knuxx is back in the studio working on his sophomore album and a recording project called “Cancer” with grime city’s finest Jay Roacher.
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