Catalogue No: 9999999
During the early 2000s, the West Coast rap scene had long fallen off, relative to its mid-'90s golden age at least. There was occasional hope for renewed brighter days, though. One of the West Coast's brightest hopes was Knoc-Turn'al, an inimitable Los Angeles rapper with strong ties to Cali elite such as Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre, the latter of whom Knoc had songwritten for, most notably the summer 2001 anthem "Bad Intentions."
Beyond doubt Knoc is a jack of most rap trades -- he can not only rap, and do so with striking wit (if not dexterity), but he can also croon his own hooks, write full-fledged songs, and resemble Snoop's more colorful characteristics better than most. His well-crafted debut album, The Way I Am, showcases these talents at length.
