Rap Noir

In the film noir tradition of Alfred Hitchcock, Orson Welles and Otto Preminger, TAJAI from Hieroglyphics (and @Souls of Mischief) and super producer UNJUST (Ron Jon Bovi, First Light, Chosen Few) have come together to craft RAP NOIR, a collection of stories from the darker side of things.


"As an Edgar Allan Poe and Charles Bukowski fan, I wanted to delve into speaking on the seedier things I have encountered in my life as an Oakland resident and world traveler. Also, as a fan of greats like Slick Rick, Kool G Rap, Ice Cube and Nas, I wanted to use my skill at storytelling to add on to rap's tradition of cinematic wordplay, while including lessons and useful life observations” states Tajai on the project. “Unjust has the cinematic beats. I want to big up storytelling and its importance in hip hop, in literature, and in general.”


In addition to the original, “classic” version of the record, Rap Noir also is releasing TRAP NOIR – an alternate version of the album produced by underground fixture HARRIS THE KNOWITALL.


"I'm dropping these two records like an audio experiment in perception, in style. It is a cinematic record. With a couple of subtle tweaks it can be viewed differently. I've known Harris the Knowitall for several years - when it was time to make the TRAP NOIR record I knew he had the ability to make it like no one else could, and make it so that my record wouldn't sound like anyone else's.”


The rest is history, as they say.