Speaker Knockerz - "Married to the Money II"

[StevePulaski]

Married to the Money II (2014)
By: Speaker Knockerz

Rating: ★★★

Derek "Speaker Knockerz" McAllister was one of the most promising hip-hop artists you probably never heard of; I can only compare him to the Atlanta rapper Dolla, who was signed to Akon's Konvict Music label and had one marginally successful street single before his shooting death in 2009. McAllister was a nineteen-year-old, South Carolina-born MC, who made headlines following his "Rico Story" song trilogy, about a young man named Rico who got invested in the world of drug dealing. McAllister went on to release two mixtapes, unsigned, but still garnering attention from rappers like Young Scooter, who admired the young MC's craft, before his mysterious and unexpected death in 2014.

Married to the Money II is the posthumously released mixtape dedicated to Knockerz, featuring the last of his recorded material and sporadic songs paying homage to the rapper from several other unsigned artists. Among these are the conclusion of his "Rico Story" trilogy, which, despite its midtempo key, is a dark and haunting series of songs, along with two of his most famous songs, "Lonely," about how Knock has to work to make money by himself without the interference of others, and "Erica Kane," a song named after the All My Children character.

Other songs on the album range from a "Lonely" remix with Young Scooter, "SK the Legend," a tribute the man himself by Big Ant, who discusses his friend's legacy and the controversy his death brought, and "Dap You Up," which concerns a "faded" Knock, so under the influence he can't even greet people he meets. Part of the appeal of Knockerz, as an artist, was the consistent simplicity of his music. His songs generally beared snap music tendencies, with infectious, often repetitive flows and choruses set to a basic piano instrumental, infused with a great deal of bass and snare, adhering to principles of trap music. Knockerz used these simplistic setups to make wildly infectious tunes like "Money," "Flexin' and Finessin'," and "All I Know" during his brief career, or used them to tell serious stories about gang/street-life.

Whatever the forte, Knockerz consistently capitalized off of his talents and Married to the Money II, while not as even or as commendable as his previous mixtapes Finesse Father and the original Married to the Money, is a fitting sendoff to one of the many rappers gone before their craft could continue to be shown to the world.

Recommended tracks (in order): "Lonely," "Dap You Up," "SK the Legend," "We Know," "On Me," and "Erica Kane."