Knxwledge (pronounced “knowledge”), aka Glen Boothe, is a producer raised in Philadelphia and New Jersey and now based in Los Angeles, where he is a pivotal figure in the city’s new generation of beat makers.
Knx has long been a part of the Stones Throw Records family. As well as hundreds of remix collections beat tapes released on Bandcamp — collected in the album Anthology, released by Leaving Records in 2013 — he has released one official solo full-length on Stones Throw, Hud Dreems (2015). Since its release, Hud Dreems has won Knxwledge fans around the world and is widely as a modern classic of instrumental hip-hop — with a 2019 reissue testament to its continued popularity. Following Hud Dreems’ release, Knxwledge toured the world, bringing his eclectic DJ sets to fans in the USA, Asia, Europe and Australia.
An extremely active member of the fertile L.A. beat scene, Knx has long been a go-to producer for rappers after his unique, soulful sound. He’s made beats for artists including Joey Bada$$, Roc Marciano, Earl Sweatshirt and Kendrick Lamar, with his work on To Pimp A Butterfly earning him a Grammy nomination in 2015.
In 2014 Knx formed the duo NxWorries with R&B star Anderson .Paak. Their debut single “Suede” became a viral hit, and their album Yes Lawd!, a sprawling collection of R&B/hip-hop gems, followed through on that song’s immense promise. Named “Best New Music” by Pitchfork and widely praised for its contribution to the canon of albums made by a single rapper and producer — such as Madvillainy and Jaylib — Yes Lawd! Was an instant classic. Knx followed Yes Lawd! With a collection of remixes, in the tradition of producers such as Madlib remixing their own work. With more music due from NxWorries in the future, the duo remains both Knx and .Paak’s longest-standing collaboration. While .Paak’s silken vocals feature twice on the album, 1988 is a definitive solo work.
