Respecta.is - The Ultimate Hip Hop Portal

Geography be damned, the global reach of Hip-Hop is always growing and becoming more powerful. The culture’s impact and ability to influence artists the world over is immense, and that’s made evident by one of the funkiest, West Coast-to-the-core albums released this year—by an artist from the Netherlands named, Unstoppable Knight.

The rapper-producer’s full-length debut, 'I Remain Unvanquished (Invictus Maneo),' is unapologetically steeped in the genre-defining gangsta rap of the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. A big reason for that is the guest lineup, which boasts a number of the era’s O.G.’s. Kam and MC Eiht appear on instant standout “Don’t Mean Nuthin’,” while RBX serves as the album’s narrator. He provides even more depth than already present through the rhymes of Unstoppable Knight, whose verses round out exactly what you want from a debut. He’s equally deft at welcoming you to a party (“Lovin These Nights”) as he is at taking you on a tour of his come up (“Bottom 2 Da Top”) with some help from West Coast rap giant, Kokane.

The production across the album’s 14 tracks is sonically rich and doused in funk, and remains impressively cohesive no matter who’s behind the boards. “Better Life” absolutely bangs, thanks to Compton producer DeVille G. Gotti, while “The Right Time” and “Let’s Go” bounce with summery, feel-good vibes from Philly Dex and Peter Pernet, respectively. It’s also worth noting that Unstoppable Knight co-produced one third of IRU alongside Da Beast.

Above all else, 'I Remain Unvanquished' is a strong reminder that the spirit of G-funk is alive and well—you may just have to look in an unexpected place to find it