Knucks has officially confirmed the release of his long-awaited second studio album, A Fine African Man, arriving October 31 via ADA. The project, which is now available for pre-order, promises to be one of the UK rap scene’s most compelling artistic statements of the year.
The album’s title is inspired by Knucks’ birth name, Afamefuna—Igbo for “May my name not be forgotten.” Across its songs, the record explores his dual identity as a London-raised Nigerian, while navigating themes of masculinity, cultural alienation, inherited shame, and ancestral pride.
Knucks said of the project, Knucks says “A Fine African Man, or AFAM. The Igbo name given to me by my family.
Afamefuna: ‘May my name not be forgotten’ This project is two years in the making. Two years of writing, thinking, living. Long nights in studios from London, to Jamaica to Nigeria. I see this is one as a continuation of Alpha Place – another side of who I am. I’m born and raised in London, but so much of who I am is because of my Nigerian heritage and the time I spent there during one of the most pivotal years of my life.”
Adding, “This project explores the dualities of a kid born and raised in London, who is also very much Nigerian, very much an African man. I was interested in what those two worlds could sound like on wax, since I’m a product of both. I hope this project lives with you in the same way you lived with Alpha Place”.
Recorded over the past two years between London, Jamaica, and Nigeria, A Fine African Man is framed as a continuation of Knucks’ celebrated debut Alpha Place. But where his first album traced his upbringing in North London, the new project expands the lens, positioning Knucks within a larger cultural and global context. The sound and storytelling are enriched by cinematic influences, from Nollywood classics to the visceral realism of City of God.
Knucks’ 2022 debut Alpha Place made an emphatic impact, debuting at No. 3 on the UK Official Album Charts and earning him a historic tie with Little Simz’s Sometimes I Might Be Introvert for MOBO Album of the Year—the first tie in the award’s history. That project established Knucks as a singular voice in British rap, weaving together street narratives with cinematic flourishes.
Education: Computer Network Engineering, Computer Desktop Administration
Fave Song: Destiny's Child 'Dangerously in love'
Fave Colour: Grey.
With £1m what would you do: I would do my part to provide opportunities to the less fortunate. Then do my best to change the world in my own way through sports and talent building.
