BK-One of Rhymesayers Entertainment has been the DJ for Brother Ali since 2000 and has toured the world as a renowned beatsmith for the popular MC, but the release of his first solo album, Rádio do Canibal, will propel the DJ into a wider range of recognition. With a release date of October 6th, this collaboration of records collected through extensive tours of South America (namely, Brazil) and working with fellow Twin Cities producer, Benzilla, will be an undertaking well worth the effort.

The title, Rádio do Canibal, comes from Brazilian poet Oswald de Andrade’s “Cannibal Manifesto,” which describes Brazilian culture as the all-encompassing absorption of other cultures. Since the poem was written, Brazilian music has experimented with a variety of worldly influences including reggae, American jazz, soul, and funk, and adapted it to their own styles of bossa nova and samba to create something truly original. Rádio do Canibal is an attempt to capture the spirit of Brazilian culture and music through something original and exciting.

In a move respected by those who follow hip-hop, BK-One has opted to leave the vocal additions on his record to those of professional lyricists and avoid the embarrassment of his record being tossed aside due to sub-par lyricism. Filling in the “guest MC” spots include the likes of Scarface, Slug (of Atmosphere), Black Thought (of The Roots), Brother Ali, Raekwon (of Wu-Tang Clan), Murs (of Living Legends), Phonte (of Little Brother), Haiku D’ Etat, Blueprint, P.O.S. (of Doomtree), The Grouch (of Living Legends), I Self Devine, Toki Wright, Aby Wolf, and The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble. All these collaborators will add to the self-indulging, cultural hodge-podge that follows the theme of the record.

Rhymesayers Entertainment has a reputation for releasing some of the best music that flies under the radar, so don’t sleep on this record. Pick up a copy of Rádio do Canibal so that you won’t have to play catch-up with the rest of the world.