Listen to Kirk Knight, "Dead Friends"

Playing second- or third-fiddle in a popular group is usually an unenviable position, but Kirk Knight has done quite nicely for himself. The Pro Era deputy has used the last twelve months to deftly step out from under Joey Bada$$ and his slender, formalist shadow to make a name for himself as an arresting solo artist all his own. With his debut album, Late Knight Special due out October 30, the rapper and producer has dropped a pair of compelling singles in "Knight Time" and "Good Knight." Now, he shirks off the puns and taps two of today's most exciting talents: the Chicago rapper Noname Gypsy and the brilliant Los Angeles anachronism, Thundercat. Together the trio turns out "Dead Friends," a hazy, moving cut that moves at a surprising clip. Check out Knight's live show at one of his tour dates, listed below:

10/1 San Francisco, CA – Sutter Room at Regency Theater *
10/02 Santa Cruz, CA – Catalyst *
10/03 Eugene, OR – WOW Hall *
10/04 Seattle, WA – Neumos *
10/05 Vancouver, BC – Vogue *
10/06 Portland, OR – Roseland Theater *
10/09 Salt Lake City, UT – Complex *
10/10 Denver, CO – Cervantes *
10/11 Fort Collins, CO – Aggie *
10/13 Omaha, NE – Waiting Room *
10/14 Minneapolis, MN – First Ave *
10/15 Madison, WI – Majestic *
10/16 Chicago, IL – Metro *
10/17 Ann Arbor, MI – Blind Pig *
10/18 Toronto – Phoenix 8
10/20 Montreal – Club Soda *
10/21 Boston, MA – Boston *
10/22 Washington DC – Washington DC *
10/23 Burlington, VT – Higher *
10/24 New York, NY – Webster Hall *
10/26 Philadelphia, PA – TLA *
10/27 Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle *
10/28 Atlanta, GA – Masquerade *
10/29 Orlando, FL – 578 *
10/30 Miami, FL – TBD *
10/31 Tampa, FL – Orpheum *

November:
11/01 Jacksonville, FL – Underbelly *
11/04 Austin, TX – Parish *
11/05 Dallas, TX – Trees *
11/06 San Antonio, TX – Alamo *
11/08 Albuquerque, NM – Sunshine *
11/09 Phoenix, AZ – Club Red *
11/10 Santa Ana, CA – Observatory *
11/11 San Diego, CA – Observatory *
11/12 Los Angeles, CA – El Rey *

* includes Pouya & The Buffet Boys, Kirk Knight & Bodega Bamz

Listen to Kirk Knight, Knight Time