After the success of “Alpha Place,” Knucks returns with “A Fine African Man,” a project that feels both personal and expansive. While “Alpha Place” painted a vivid picture of growing up in North West London, this new body of work takes a broader view, tracing Knucks’ experiences between London and Nigeria and what it means to live between both worlds.
The album draws from soul samples and African-inspired rhythms, grounding itself in heritage while speaking to a global audience. It captures the story of someone navigating the cultural shifts of moving back to Nigeria during his formative years — the familiar dance of finding home in two places at once.
“Masquerade” opens the record with boldness and reflection, where Knucks challenges inherited fears and traditions in a track that feels both grounded and freeing. Then comes “My Name Is My Name,” the emotional heart of the project, where Knucks reclaims his Nigerian name, Afamefuna, transforming what once carried shame into a statement of pride.
On “Pure Water,” he looks back at his boarding school days in Nigeria, while “Yam Porridge” featuring Tiwa Savage becomes a warm tribute to the women who hold families together. “Friends” featuring Tyler Daley offers a candid take on the blurred lines in modern relationships.
Speaking about the album, 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 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.
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.
“A Fine African Man” feels like a homecoming — not to one place, but to self.
