Knucks Returns with Introspective Lagos-Set Visual for New Single 'Cut Knuckles'

Knucks takes listeners on a personal journey shaped by memory, struggle, and quiet resilience. Built on a bed of mellow jazz grooves and rich instrumental textures, the new single feels like an open diary, unfolding the often-overlooked realities behind personal growth and public success. Rather than glorifying the polished image of achievement, Knucks steps back, revisiting the less glamorous moments that shaped him.

The lyrics stem from his early years spent in Nigeria, capturing vivid, tactile memories, from scrubbing uniforms by hand to trekking long distances under a relentless sun. These aren’t abstract metaphors; they’re snapshots from a real past that grounds the track in lived experience. The narrative moves fluidly between then and now, offering a striking contrast between past hardships and present-day comfort. It’s this emotional duality, humble beginnings versus material wins that gives the track its depth and universality.

Accompanied by a visual co-directed by Director K, Knucks, and LKY, the video was filmed on location in Lagos. It mirrors the track’s themes with striking clarity, fusing personal heritage and present identity. The single gestures toward the wider thematic landscape of A Fine African Man, a project that explores the push and pull of being first-generation, caught between the pulse of London and the warmth, intensity, and complexity of Nigeria.