About Speaker Knockerz
Artist Biography
Speaker Knockerz’ extraordinary rise as a producer and rapper inspired legions of bedroom beatmakers with talent and drive to become hitmakers themselves. The New York native and South Carolina-based artist, born Derek McAllister in 1994, began making beats as a 13-year-old, and within four years, could be heard on Meek Mill’s 2011 breakthrough, Dreamchasers. He also placed some of his productions with other high-profile stars like Gucci Mane and 2 Chainz. But Knockerz was at his best on the mic—often playful and exuberant, but always willing to dive deep into the struggles he faced growing up. On his 2013 smash hit “Lonely,” he raps about rising from nothing and the problems he still faced after achieving some success: “Got kicked out the house, I had no option/I was going through it with my mama. When I dropped out I said, ‘F**k all of y'all’/Imagine pulling up to your school in the best car.” His ability to blend humor and drama from one line to the next appealed to listeners, and his heavily Auto-Tuned flow over wobbly, bass-heavy beats centered him perfectly in the new sound of the South. Tragically, less than four months after his 19th birthday in 2014, he was found dead in the garage of his Columbia home. The news of the MC’s death reverberated throughout the hip-hop community, leaving fans and peers shocked and saddened. But Kodak Black and Lil Uzi Vert’s rap tributes to the late artist prove that although he’s gone, he’ll never be forgotten.
Hometown
United States of America
Genre
Hip-Hop/Rap
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