by Andy KellmanVeteran rapper Freddie Foxxx developed his alter ego of Bumpy Knuckles after hearing a comment from someone who witnessed a display of his pugilist skills. Having realized the gradual mellowing of his temper throughout the years -- Foxxx would only occasionally get his blood up in comparison to his more violent childhood -- he began blaming his rare flare-ups on the Knuckles alias.
Born James Campbell in Westbury, NY, in 1969, Foxxx was in a group by the age of ten and made his recorded debut as Freddie C. in 1986 on a 12" by Supreme Force. He landed a deal with MCA and released Freddie Foxxx Is Here in 1989. After making noted appearances on records by Kool G. Rap & DJ Polo, Boogie Down Productions, and Naughty by Nature, he recorded Crazy Like a Foxxx for Epic, which never saw the light of day -- only a few promotional copies were leaked prior to the label's decision to keep it on the shelf.
Foxxx spent a couple years underground and reappeared with contributions to records by Gang Starr and M.O.P. Frustrated by the "sink or swim" practices of the common major label, he also started his own label, Kjac, and received distribution from Landspeed for his second official solo record, 2000's Industry Shakedown (billed as Bumpy Knuckles). With production work from DJ Premier, Diamond D., and Pete Rock, the record took aim at the evils of the record industry -- evils that Foxxx/Knuckles knows plenty about.