KEITH KNIGHT

Keith Knight is many things to many people–rapper, social activist, father and educator among them. He’s also one of the funniest and most highly regarded cartoonists in America, and the creator of three popular comic strips: the Knight Life, (th)ink, and the K Chronicles. For nearly two decades, this multi-award-winning artist has brought the funny back to the funny pages with a uniquely personal style that’s a cross between Calvin & Hobbes, MAD, and underground comix.

Keith Knight is part of a generation of African-American artists who were raised on hip-hop, and infuse their work with urgency, edge, humor, satire, politics and race. His art has appeared in various publications worldwide, including the Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, Salon.com, Ebony, ESPN the Magazine, L.A. Weekly, MAD Magazine, and the Funny Times .

His comic musings on race have garnered accolades and stirred controversies, prompting CNN to tap him to grade America on its progress concerning issues of race.

AWARDS:

-2010 Comic Con Inkpot Award for Career Achievement in Comics
-2007 Harvey Award for Best Comic Strip
-2006, ’07,08,10,11 Glyph Award for Best Comic Strip

Three K Chronicles comics were the basis of an award-winning live-action short film, Jetzt Kommt Ein Karton, in Germany. His comic art has appeared in museums and galleries from San Francisco (CA) to Angoulême (France).

BOOKS:

Too Small to Fail (Keith Knight Press) 2011
The Knight Life: Chivalry Ain’t Dead (Grand Central) 2010
I Left My Arse in San Francisco (Keith Knight Press) 2008
The Complete K Chronicles (Dark Horse) 2008
Are We Feeling Safer Yet? (Keith Knight Press) 2007
Beginner’s Guide to Community Based Arts (New Village Press) 2005
The Passion of the Keef (Manic D Press) 2005
Red, White, Black, & Blue (Manic D Press) 2004
What A Long Strange Strip It’s Been (Top Shelf) 2002
Fear of a Black Marker (Manic D Press) 2000
Dances With Sheep (Manic D Press) 1997

MUSIC:

Knight was also a part of the seminal nerdcore hip-hop band, the Marginal Prophets. Winners of a California Music Award for their 2nd disc, Bohemian Rap CD, beating out rap heavyweights Paris, Aceyalone, E-40, Too-Short, and Ice Cube’s Westside Connection!! Hip-hop music with a punk-rock aesthetic!!

WORLD FAMOUS SLIDESHOW:

Keith Knight has performed his hilariously eye-opening racialicious comic strip slideshow at college campuses, comedy clubs, libraries, churches, art spaces and community centers worldwide! He shared the stage with writer Dave Eggers, This American Life’s Ira Glass and They Might Be Giants on the McSweeney’s vs. They Might Be Giants tour. He also leads many workshops and panel discussions concerning race, health, community-based arts, media literacy, and making a living as a cartoonist. For details, info and bookings, contact Keef at keef@kchronicles.com.

FUN FACTS

In 1984, Keith Knight was the official Michael Jackson impersonator of Jordan Marsh, a department store in Boston. He is only slightly embarrassed by this.

Keith Knight was born in Malden, Massachusetts, birthplace of Converse All-Stars, Extreme, and Jack Albertson, from Chico and the Man.

Utne Reader named Knight one of ten “cartoonists to watch” in a special issue

In May 2000, Keith performed naked onstage with his band at the world-renowned Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco. Supposedly for charity.

Spike Lee purchased an original piece Keith did about his film Do the Right Thing.