There has never been an anomaly in hip-hop quite like the southern trio CunninLynguists. Sampling genres from psych-rock to blues, New Romantic to polka, they have been musically compared to UGK and Atmosphere in the same breath. They have toured and shared stages with Kanye West and Aesop Rock to equal success. They have produced for Lil' Scrappy as well as KRS-One. They have crafted songs with international soul superstar Cee-Lo Green and politically charged indie-favorite Immortal Technique … on the same album. CunninLynguists have eschewed categories, boxes and labels for 10 years, 5 albums and 4 official mixtapes, all while having what XXL Magazine described as the "Most Hated Name In Rap".
The result? If you want labels...Southern boom-bap. Too white for BET, too black for MTV2. A preacher's son, a caucasian guy from rural Georgia and a convicted felon. But mainly … a self-made career, one of the most consistent catalogs of any current hip-hop act and one of the most loyal, worldwide fanbases in all of indie rap music.
Backed with gritty beats, quality rhymes and 808 thump, the 'Lynguists intend on recapturing the soul in southern hip-hop. With what Spin Magazine calls "Outkast's tragicomic poignancy", Deacon The Villain, Kno and Natti follow in the footsteps of artists like Goodie Mob, Ya'll So Stupid, Geto Boys and the aforementioned 'Kast in painting a picture meant to remind the world that politics, death, racism, relationships, religion and struggle are just as relevant to life below the Mason-Dixon as anywhere else.
Their critically acclaimed debut LP, Will Rap For Food, was released in October 2001. CunninLynguists were joined by Floridian emcee Mr. SOS for their 2nd LP, Southernunderground, which was independently released April 1, 2003 on Freshchest Records and QN5 Music and re-released in 2004. Guests included Masta Ace, Tonedeff and RJD2. Between Southernunderground and A Piece of Strange, they released two mixtapes titled Sloppy Seconds Vol. 1 and Sloppy Seconds Vol. 2. Their third LP, A Piece of Strange, was released in January of 2006 via LAU Records. Their fourth album, Dirty Acres, was released 2007. In 2009, they released two more mixtapes titled Strange Journey Volume One and Strange Journey Volume Two, featuring such artists as Freddie Gibbs, E-40, Slug, and Killer Mike. Their most recent LP, Oneirology, was released in 2011. Guests included Big K.R.I.T., Tonedeff, Freddie Gibbs, and Anna Wise of Sonnymoon.
The group has toured worldwide, appearing onstage alongside acts like Nappy Roots, Cee-Lo Green, Bun B, Kanye West, Raekwon of Wu-Tang Clan, Brand Nubian and more.
Kno, hailing from Georgia and currently residing in Lexington, Kentucky, has been described as "one of the top loop-miners east of the Mississippi" by URB. He produced the majority of Will Rap For Food and Southernunderground, all of A Piece of Strange, and has also recieved critical acclaim in The NY Times, Rolling Stone and other magazines for his remix of Jay-Z's Black Album, entitled Kno vs. Hov : The White Al-bu-lum in 2004. Kno released a solo LP in 2010 titled Death is Silent.
Born in Versailles, Kentucky, Deacon has also established himself as a producer. His beats have been rocked by the likes of KRS-One, King Tee as well as local Kentucky artists such as Rob Jackson and Bonafide Circle. The son of a reverend, his ear for melody and church trained voice have also landed him hook work for Ruff Ryders, Sean Price and more. Deacon released an album with Sheisty Khrist titled Niggaz With Latitude in 2010.
The duo has already begun work as a production duo under the name A Piece Of Strange, currently producing for Lil' Scrappy, Devin The Dude, D-12, Immortal Technique, Warner Brothers' rock and roll outfit Melee and others. They are managed by Lee "Skill" Resnick, whose only other clients are platinum producers Denaun Porter, Naughty By Nature's Kay Gee and Mr. Lee from Houston.
The group now officially counts emcee Natti as the third and final piece of the CunninLynguists' puzzle. After turning to music as a positive release after a 2 year prison stint in the early 2000's, Lexington, Kentucky native Natti's gravely drawl and streetwise lyrics give the group a decidedly interesting 3rd angle on the group's already broad range of subject matter.
Origin: Atlanta, GA
Year Formed: 2001
Members: Deacon The Villain
Kno
Natti
Former Member: Mr. SOS
Official Site: www.cunninlynguists.com
Lynguistics
CunninLynguists Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A brother got to eat. Why don't you rap for food then."
The music makes me high
Even though I stay away from cannabis, like Wyclef
Similar to Christ,
we got divine reps so tell me
If you know your gonna die why step?
Show no mercy
For rules and crews
You hit with more bricks than new ?
Riddles confusing fools, like Confucian rules
Cos most cats are more squared than Rubik's Cubes
We spit raps that are totally murderous
The rhymes are like an anaconda serpent clutch
So check out how these herbs get touched
Unless your broads giving us brains
Nigga you ain't servin us
Deacon and Kno, cunning lynguists with stunning English
Our true lies bring more pumps than Harry Rehnquist
Every week with the best speech
Roll with cats who smoke more trees than the flash and burn techniques
Sex, beats, between bed sheets
Red fleets, Pulp Fiction style
leaving your car with red seats
We make like fly swatters and smash pests
Put peeps under more pressure than a Kelly Price bed set
Keep your bodies looking like samples for the Rorscach Test
Ink blots, so fuck around and get your team rocked
Jugga's in the back with the beam cocked
Gots to have everything between L.A. and Queens locked
Uh huh, word, uh huh word, yo yo, check it out
Cunninlynguists, know what I'm saying?
You know how we do
I mean, you probably don't know how we do
But you're about to find out.
Like wha, like wha...
The lyrics to "Lynguistics" by CunninLynguists are full of discussion about their music industry experience and the challenges they face in staying true to their art form. The opening line of “So fuck the commercial tracks you be doing” is very expressive and reveals their feelings towards producing music that caters to popular demand rather than staying true to their skills. The next line, “A brother got to eat. Why don't you rap for food then,” criticizes other rapper’s intention of making music solely for commercial purposes. This line is a play on words, subverting the phrase "rap for free," to sarcastically insinuate that rappers are "raping" their art when they produce music just to make money. In doing so, they are making their art a type of commodity, thus reducing its value.
Throughout the song, they make clever references relating their lyrical abilities to biblical and spiritual prowess, such as with “Similar to Christ, we got divine reps,” emphasizing their belief that their artistry comes from a higher power. They also take shots at the hierarchical order in the music industry, stating that “we show no mercy for rules and crews” and that they are “more squared than Rubik's Cubes.” This means they are unpredictable, diverse and that they don’t conform to industry standards.
Overall, the lyrics of this song convey the message that the CunninLynguists are more concerned about their craft than selling their art, preferring to build a loyal fan-base that appreciates their creativity even if it is not in the mainstream. They focus on their skills and talent to hone their craft while expressing criticism regarding rappers who chase money with little craft invested in their productions.
Line by Line Meaning
So fuck the commercial tracks you be doin,
I have no interest in the popular music that you create for profit.
A brother got to eat. Why don't you rap for food then.
I understand that you create music to make a living, but have you considered using your talent to spread a positive message and make a difference?
The music makes me high
The power and energy of the music has a profound impact on me.
Even though I stay away from cannabis, like Wyclef
I don't need drugs to feel the effects of the music. Similar to Wyclef, I can experience euphoria solely from the sound.
Similar to Christ, we got divine reps so tell me
We have such immense talent and skill that it's as if we are godly beings.
If you know you're gonna die why step?
If you understand the consequences of your actions, why take the risk?
Show no mercy for rules and crews
We don't play by anybody else's rules but our own and we don't have loyalty to any other group or crew.
You hit with more bricks than new ?
We deliver blows and lyrics that are so strong, it will feel like a physical hit.
Riddles confusing fools, like Confucian rules
We make our lyrics complex and difficult to understand, like the philosophical concepts of Confucianism. This makes it harder for those who aren't intelligent or well-versed in the subject matter to comprehend what we're saying.
Cos most cats are more squared than Rubik's Cubes
Most people are extremely one-dimensional and can't think outside the box. We challenge the norm and are more complex than a common Rubik's Cube.
We spit raps that are totally murderous
Our lyrics are so powerful and deadly that they can inflict serious damage on our competitors.
The rhymes are like an anaconda serpent clutch
Our rhymes are like the grip of an anaconda constricting its prey; they are not easily escaped once they take hold.
So check out how these herbs get touched
Watch how we take out our opponents with ease.
Unless your broads giving us brains Nigga you ain't servin us
If you're not bringing something valuable and intelligent to the table, then we have no use for you or your music.
Deacon and Kno, cunning lynguists with stunning English
We are Deacon and Kno, cunning wordsmiths with an impressive mastery of the English language.
Our true lies bring more pumps than Harry Rehnquist
We are deceptive in our lyrics and are so skilled at it that it rivals the deceptive tactics of famous Supreme Court Justice Harry Rehnquist.
Every week with the best speech
We consistently deliver the best lyrics, week after week.
Roll with cats who smoke more trees than the flash and burn techniques
We surround ourselves with people who smoke more marijuana than they use advanced fire techniques, implying we are heavily involved in the drug culture.
Sex, beats, between bed sheets
We have a passion for creating rhythmic music that makes people want to get intimate with one another.
Red fleets, Pulp Fiction style leaving your car with red seats
Our actions are violent and intense, similar to the iconic scenes from the movie Pulp Fiction that involve splattered blood and red car seats.
We make like fly swatters and smash pests
We easily eliminate anyone who gets in our way, just like swatting away pesky flies.
Put peeps under more pressure than a Kelly Price bed set
We put immense mental and emotional pressure on our opponents, similar to the intense physical pressure that comes from lying on a Kelly Price bed set.
Keep your bodies looking like samples for the Rorscach Test
We will make our opponents look unrecognizable and distorted, similar to the abstract art of the Rorschach Test.
Ink blots, so fuck around and get your team rocked
We will leave our opponents with nothing but meaningless ink blots, making them question what they just experienced. And, we won't hesitate to destroy an entire team if they get in our way.
Jugga's in the back with the beam cocked
We have someone in the back armed and ready to shoot with precise aim.
Gots to have everything between L.A. and Queens locked
We strive to have control over everything from Los Angeles to Queens, implying we want our music and influence to spread across the entire country.
Uh huh, word, uh huh word, yo yo, check it out
Vocalization expressing eagerness to converse, listen and experience.
Cunninlynguists, know what I'm saying?
We are the CunninLynguists, do you understand what I'm saying?
You know how we do
You understand that we operate and conduct ourselves in a certain way.
I mean, you probably don't know how we do
You likely do not fully comprehend the methods and tactics that we employ.
But you're about to find out
But we are about to make it abundantly clear through our actions and our music.
Like wha, like wha...
An incomprehensible vocalization expressing excitement and anticipation.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Passthekind
on 616 Rewind - Feat. Tonedeff, Sankofa, Kashal Tee & Celph Titled
They got too many ?s on the lyrics.
The first one, you're gone in 60 seconds, like Nicholas Cage is.
2nd one, In the stretcher you went into a physical rubix cube.
3 n 4 got me too, I gotta listen again.
5 What kind of man are you I bet you sit on a urinal too.