Their often politically-charged, culturally-introspective, and motivational lyrics find influence rooted in the early works of Nas, Public Enemy, Outkast and Common Sense. The production could be described as warm, soulful and organic -- born out of the school of producers that cite the likes of RZA, Pete Rock, Jay Dee, and DJ Premier. Cyne's "sound" is impacted by everything from Bad Brains to Krautrock, from Camp Lo to Kate Bush – it's a hybrid of emotional, historical, and challenging influences.
The group's debut release was a 12" entitled "African Elephants," released in 2001. Cyne has since released a number of EPs, singles, and two critically well-received albums. They have also collaborated on projects with internationally acclaimed artists Daedelus, Four Tet and Nujabes.
With previously released albums on Botanica Del Jibaro, P-Vine and City Centre Offices, Cyne has created a reputation as artists that stay true to the lyrical power and gritty cut-and-paste aesthetic of classic hip hop while managing to explore new sonic territory.
Escape
CYNE Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hold up man gotta be free
Hold up man gotta be me
Hold up man gotta stand up
Brush off cause we gonna breakthrough these
Fuck that hold back now get low
Don’t shit in my su su studio
We gonna rock to the top
Til the people don’t stop
Ha get go
Hold up man gotta be free
Hold up man gotta be me
Hold up man gotta stand up
Brush off cause we gonna breakthrough these
Fuck that hold back now get low
Don’t shit in my su su studio
We gonna rock to the top
Keep it hot to the block
Til the people don’t stop
Ha get go
(1: Cise Star)
How you feel about the up til you get down
Why you sound like a punk bitch get grown
Gimme some links with them grits real quick bitch
Ha ha new day yes sir get gone
Runaway to the runway catch sun
Take off to exhaust while I twist one
Turn on to the song while I move you
Damn can I move you yes don't question
New socks, new shirt, dirty dishes
New car, no gas, so vicious
Oh my god oh my god don’t you listen
No pot to piss in Muslim, Christian
Same shit new day ain’t nothing changed
New shit same day can you feel the pain?
Oh my god oh my god can you make a change
If I see this shit again think I’m gonna go insane
(2: Cise Star & Akin)
When will these humans learn
Empires crash and burn
A house of cards that’s built on sand will never ever work
Hush that what’s that cause the truth hurts
Groundwork being laid for the world church
In the guise of love we gonna give it up
Submit or fall, hear the bomb burst
Blast blast, now we all caught in police state
Walk or run right into that old redneck grave
The Girls and boys got fire in the hole
School’s out go play
They shooting, so move
Now we all caught in police state
Do you want to escape or pray
Escape, put God in the classroom
We’re OK
Intelligent design
(3: Cise Star & Akin)
It’s the year of the boombox turn off radio
Fight for apocalypse shut down studio
Down studio down studio down studio
This is that 808 rap
We spit light let sky crack
We see it, loophole where
Gotta get that come again what
Say its that 808 rap
We spit light let sky crack
We see it, loophole where
Gotta get that come again what
Gotta get that come again what
Too much too soon and the ball drop
Not much have not and you call cops
Black bars no sleep with the padlocks
Let’s get free small voice in the boondocks
Get right get wrong who the fuck knows
Choose a side pick a lie and you make foes
Don’t like what you hear then you close doors
I’m gonna say how I feel til you all know
Blast blast, now we all caught in police state
Walk or run right into that old redneck grave
The Girls and boys got fire in the hole
School’s out go play
They shooting, so move
The song "Escape" by CYNE is a politically charged track that encourages listeners to be true to themselves and stand up for what they believe in. The lyrics reflect a sense of frustration with society and the system, urging listeners to break through and escape the confines that hold them back. The opening line "Hold up man gotta be free" sets the tone for the song, emphasizing the need for personal freedom and self-expression.
The verses delve into various societal issues, such as the struggles of everyday life, the feeling of stagnation, and the looming threat of a police state. The lyrics encourage listeners to question the status quo and not be afraid to challenge authority. The song's chorus of "We gonna rock to the top" reinforces the idea that perseverance and resilience will lead to change.
One interesting aspect of the song is its use of the phrase "808 rap," which refers to the Roland TR-808 drum machine that was popular in early hip-hop and electronic music. The song's use of this term highlights CYNE's intention to blend genres and push boundaries. Additionally, the lyrics reflect the group's interest in social justice and political consciousness, which is a recurrent theme in their music.
Line by Line Meaning
Hold up man gotta be free
I need to be free and not held back by anyone else.
Hold up man gotta be me
I need to be true to myself and not change for anyone else.
Hold up man gotta stand up
I need to stand up for what I believe in and not be afraid.
Brush off cause we gonna breakthrough these
I need to ignore any obstacles and push through to success.
Fuck that hold back now get low
I won't hold back anymore and will go all out to achieve my goals.
Don't shit in my su su studio
I won't let anyone bring me down or belittle my work in the studio.
We gonna rock to the top
I will succeed and reach the top of my industry.
Keep it hot to the block
I will keep producing great work and impressing my audience.
Til the people don't stop
I won't stop until I've gained the approval and support of my audience.
Ha get go
I'm ready to start and achieve my goals.
How you feel about the up til you get down
How do you feel about working hard until you achieve success?
Why you sound like a punk bitch get grown
Don't act like a scared child, grow up and face your fears.
Gimme some links with them grits real quick bitch
Give me some help and support to achieve my goals.
Ha ha new day yes sir get gone
It's a new day and I'm ready to leave my old self behind and achieve success.
Runaway to the runway catch sun
I need to run away from my struggles and catch a break.
Take off to exhaust while I twist one
I'll take off and relax while I smoke and unwind.
Turn on to the song while I move you
Listen to the music and let it inspire and motivate you to move forward.
Damn can I move you yes don't question
Don't doubt my ability to inspire and motivate you with my music.
New socks, new shirt, dirty dishes
I may have new material things, but I still have struggles and hardships.
New car, no gas, so vicious
I may have a new car, but I still struggle to keep up with its maintenance.
Oh my god oh my god don't you listen
Why won't anyone listen to my struggles and help me?
No pot to piss in Muslim, Christian
I may have different beliefs than others, but we all struggle and face hardships.
Same shit new day ain't nothing changed
I face the same struggles every day and nothing seems to change.
New shit same day can you feel the pain?
Even with new experiences, the pain of struggles remains the same.
Oh my god oh my god can you make a change
Is anyone able to help make a change and improve my situation?
If I see this shit again think I'm gonna go insane
If I keep facing the same struggles, I may lose my mind.
When will these humans learn
When will people learn from their mistakes and stop repeating history?
Empires crash and burn
Historically, empires have always failed and crumbled.
A house of cards that's built on sand will never ever work
A shaky foundation will never lead to success or stability.
Hush that what's that cause the truth hurts
People don't like to hear the truth because it may hurt their feelings or challenge their beliefs.
Groundwork being laid for the world church
There are plans in place for a global religion to take over.
In the guise of love we gonna give it up
The world religion will be disguised as a peaceful and loving movement.
Submit or fall, hear the bomb burst
People will be forced to submit to the world religion or face destruction.
Blast blast, now we all caught in police state
We are now under strict government control and surveillance.
Walk or run right into that old redneck grave
We have limited options and may face danger or death if we don't obey.
The Girls and boys got fire in the hole
The younger generation is ready to rebel and fight back against the system.
School's out go play
The youth are ready to take action and make their voices heard.
They shooting, so move
There is danger and violence present, so we need to act and protect ourselves.
Do you want to escape or pray
Do you want to try and escape the harsh reality or rely on prayer to make a change?
Escape, put God in the classroom
We need to break free from the system and bring religion back into the education system.
We're OK
We can overcome the system and make a positive change.
Intelligent design
The world and its systems were created with an intelligent design.
It's the year of the boombox turn off radio
We need to stop listening to mainstream media and start expressing ourselves through music.
Fight for apocalypse shut down studio
We need to fight against the system and shut down the mainstream media.
This is that 808 rap
This is a style of rap that uses a particular drum machine called the Roland TR-808.
We spit light let sky crack
Our music can inspire and motivate our audience to make a change.
We see it, loophole where
We see that there is a way to overcome the system, but it may require finding a loophole.
Gotta get that come again what
We need to keep striving for success and not give up.
Too much too soon and the ball drop
We may be overwhelmed or unprepared for success, which could cause us to fail.
Not much have not and you call cops
Some people resort to calling the police when they feel threatened or hopeless.
Black bars no sleep with the padlocks
We may be trapped or imprisoned in a dark, lonely place without rest or freedom.
Let's get free small voice in the boondocks
We need to use our small voices to speak up and fight for freedom in the overlooked areas.
Get right get wrong who the fuck knows
We may not always make the right decision, but we have to try and learn from our mistakes.
Choose a side pick a lie and you make foes
People may become enemies if you don't share their beliefs and opinions.
Don't like what you hear then you close doors
People may shut out others who don't share their beliefs or opinions.
I'm gonna say how I feel til you all know
I will vocalize my beliefs and opinions until people understand how I feel.
Contributed by Lauren J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.