1. The Rapper: Cage Ke… Read Full Bio ↴There is more than one artist with this name:
1. The Rapper: Cage Kennylz (born Christian Palko), commonly known as Cage, is an underground rapper based in New York City, United States.
Cage's life has gone from watching his father shoot heroin, to addiction and violence and mental institutions to cutting an album for Columbia Records and being a rising star in the heyday of the NYC independent rap scene, to the final culmination and personal triumph that his most current release Hell's Winter has become. It's a brand new record from someone who has been through more extreme circumstances than most people could ever imagine, and has come out triumphant and a better person because of it, and whose artistic vision now reflects this.
18 years old, fresh out of the lodge, Cage decided to pursue his the talent he honed while in hell and try to become a professional rapper. He made a demo, got a manager and was introduced to Pete Nice of 3rd Bass fame. Pete featured Cage on his solo effort "Dust to Dust" on the song "Rich Bring 'Em Back" in 1993. This was his first appearance on a rap record.
Through Pete Nice Cage met fledgling radio personality Bobbito Garcia who had just started his soon to be legendary late night mix show with DJ Stretch Armstrong. He was invited up to the show several time, earning a rep in the emerging underground NY scene as a savage and raw new MC with an original style based on his tortured life and demented imagery
Through his connection with that show, he met and formed a strong friendship with the KMD (whose front man Zev Love X would eventually be known as MF DOOM) and formed a very strong friendship with the late great Subroc. Cage was the last person to see Subroc alive before he was killed. He also became associated with and close to: Kurious Jorge, K-Solo, Godfather Don, Artifacts, Pharoah Monch, El-P (who actually worked with Cage briefly in 1994 on a 3 song demo now lost to the world), the Juggaknots and many more.
Bobbito and Pete Nice started a label through Columbia Records called Hoppoh and were on the verge of singing Cage as one of their first releases. At this time Cage was heavily abusing drugs and every time he got into the studio he was too high to record anything that Columbia thought was worthy of a major label release.
In 1997, Cage's friend and mentor Bobbito Garcia started his own independent label Fondle 'Em Records, and offered cage a twelve inch deal. Refocused and determined to get it right this time, Cage penned the single Agent Orange b/w Radiohead. The single would go on to be one of the landmark records of the golden era of NYC underground/independent rap music and propelled Cage into cult star status.
After a few more singles with Fondle 'Em, Cage met and became friends with Philly to New York transplant rap group The High And the Mighty. He formed a group with them called the Smut Peddlers, and Rawkus (who were riding high on albums by Company Flow and Mos Def, to name a few) offered them a full length album deal through Eastern Conference’s imprint, Eastern Conference. The record sold over 50 thousand copies and solidified Cage's status as a rising rap star in the independent scene.
Cage went on to do more records with Eastern Conference including his first solo record Movies for the Blind. The record was the realization of the very character he became through his tortured early years, relying on raw, savage, often cruel, misogynistic, gritty and rebellious attitudes he had formed through his earlier years. The record struck a chord, selling 15 thousand copies in just 2 weeks, and his legion of dedicated fans grew ever bigger, attracted to his visceral and dangerous persona and music. He traveled the world several times over in support of the record and became a major draw in the independent show circuit.
Soon after he started the supergroup Weathermen, comprised of good friends Camu Tao, El-P, Aesop Rock, Yak Ballz, Tame 1, Breeze of the Juggaknots and Vast Aire.
Restless with his artistic direction and feeling trapped by a persona created out of his troubled youth, he found himself at a crossroads. He felt as though he was squandering his writing abilities and catering to music with content that only scratched the surface of what he was about. He no longer wanted to project crazy for the sake of crazy and grew tired of showing the results of his past and how they reflected on his personality. Instead, he wanted to explain why he was the way he was and wanted to make a record that he could play for his daughter someday; a record that reflected the man he was now while at the same time finally shedding light on the source of his rage, pain and rebellion. It was at this point that he and El-p started to seriously talk about making an album that would truly realize his desire to take his art to another level. They cautiously talked and imagined this transformation for over a year, culminating with his signing with Definitive Jux records. Cage worked to to bring these ideas to fruition, and the result is a cathartic and radical statement of a tortured boy turned man. A detailed, imaginative and often disturbing look into the dark territory that Cage had so closely guarded from the fans that loved him.
Cage appeared at the end of the Head Automatica album Decadence on the track 'I Shot William H. Macy' - lead singer Daryl Palumbo appeared on the RJD2 produced track Shoot Frank, as well as his band being referenced throughout the album (notably on Scenester, with Cage urging the listener to "slip it in your Head Automatica folder"). Head Automatica also wrote a song called K-Horse about Cage on their new album Popaganda.
Actor Shia LaBeouf star of Transformers (July 2007) will be playing Cage in an upcoming movie about his life.
2. The Power Metal Band: (from website bio) CAGE formed in 1992 after the breakup of two outfits from San Diego, CRUSHER and NOMAD. The band has become an underground legend of sorts and are still active to this day. Their original lineup consisted of Sean Peck (Vocals), David Garcia (Guitar), Eric Horton (Guitar), Mike Giordano (Bass), and Damian Arletto (Drums).
In 2010 original bassist Mike Giordano and lead guitarist Anthony Wayne McGuiniss left the band, and new recruits bassist Steve Brogden (guitarist/vocalist for Howler) and former Brick Bath bassist Pete Stone were added on. Current lineup consists of Sean Peck(vocals), Dave Garcia(Guitar), Casey Trask(Guitar), Dwight Magic(Bass), and Sean Elg(Drums)
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I Live
Cage Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They rip society apart
With fear they spread their lies
When will you people realize
Reducing our rights they're taxing the lights
They keep taking more and more
The more laws they make the freedoms they take
What else do they have in store
The shameless tactics that they use
They'll take us all to Hell
Before that I will stand and yell
I live you die
We will rise up and we will defy
I live
Command and control economy slows
And watch the Government grow
The people don't scare it's breeding despair
We're sinking so very low
I live you die
Nowhere from us will they ever hide
I live
Ideas are old respect they have stole
Their coffers are filled with gold
The communist way's the road that they've paved
We need to escape their hold
I live you die
Conservative answers we will find
I live
Yes I live
I live you die
The lyrics of Cage's song "I Live" is a commentary on the state of society in which the government constantly takes more from its citizens and undermines their freedom. The song starts with a statement about how those in power disrupt the social harmony through their self-serving agenda, utilizing fear-mongering as a tool to spread their lies. Cage's frustration is evident through his strong words, challenging those who choose to believe it, to open their eyes and see the truth. He believes that by making laws and reducing their rights, they take away the freedom of people. Cage implies that they have even more wicked plans ahead of them.
Throughout the song, Cage talks about how the government has taken complete control of the media, thereby shaping and manipulating the narrative to suit their interests. The shameless tactics they use to influence people has made them blind to the truth, which breeds the despair that is corroding the society terribly.
Later in the song, Cage mentions how the government, in essence, has become a communist government, paving the road for an absolute totalitarian regime. The people need to wake up and escape from their grasp. The final statement of the song, "I live, you die. We will rise up, and we will defy," is a call for all to take a stand against the oppression and resist the tyranny of the government agencies.
Overall, Cage's song "I Live" is a wake-up call for people to take control of their lives and resist the government's tightening grip. It is a reminder that in a world where freedom is hard to come by, we must struggle to defend it.
Line by Line Meaning
You know right from the start
From the beginning, it is apparent
They rip society apart
They cause division and damage to the community
With fear they spread their lies
Their agenda is advanced by instilling fear and dishonesty
When will you people realize
The need for others to recognize what's happening is imperative
Reducing our rights they're taxing the lights
They take away our freedoms and increase taxes on essentials like power
They keep taking more and more
They persistently take away what is ours
The more laws they make the freedoms they take
The more rules they set, the more rights they take away
What else do they have in store
What further actions and plans do they have?
Control the TV news
They manipulate the media to control information
The shameless tactics that they use
Their techniques lack any moral principles
They'll take us all to Hell
Their actions will lead us to ruin
Before that I will stand and yell
I will speak up in opposition and defiance
I live you die
I will live while you perish
We will rise up and we will defy
Together we will take a stand against them
Nowhere from us will they ever hide
We will always find and hold them accountable
Command and control economy slows
An intrusive economy hinders progress
And watch the Government grow
The Government's size will keep increasing
The people don't scare it's breeding despair
Fear is not the weapon, but the cause of misery
We're sinking so very low
We are falling at an alarming rate
Ideas are old respect they have stole
They have taken away the principle of respecting different viewpoints
Their coffers are filled with gold
Their wealth and power are substantial
The communist way's the road that they've paved
Their methods and practices line up with those of communism
We need to escape their hold
We need to break free from their grip
Conservative answers we will find
We will discover alternative solutions through conservatism
Yes I live
I choose to embrace life over death
I live you die
Empowering attitude of living and striving despite opposition
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
PSN_HMAK
Cage is so dope
Xrbl
facts
Richard Westerlind
straight
ike kissel
deep emotion. great art requires pain, awesome video
LEE BRANDON
god damn i love this song!!! fucking hook so catchy....this was the era of so much good underground good hip hop.
Charles Gregory
LEE BRANDON the hook is a sample of "I would hurt a fly"
AJ AJ
Lil Peep didn't have shit on Cage. The emo trap of today is all style and no substance. This song is legit gut wrenching and makes me fuckin SAAAAD.
ur4n1um
I CANT GET THE SOUND YOU MAKE OUT OF MY HEAD!
tdiamondskate
Was this on the tour with sadistik? I can't believe he did this live in chicago one of my fav songs ever
Lucas Maddox
tdiamondskate yes it was on tour with sadistik and maulskull