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 Never Knew You
Cage Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That much closer to home
A crowded street corner
Surrounded by people, all alone
Pain in the heart
Rain in the dark
The womb is glum and bitter
She walks around the corner
Then everything just brightened up
I couldn't make this up
My fingers in my eyes as she walked by
Like I was waking up
In so many words
I couldn't string a sentence together to bother her
I instantly forgot all my plans and started to follow her
It's like the sky opened and God handed you directly to me
I know it sounds crazy, but so is life, I'm sinking
And feeling like your heart is beating solely for me
Your legs are long and toned
You must be walking home
I love the way your lips move
When you're talking on your phone
Intoxicating, yet truly undue impurities
Plague every thought of you
While I'm trailing you like your security
Lost, we couldn't know our paths would cross
But time knew it
Feet sticking out the window of opportunity
Climbing through it
Pain for sale
Looking to find a new taker
Chance to speak blown
When you looked at me
I looked in the newspaper
Because the sky opened and God handed you directly to me
I know it sounds crazy, but so is life, I'm sinking
And feeling like your heart is beating solely for me
I'm miles out of my way
Creepy, I want more
I was gonna turn back
But you stuck your key in your front door
I'm standing across the street
The stars that aligned us to meet
Standing outside with your trash
Feeling incomplete
My finger aching for your doorbell
Like a random blog
Instead I lurk outside in the cold
Like an abandoned dog
Perish the thought
You should cherish the words that I got in my mouth
The only words that can truly explain how I got in your house
Because the sky opened and God handed you directly to me
I know it sounds crazy, but so is life, I'm sinking
And feeling like your heart is beating solely for me
Unlikely, impossible, I couldn't dream to think it
There's something happening between us, you can't deceive
I'm so in over my head I've learned to breathe in it
Your eyes are screaming and they're saying "Oh, baby" to me
If there was a way out I think you would've taken it
My hands and arms are the only way that you can leave
Face to face for the first time you feel what I'm feeling
Selfishly no longer breathing
Because
Of me
In Cage's song I Never Knew You, the lyrics depict the story of a man who falls for a stranger he sees on a crowded street corner. The song describes the man's feelings of being lost and incomplete until he sees her. His entire world brightens up as she passes him, and he instantly forgets all his plans to follow her. The sky seems to open up and God gives her to him. He feels like her heart is beating solely for him. However, he cannot muster up the courage to approach her and speak to her, despite feeling like the stars aligned for them to meet. He follows her home and stands outside of her house, feeling incomplete and contracting a sense of unrequited love.
The lyrics represent the idea of destiny, the moment in life when everything starts to change, and a path to a more explicit existence. Cage uses vivid imagery to describe his situation, the emotional depth of his feelings, the overwhelming feeling of love and the fear of rejection.
The song tells the story of what happens when someone falls in love with a stranger. It is a touching but somewhat tragic story that demonstrates the emotions that come with falling in love for the first time. The song does not end with a happily ever after; instead, it leaves us with the feeling that sometimes love is fleeting, and sometimes it is not meant to be.
Line by Line Meaning
You're always dying inside
You are constantly struggling emotionally.
That much closer to home
The struggles are becoming more personal and affecting you deeply.
A crowded street corner
On a busy public street where many people are passing by.
Surrounded by people, all alone
Despite being in a crowd, you feel isolated and lonely.
Pain in the heart
You are experiencing emotional pain and heartache.
Rain in the dark
There is a sense of gloom and darkness in your life.
The womb is glum and bitter
Your life feels like a depressing and negative cycle with no escape.
She walks around the corner
A woman comes into view.
It's like she brought the sun with her
The presence of the woman brings light and positivity to the situation.
Then everything just brightened up
Your mood and outlook on the situation becomes more positive.
I couldn't make this up
This situation is so surreal, it feels like a dream.
My fingers in my eyes as she walked by
You were so overwhelmed by the moment that you put your fingers to your eyes, as if to pinch yourself to make sure it's real.
Like I was waking up
This moment is so unreal, it feels like you are waking up from a dream.
In so many words
You can't seem to find the right words to describe how you feel in this moment.
I couldn't string a sentence together to bother her
You were too nervous and shocked to talk to the woman who walked by.
I instantly forgot all my plans and started to follow her
You became so enthralled with the woman that you completely forgot your plans and started to follow her.
It's like the sky opened and God handed you directly to me
This moment feels like divine intervention.
You must be walking home
You assume that the woman is walking home based on her direction.
I love the way your lips move
You find the woman's speech captivating and appealing.
When you're talking on your phone
The woman is engaged in a phone conversation.
Intoxicating, yet truly undue impurities
You are incredibly drawn to the woman, even though her flaws and imperfections are apparent.
Plague every thought of you
You can't stop thinking about the woman and her flaws.
While I'm trailing you like your security
You follow her, but try to remain hidden and not draw attention to yourself, as if you were her bodyguard.
Lost, we couldn't know our paths would cross
You and the woman were both lost in your own personal struggles and had no idea your paths would cross.
But time knew it
Despite your unawareness, the moment was destined to happen.
Feet sticking out the window of opportunity
There is a brief window of opportunity to act and take advantage of the situation.
Climbing through it
You take advantage of the opportunity and act on the situation.
Pain for sale
You are desperate to escape your emotional pain and are willing to sell it to anyone else.
Looking to find a new taker
You are actively searching for someone else to take your pain away.
Chance to speak blown
You had a chance to speak to the woman, but you missed it.
When you looked at me
The woman made eye contact with you.
I looked in the newspaper
You became preoccupied and distracted, looking at a newspaper instead of focusing on the woman.
I'm miles out of my way
You are very far from home, having followed the woman for a long time.
Creepy, I want more
You acknowledge that your actions are creepy, but you can't help but want more of the woman's attention.
I was gonna turn back
You were considering turning around and heading home.
But you stuck your key in your front door
The woman arrives at her home and unlocks her front door.
I'm standing across the street
You are across the street from the woman's house, watching her.
The stars that aligned us to meet
You believe that the stars aligned to bring you and the woman together.
Standing outside with your trash
You are standing outside the woman's home, surrounded by her trash.
Feeling incomplete
You are unsatisfied with your current state in life and feel like something is missing.
My finger aching for your doorbell
You are nervous and anxious to ring the woman's doorbell.
Like a random blog
Your thoughts and feelings are disjointed and erratic, like a random blog post.
Instead I lurk outside in the cold
You choose to remain outside in the cold instead of confronting the woman.
Like an abandoned dog
You feel lonely and unwanted, like an abandoned dog.
Perish the thought
You try to push negative thoughts out of your mind.
You should cherish the words that I got in my mouth
You want the woman to appreciate the words you have to say to her.
The only words that can truly explain how I got in your house
Your words are the only way for you to explain how you ended up at the woman's house.
Unlikely, impossible, I couldn't dream to think it
You believe that it's unlikely and even impossible for your fantasies to become reality.
There's something happening between us, you can't deceive
You believe that there is a connection between you and the woman that can't be ignored or denied.
I'm so in over my head I've learned to breathe in it
You are in a deep and complicated situation that you have learned to accept and adapt to.
Your eyes are screaming and they're saying "Oh, baby" to me
The woman's eyes give you a sense that she is interested and wants you.
If there was a way out I think you would've taken it
You believe that the woman is stuck in her current situation and would leave if she had a chance.
My hands and arms are the only way that you can leave
You believe that you are the only way for the woman to escape her current situation.
Face to face for the first time you feel what I'm feeling
You finally confront the woman and believe that she shares your feelings.
Selfishly no longer breathing
You are so focused on your own desires that you forget to breathe.
Because
All of these situations and feelings have led to this one moment.
Contributed by Alice P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@CageWMtv
Thank You for your hits and keep on hating I don't mind the traffic.
@DANxCHORIN
Cage did NOT 'sell out', he's still on an independent label making music for himself and not for some sleazy major label record exec. He's still a real artist.
@rlsadc
i absolutely love cage. his old, his new. i understand his new sound completely. i love getting more history, more meaning, and more soul in his music. i cant get enough.
@CageWMtv
There is no mention of rape in the song or in the video.Every one who thinks otherwise is a fucking idiot.
@antogos
the song is really incredible, it completely relaxed me. I really dont know why people are saying that the song is bad. I guess some people dont have the feel for music, or they just did't understand the story behind it. Great job on the video Shia
@CageWMtv
Definitely!!
@Victimdevice
0:53 Just seeing Aesop Rock is awesome.
@FathiHaziq
This song is weird....and different....and freaky....and I love it.
@Taymmorr
god this song is pure lyrical genius. i dont know why but i just love the words so much. it makes me want to...i dont know...paint a picture about it. i think i will. its so inspiring. I can't stop listening to it.
@igotkiwi
The basement looks exactly the same as the one in Fight Club