While opening for Devin The Dude in Kans… Read Full Bio ↴It all started on stage.
While opening for Devin The Dude in Kansas City, Ces Cru thoroughly impressed hometown rap kingpin Tech N9ne. Tech motioned to Ces Cru’s Ubiquitous and let him know that he loved what he was hearing.
Fast forward a few years to Kansas City barbeque staple Jack Stack. There, a friend of Ubiquitous gave Tech N9ne a copy of Ces Cru’s 2009 album, The Playground. Tech took the album home, listened to it and tweeted that he was vibing out to the music of Ubiquitous and his partner-in-rhyme, Godemis. In 2010, Tech N9ne and Strange Music CEO, Travis O’Guin, called to offer Ces Cru a slot on Tech N9ne’s forthcoming Bad Season mixtape. Along with the mixtape appearance, came an opportunity to open for Tech at the Beaumont Club, a prestigious KC entertainment venue. Ces Cru’s impressive contribution to the Bad Season track, “Livin Like I'm Dyin”, along with their energetic live performance, paved the way for the duo to join the Strange Music roster. “This is like passing the bar or something,” Godemis says. “It’s a really big deal. It means everything to me. I feel super-validated. We’ve been working for a really long time and this is the best place we could be.”
Indeed, Ces Cru has been putting in work for nearly a decade. The crew went through a number of different group members before becoming the trio of Ubiquitous, Godemis and Sorceress in the early 2000s. In 2004, the group released its debut album, Capture Enemy Soldiers. But while promoting the project, Sorceress wanted to fire the group’s then-manager. Ubiquitous and Godemis disagreed, so Sorceress departed the group. The impact of Sorceress’ exodus was immediate and significant. “Sorceress’ leaving definitely shaped how our next record was going to go,” Ubiquitous says. “We had to focus on a new dynamic when we were making songs. We had to figure out how to fill that space. The formula goes from just everybody just submits a verse and we put a chorus together to now it’s just kind of fluid. Her leaving made us break that writing box that we’d been in. We had to fill more space, work harder.” Part of working harder included appearing on a bevy of albums, mixtapes and recordings from local and regional artists. Another important undertaking was securing production and producers for forthcoming Ces Cru material.
Ces Cru found its new sonic partner in well-rounded producer Lenny D. “He was someone who focused all of his efforts into us,” Godemis says. “We didn’t have that and we needed that.”
Both Ubiquitous and Godemis dedicated themselves to writing more potent, intricate and meaningful rhymes. They also enhanced their song-making skills, better understanding how to strengthen the impact of their material thru doubling vocals, ad-libs and learning how to better navigate production with their voices. The hard work certainly paid off. Ces Cru’s next album, 2009’s The Playground, signaled marked artistic growth. Ubiquitous and Godemis earned critical acclaim thanks to such songs as the break-up anthem “DYT,” the chest-thumping “Float” and the politically-charged “Teeter.” In fact, the release contains such powerful material that Ces Cru will be releasing videos for The Playground cuts “Hate Season” and “Eye on Dat” in 2012, a full three years after the album’s initial release. As the group continued their evolution, Ubiquitous and Godemis realized that the meaning of Ces Cru also changed with the times, too. Originally an abbreviation for “Conglomerate Elements of Self-Consciousness,” Ces has also taken on the additional meanings of “Children Everywhere Smiling” and “Cost Effective Strategy” to Ubiquitous’ recent favorite “Can’t Entertain Stupidity” and Godemis’ tongue-in-cheek “Can’t Eat Sweets.”
“Having the name stand for different things brings a certain versatility to our culture,” Ubiquitous says. “We’re constantly building our own personal culture and adding to it.”
The next additions to Ces Cru’s catalog will be Ubiquitous’ Matter Don’t Money solo mixtape, which features the standout selections “Harmony of Spheres” and “Larry David.” Godemis’ The Deevil will also come out in early 2012, prior to Ces Cru’s debut Strange Music LP. The duo is starting the pre-production process with Strange Music production stalwart Michael “Seven” Summers (Tech N9ne, Wiz Khalifa, Mac Miller, Kendrick Lamar, Lil Wayne). Now, after grinding for years in the underground, steadily building its following and releasing high-quality material, Ces Cru is set to take a major step thanks to its recent signing with Strange Music and its visionary artistic leader Tech N9ne.
“We’re from the same era of music and like the same kind of things,” Godemis says of Ces Cru’s relationship with Tech N9ne. “Tech sees something different in us and always comments that we’re on some real MC stuff. We put our best into the music. I think Tech sees that and can tell we’re not some flash-in-the-pan group. We give it our all.” Creating Endless Success may be the next thing Ces Cru is known for.
Shake It Up
Ces Cru Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We're about to shake it up, shake it up,
My paper rupt, they pay for us,
Homie, I paid the bus, I'm dangerous.
We're about to shake it up, shake it up side by side
Shake it up, shake it up side by side.
Shake it up, shake it up,
My paper rupt, they pay for us,
We're about to shake it up, shake it up side by side
Shake it up, shake it up side by side.
What I need is room and a couple of boxes of matches
Hands for all the people see this one is not a practice.
Haters say I'm an actor, more accurately I'm an actress,
For everybody who's sleeping, I'm second fire to the rafters.
And I'm back with, will you be, do me a favor, please
Hate me now, but later go around with Dragon Ball-Z and put a prayer
Walk all around them but I leave them like I found them
Now I'm in the position to turn up the gas and come out the kitchen.
Catch the feelings, too. I don't really care, imma do me, here's what the diva do
You don't wanna believe until you will see this smoke it's gonna be the shit, it's true.
Weed it too, option is far, it don't come with the mic in hand,
My pegan see run up in that bitch with a big lighter and a big ass care.
For the back up plan, back up man, I'll do it right with the pact in hands
We kill shit like kumansy, y'all just keep playing like a pack of bear.
When I crack a can of oxygen hoping to get it popping
The stairs are full of smoke and that elevator's no exit.
[Chorus]
Hello, it's me again with the red eye and back in the place to be again
I'm back to stay I've been active since back in the day but even then
The game was fucking been clean, I'm fucking the game back, imma leave it then
Plus nothing got these eager fast and never get back to see the kid.
Baby baby boy, see up in the biz', I can't react see all free to kiss
We're legit, fact remains, only a winner in it can see the end.
Inner is the primary reason y'all know it exist
Sign is strange, I can say I don't really know how sweet it is.
Don't ask me what my secret is, I play the gift.
I may day before I plus my price ingredient
Even if they wanna know what does it take in
How do I make my pride in many this
And why do the people keep on disappearing
They live in fear, but me and my people be obedient.
And I mind when the media cursing, criticize my previous work
All of that money for me and for mine
The honey that hype, the bees and the burst.
Homie, mind of me is a certain, having you die to be on my spine
You gotta fly to be in a flight, believe it or not, we got to
[Chorus]
Okay, Imma shake it up, now the people got a taste of us,
Soon as we hit up the scene we did the Machine Gun Kelly, laced it up.
Fasten on it with the safety up, looking like I was a crazy fuck,
They do the doggy in a Daisy Dukes, I do a diddy for dazy ducks.
I do my thing and then I place it up, ready ain't everything in my radius.
Hold up one time now, put a hand in the sky and say in strange we trust.
These rappers lacking a venicular, racking the lazy dust
How come they ever shake me up, coming straight out a KC fuck.
Okay, I think that they're gonna say he sucks,
But it really don't matter to me, cause
We're in tour and we're getting this money
Got chuckle, is funny, got rolling this weed up
And in the galactic I'm about to get pinned up,
Couldn't stop at a pocket of creamed dough.
Try to mark at the top as they seem us,
Lots of fathers are getting their dreams crushed
All I see is dust, I feel a particular feeling me is this buzz
I live to seek another thing in a minute and it really gets it for a cream huff.
For a ligue I never seen such, like you motherfuckers coming clear cut.
Not afraid of you, but in the parking I'm taking a murder in these muds.
We're about to shake it up, shake it up,
My paper rupt, they pay for us,
Homie, I paid the bus, I'm dangerous.
We're about to shake it up, shake it up side by side
Shake it up, shake it up side by side.
The song "Shake It Up" by Ces Cru is an upbeat and energetic track that talks about the duo's rise to fame and success. The chorus emphasizes their confidence and determination to take over the music scene and cause a stir. They feel that they are dangerous due to their talent and hard work, and they are ready to shake things up and make a name for themselves.
The verses further delve into their mindset and approach to music. They see themselves as artists who are here to stay and create a lasting impact. They dismiss the haters who criticize their work and instead focus on perfecting their craft. They are unapologetic about their style and do not conform to the norms of the industry. Instead, they emphasize their uniqueness and their willingness to experiment with different sounds, such as the use of a big lighter and a can of oxygen in the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
We're about to shake it up, shake it up,
We're about to cause a stir and make some noise
My paper rupt, they pay for us,
I'm making a lot of money and people are willing to pay for our services
Homie, I paid the bus, I'm dangerous.
I'm successful enough to afford transportation and I'm not to be messed with
Shake it up, shake it up side by side
Let's do this together and make an impact
Shake it up, shake it up side by side.
Let's make a change together and do it side by side
Shake it up, shake it up,
Let's shake things up and make things happen
Homie, I'm dangerous, come play with us.
I'm not to be messed with, but come be a part of our movement
What I need is room and a couple of boxes of matches
I need space and the tools to ignite a fire or spark a change
Hands for all the people see this one is not a practice.
I'm here to make a real impact and this is not a rehearsal
Haters say I'm an actor, more accurately I'm an actress,
Critics try to bring me down by calling me out for being fake, but I'm actually the leader of the movement
For everybody who's sleeping, I'm second fire to the rafters.
For those who are unaware or not paying attention, I'm the one who's igniting the change
And I'm back with, will you be, do me a favor, please
I'm making a comeback and asking my audience for a favor
Hate me now, but later go around with Dragon Ball-Z and put a prayer
People may hate me now, but in the future they'll come around and respect me like a Dragon Ball-Z character
Walk all around them but I leave them like I found them
I may interact with people, but I don't let them slow me down or change my path
Now I'm in the position to turn up the gas and come out the kitchen.
I'm ready to make moves and take things to the next level now that I have the means to do so
Catch the feelings, too. I don't really care, imma do me, here's what the diva do
I'm going to be true to myself and pursue my passion, just like a diva would
You don't wanna believe until you will see this smoke it's gonna be the shit, it's true.
People may doubt me until they see what I'm capable of, but it's going to be amazing
Weed it too, option is far, it don't come with the mic in hand,
I have the choice to smoke and use drugs, but I don't need them to perform
My pegan see run up in that bitch with a big lighter and a big ass care.
I have friends to support me who will bring a lighter and care about my success
For the back up plan, back up man, I'll do it right with the pact in hands
I'm always prepared with a backup plan and will execute it flawlessly with the help of my team
We kill shit like kumansy, y'all just keep playing like a pack of bear.
We're unstoppable and dominate everything we do, while others play around like a group of bears
When I crack a can of oxygen hoping to get it popping
When I get excited and start something new, I feel like I'm opening up a fresh can of oxygen
The stairs are full of smoke and that elevator's no exit.
Things may get hazy and unclear, but there's no going back or finding an easy way out
Hello, it's me again with the red eye and back in the place to be again
I'm back in the game and ready to take it on again, even if I'm a little high
I'm back to stay I've been active since back in the day but even then
I've been in the game for a while and have always been involved, but I'm still going strong
The game was fucking been clean, I'm fucking the game back, imma leave it then
The game used to be pure, but I'm bringing back some edginess and I'll leave my mark on it
Plus nothing got these eager fast and never get back to see the kid.
Nothing happens quickly and it's hard to come back once you've lost touch with what's really important
Baby baby boy, see up in the biz', I can't react see all free to kiss
People may criticize me or make me feel uncomfortable, but I'm still confident and successful
We're legit, fact remains, only a winner in it can see the end.
We're the real deal and only those who are successful can truly understand the journey
Inner is the primary reason y'all know it exist
The true reason for our success is our inner drive and passion
Sign is strange, I can say I don't really know how sweet it is.
The signs of success are strange and unpredictable, and it's hard to say how sweet it will be
Don't ask me what my secret is, I play the gift.
My secret to success is just doing what I'm good at and following my passion
I may day before I plus my price ingredient
I'll die before I compromise my values or sacrifice what makes me unique
Even if they wanna know what does it take in
Others may wonder what it takes to be successful like me
How do I make my pride in many this
I take pride in all of my accomplishments and the impact I've made on others
And why do the people keep on disappearing
I wonder why some people are not as committed or passionate as I am and seem to disappear
They live in fear, but me and my people be obedient.
Some people are held back by fear, but my team and I are obedient to our own passions and goals
And I mind when the media cursing, criticize my previous work
I pay attention when the media speaks negatively about me or my work
All of that money for me and for mine
My success benefits me and those closest to me
The honey that hype, the bees and the burst.
The excitement and hype around my success attracts attention and creates buzz
Homie, mind of me is a certain, having you die to be on my spine
I'm 100% sure of myself and my abilities, and others would be lucky to have my support
You gotta fly to be in a flight, believe it or not, we got to
You have to take risks and put in effort to achieve success, so let's do it
Imma shake it up, now the people got a taste of us,
I'm going to make a change and show people what we're really capable of
Soon as we hit up the scene we did the Machine Gun Kelly, laced it up.
As soon as we entered the scene, we made an impact and showed our talent
Fasten on it with the safety up, looking like I was a crazy fuck,
I'm putting in effort and taking risks, even if it looks crazy or unconventional
They do the doggy in a Daisy Dukes, I do a diddy for dazy ducks.
Others may dance and have fun, but I'm creating music and making moves
I do my thing and then I place it up, ready ain't everything in my radius.
I do whatever I can to make an impact and then I give it my all to succeed
Hold up one time now, put a hand in the sky and say in strange we trust.
Let's take a moment to reflect and show our trust in the unconventional path we're on
These rappers lacking a venicular, racking the lazy dust
Other rappers are not as skilled or creative and are falling behind
How come they ever shake me up, coming straight out a KC fuck.
Why would anyone doubt me or be surprised when I'm coming out of Kansas City?
Okay, I think that they're gonna say he sucks,
I know people may doubt me or criticize me, but I don't let it bring me down
But it really don't matter to me, cause
I don't really care what others think as long as I'm true to myself and my goals
We're in tour and we're getting this money
We're on the road and making money from our talent and hard work
Got chuckle, is funny, got rolling this weed up
We're having fun and making jokes while smoking weed
And in the galactic I'm about to get pinned up,
In the world of music, I'm about to become a star
Couldn't stop at a pocket of creamed dough.
I'm not going to settle for just being successful - I want to be the very best
Try to mark at the top as they seem us,
Others may try to bring us down or stop us, but they'll see us at the top
Lots of fathers are getting their dreams crushed
Too many people give up on their dreams and settle for less
All I see is dust, I feel a particular feeling me is this buzz
I'm so focused on my goals that everything else seems insignificant, and I feel buzzed from the excitement
I live to seek another thing in a minute and it really gets it for a cream huff.
I'm always seeking new opportunities and challenges, and I crave success like a drug
For a ligue I never seen such, like you motherfuckers coming clear cut.
I've never seen anything like our competition, who are coming at us head-on
Not afraid of you, but in the parking I'm taking a murder in these muds.
I'm not scared of anyone, but I'm still going to fight hard and make sure my competition doesn't stand a chance
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind