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.
Smoke
Ces Cru Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tell me what you see
Interchanging doors
Not a corridor or screen.
Your naked eye
Trapped inside a dream
Unveil your disguise
Because nothing's what it seems.
[Chorus]
You can tell me what you want
You can tell me what you need
But love is in the smoke
And we can't even breathe.
And I can not see you
And you can not see me.
But love is in the smoke
And we can't even breathe.
You take everything you want, you take what you need
And me shattered into pieces is what you leave
It don't matter what they see, no it just can't be
Now our love is in the smoke, and I just can't breathe.
You got me gaspin'
I know when it will happen
Zappin' all my energy, it's sexual harassment
You see I'll never be the same, now that we got close
Now my passion is for pain and I breathe hot smoke.
Your love is like a drug, I wanna taste it
So slip it in my blood, I'm gonna take it
Addicted to your buzz, I'm wishin' that you was mine
Sittin in your sunshine so amazin'.
I'm baskin' in the light
Light castin' through the haze
Maybe we were meant to be
Maybe not, who could say
Now I look for you again
But I still can't see
Cuz our love is in the smoke
Baby we can't breathe.
[Chorus]
I smell the smoke in the room
The room is'a buzzin'
She told me that the roof was on fire
I knew it wasn't.
Now the spot is heatin' up
Gettin' hotter under the collar
Let this motherfucker burn, shit
We don't need any water.
We can teeter and totter
But you don't need to be coddled
I'm headed down this road alone
I don't want you to follow
I'm sittin' in the sun alone
Posted up in strangeland
Sippin' KC teas, bumpin' Kelvin rock and Raybans.
Bitches think it's all about the pussy and a spray tan
To each it's own, if that completes your cypher, fuck it amen.
It's hot as hell out here
Maybe degrees over
She feels like she got burns
Maybe she needs closure.
It feels like the pilot light is out in this bitch
I'm still in the kitchen, like really this is as hot as it gets?
I'm starin' through the smoke, tryin' to catch a last vision of her
The smoke's rollin' upward while the flame's bein' smothered.
[Chorus]
The lyrics to Ces Cru’s song "Smoke" are about the confusion and uncertainty that can come with love. The opening lines invite the listener to remove their blindfold and view their surroundings clearly. The following lines describe the disorientation that love can bring, where nothing is as it appears. The chorus repeats the idea that love is in the smoke, and that the lovers cannot breathe.
The second verse focuses on the physical and emotional intensity of love. The singer is addicted to the feeling of being wanted and consumed by their lover. However, they also acknowledge that this intense connection has left them shattered and unable to breathe.
The third verse introduces the idea of the smoke as a metaphor for the confusion and chaos of love. The singer smells smoke, but is unsure if there is an actual fire or if it is just a sensation conjured up by their own uncertainty. The verse ends with the singer feeling like they are left alone, staring through the smoke and trying to hold onto a glimpse of their lover.
Overall, the lyrics of "Smoke" portray how love can be both intense and confusing, leaving the lovers struggling for clarity.
Line by Line Meaning
Take off your blind fold
Open your eyes and see the reality.
Tell me what you see
Describe your surroundings to me.
Interchanging doors
Multiple options and opportunities.
Not a corridor or screen.
It's not a limited or virtual space.
Your naked eye
Your raw and unfiltered perspective.
Trapped inside a dream
Lost in your own imagination.
Unveil your disguise
Reveal your true identity and intentions.
Because nothing's what it seems.
Things are not always as they first appear.
You can tell me what you want
Communicate your desires and needs.
You can tell me what you need
Be honest about your requirements.
But love is in the smoke
Love is a complex and elusive thing.
And we can't even breathe.
It's hard to handle and overwhelming.
And I can not see you
I can't perceive or understand you.
And you can not see me.
You can't comprehend or empathize with me.
You take everything you want, you take what you need
You're selfish and manipulative in love.
And me shattered into pieces is what you leave
You break my heart and leave me broken.
It don't matter what they see, no it just can't be
Our relationship is not meant to be public.
Now our love is in the smoke, and I just can't breathe.
Our romance is choking and suffocating me.
You got me gaspin'
You're making me breathless with passion.
I know when it will happen
I anticipate and crave our intimate moments.
Zappin' all my energy, it's sexual harassment
Your sexual desire is overwhelming and exhausting.
You see I'll never be the same, now that we got close
Our intimacy changed me forever.
Now my passion is for pain and I breathe hot smoke.
I'm addicted to the pain and struggle of our relationship.
Your love is like a drug, I wanna taste it
Your passion is alluring and tempting.
So slip it in my blood, I'm gonna take it
Let's get intimate and take our love to another level.
Addicted to your buzz, I'm wishin' that you was mine
I'm obsessed with your presence and attention.
Sittin in your sunshine so amazin'
Being with you is a wonderful moment in life.
I'm baskin' in the light
I'm enjoying the warmth and greatness of our love.
Light castin' through the haze
Our relationship is clear despite the struggles.
Maybe we were meant to be
Perhaps our love is a destiny.
Maybe not, who could say
We can't predict the future of our relationship.
Now I look for you again
I seek your company and affection.
But I still can't see
I don't fully comprehend or understand you.
Cuz our love is in the smoke
Our romance is complicated and elusive.
Baby we can't breathe.
Our love is suffocating and challenging.
I smell the smoke in the room
I sense the complexity of our relationship.
The room is'a buzzin'
Our relationship is a topic of discussion.
She told me that the roof was on fire
She warned me about impending danger in our relationship.
I knew it wasn't.
I ignored the warning signs.
Now the spot is heatin' up
Our relationship is growing more intense and complicated.
Gettin' hotter under the collar
Our passion is growing more intense and desperate.
Let this motherfucker burn, shit
Let our relationship be destroyed and set aflame.
We don't need any water.
It's too late to save our relationship.
We can teeter and totter
Our love is unstable and fragile.
But you don't need to be coddled
You don't need my protection or care.
I'm headed down this road alone
I'm leaving this relationship behind.
I don't want you to follow
I don't want you to chase me or persuade me.
I'm sittin' in the sun alone
I'm living my life independently.
Posted up in strangeland
I'm lost in my own thoughts and world.
Sippin' KC teas, bumpin' Kelvin rock and Raybans.
I'm enjoying my own company and style.
Bitches think it's all about the pussy and a spray tan
Some women are superficial in their pursuit of love.
To each it's own, if that completes your cypher, fuck it amen.
Each person has their own path in life, so be it.
It's hot as hell out here
Life is challenging and overwhelming.
Maybe degrees over
The heat is growing more intense and dangerous.
She feels like she got burns
She's hurt and damaged by our relationship.
Maybe she needs closure.
Perhaps it's best to move on from our romance.
It feels like the pilot light is out in this bitch
Our relationship has lost its spark and energy.
I'm still in the kitchen, like really this is as hot as it gets?
I'm still struggling in this relationship despite its challenges.
I'm starin' through the smoke, tryin' to catch a last vision of her
I'm trying to recapture the memories and love we once shared.
The smoke's rollin' upward while the flame's bein' smothered.
Our love is fading away despite the struggles.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
karl mcgillivray
I dont understand how some of the Ces videos have such little views, people are missing out on incredible music
OhHeyItsKeir
Look on the Strange Music Inc channel, that's were the views are and, I believe, more of their videos :)
Ricky Lahey
karl mcgillivray it's better that way
Mellowrose94
8 years later and still less than 300k likes and less than 70 comments..its sad honestly
Percius Westbrooks
Still love this song till this day
Hincu_kmv
Its dope ! Had it long time ago, now need to say ! S/O CES CRU !
Joe Ortega
Keep up the good work yo!!
Danny C
I gotta hear this at least once a day
N.E Rez
This shit went hard asf
mrkillemanjaro man
This song is tight let alone the video to it makes it that much better. I don't get it though, where's all the buzz at? Come on now people get up on the Ces movement and follow the Cru