All of his music up until Oops! I Did It Again were classified as IDM (Intelligent dance music) and had very little vocals or lyrics for the most part. However, Kidwell was not content to stay behind the laptop while on tour, and quickly and openly aspired to become "#1 Entertainer". He started to hone freestyling skills and performing new songs. In 2002, he won a coveted tour spot opening for the East Coast leg of the Death and Dismemberment tour with Death Cab for Cutie and old friends from Washington, DC The Dismemberment Plan. Later that year, Tall, Dark, and Handcuffed, his first album with full vocals, was released.
2003 was a pivotal year for Kidwell - after spending his entire life living in or around Baltimore, he packed up and drove out to Oakland, California. Car malfunctions and a week stranded in the western US became the inspiration for his second album of that year, Maryland Mansions, an album about suicide which pushed the motifs of his previous album Being Ridden further and was modelled somewhat on the Nine Inch Nails EP Broken. Two music videos for Maryland Mansions were released early in 2004, and Kidwell moved again, to Chicago a few months later.
Shortly thereafter, he married Roby Newton (from the band Milemarker), and reorganized Cex as a three-piece: Kidwell, Newton, and Cale Parks (from the bands Joan of Arc and Aloha). This configuration released an EP, Know Doubt, in 2005 on a Chicago label called Record Label. The next Cex album is titled Actual Fucking and will be released July 4th, 2006. The album is heavy on vocals and will be released by Seattle label Automation Records.
stamina
Cex Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Doin' donuts on your drum circle, welcome to Cex world
? Check your cerebellum at the door,
No admittance if you thinkin' you MC SAT Score
B-more, Maryland, we servin' up essential medicine
Bright pink sweatsuits and Timberlands
Women grin when we comin', hungry for what we give to them
And get grounded
All this shoot a gift horse in the mouth shit
Sources even say I'm better than Bentino's album
Check me on the cover, smiling, not scowling
'Cause I know rappers like to pick a figure of Calvin, shouting
Your girl loves my style, talk shit and can't back it up,
Never win a fight, but I've got the Cex stamina
Your girl loves my style, talk shit and can't back it up,
Never win a fight, but I've got the Cex stamina
To handle her, she's ? like an amateur
I've got the G-spot like others got gramaher
And a handlebar moustache
You tough rappers bust fast
But I must laugh cause you got a ziploc nutsack
I see through, see you watchin' TV with your weak crew, how do you expect us to believe you?
All your insults are the same
You're high, we're gay
But you tape Frasier if you play out
On a Thursday, plus I heard your girl say
Your girl loves my style, talk shit and can't back it up,
Never win a fight, but I've got the Cex stamina
Your girl loves my style, talk shit and can't back it up,
Never win a fight, but I've got the Cex stamina
And a camera to document my exploits
Worldwide, I explore different country sex noise
Plus language barriers, areas'll get noise
Drain 'em like the batteries in ? sex toys
? like walking brains when they say I'm one-dimensional
Like my shit better if I kept it inaccessible
So I have to show them the testicles and turn the beat up just a couple more decibels
Singing at the funeral for all you boring pessimists
The lyrics to Cex's song Stamina could be interpreted as a boastful and irreverent celebration of sexual prowess, intellectual superiority, and unconventional creativity. The first lines evoke a surreal image of a hearse carrying bikini-clad girls doing donuts on a drum circle, which could be seen as a symbol of death and rebirth, as well as a mockery of traditional rituals and norms. The "Cex world" that the singer welcomes the listener to is a place where intellectual snobbery trumps street credibility, where pink sweatsuits and Timberlands are the uniform of choice, and where women are eager to be satisfied by the singer's sexual skills.
The singer challenges any would-be competitors to check their cerebellum, the part of the brain responsible for coordination and balance, at the door, implying that only those who can let go of their inhibitions and appreciate the singer's unconventional approach are welcome. The reference to MC SAT Score suggests that the singer values intelligence and wit above standardized test scores or conventional measures of success. The singer also mocks the listener for being distracted by the internet and wasting time while the singer is busy creating and innovating. The repeated refrain "Your girl loves my style, talk shit and can't back it up, never win a fight, but I've got the Cex stamina" reinforces the singer's superiority complex and his claim to be able to please any woman and outlast any adversary.
Overall, the song could be seen as a playful and provocative challenge to the listener to embrace a more adventurous and unconventional mindset, to question traditional norms and expectations, and to celebrate one's own unique talents and interests, no matter how weird or niche they may seem.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm drivin' a hearse full of bikini-clad girls
I am cruising around while flaunting my wealth and success, surrounded by beautiful women.
Doin' donuts on your drum circle, welcome to Cex world
I am breaking the rules and causing chaos in my own unique world.
Check your cerebellum at the door, No admittance if you thinkin' you MC SAT Score
If you want to enjoy my music, leave your intellectual snobbery at the door and don't expect me to conform to traditional rap standards.
B-more, Maryland, we servin' up essential medicine
My music is like medicine to those who need it, providing a much-needed escape from reality in Baltimore, Maryland.
Bright pink sweatsuits and Timberlands
I dress flamboyantly in vibrant colors and fashionable streetwear.
Women grin when we comin', hungry for what we give to them
Women love our unique style and are eager to be part of our world.
While you check the internet, eat all your mom's?
While you waste your time surfing the web and raiding your mom's fridge, I am out here making music and living my best life.
All this shoot a gift horse in the mouth shit
I am tired of people criticizing and undervaluing my music despite the hard work I put into it.
Sources even say I'm better than Bentino's album
Some people even consider my music to be superior to Bentino's highly anticipated album.
Check me on the cover, smiling, not scowling
If you look at the cover of my album, I am proudly grinning rather than scowling like other rappers.
'Cause I know rappers like to pick a figure of Calvin, shouting
I am aware that other rappers like to portray themselves as angry and aggressive, using a Calvin Klein figure.
Your girl loves my style, talk shit and can't back it up, Never win a fight, but I've got the Cex stamina
Your girl is attracted to my unique style, and despite your insults, I will always have the endurance to withstand all your weak attacks.
To handle her, she's? like an amateur
I am so experienced that I can handle any woman without difficulty, even someone who is inexperienced.
I've got the G-spot like others got gramaher
I am good at pleasing women sexually, just like how other rappers are skilled at rhyming.
And a handlebar moustache
I possess a unique trait, a handlebar mustache, that distinguishes me from other rappers.
You tough rappers bust fast
Despite your tough exterior, you are quick to give up or fail.
But I must laugh cause you got a ziploc nutsack
I laugh at you because you are not as bold and confident as you claim to be. You hide your weakness like a small item stored in a plastic bag.
I see through, see you watchin' TV with your weak crew, how do you expect us to believe you?
I am not fooled by your fake persona, and when you are not around your crew, that is when I know you are not as tough as you claim to be.
All your insults are the same, You're high, we're gay
I am tired of hearing the same generic insults that people throw at me, accusing me of being gay because I do not fit their traditional idea of what a rapper should be.
But you tape Frasier if you play out, On a Thursday, plus I heard your girl say
Despite your tough exterior, you have a soft side, as evidenced by your love for the TV show Frasier, and I have even heard your girlfriend express her attraction to me.
And a camera to document my exploits
I document my experiences through a camera, using it to capture the unique moments of my life as a rapper.
Worldwide, I explore different country sex noise
As a rapper, I have the opportunity to explore different cultures and their unique styles of music and sex.
Plus language barriers, areas'll get noise
Despite the language barriers, I still manage to appreciate and produce a diverse range of music and styles.
Drain 'em like the batteries in? sex toys
I am in control of my music, and just like how batteries eventually drain from overuse, I am always pushing my limits to create new sounds.
Like my shit better if I kept it inaccessible
My fans often prefer my work that is inaccessible or hard to understand because it adds to the unique quality of my music.
So I have to show them the testicles and turn the beat up just a couple more decibels
To keep my fans interested and engaged, I need to push myself and go beyond their expectations by turning up the volume and showing them a side of me they have not seen before.
Singing at the funeral for all you boring pessimists
I am not afraid to be different, and I am willing to take risks rather than always conforming to the same boring style of music that others produce.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind