The dogged determination to prevail at any cost that both Strange and COGNITO share couldn't be a better match. The Fairfield, Calif.-raised father of two has poured his heart into albums, toured relentlessly, and stayed in the studio late numerous Friday nights when he could've been chilling at home with his family ā all for the love of the game.
Growing up in the North Bay, COGNITO fast became intrigued with the burgeoning local hip-hop scene led by E-40 and B-Legit. The two hip-hop heavyweights exposed the young emcee to the hip-hop community, tapping his services at the Sick Wid It offices and schooling him in the art of promotion. He is the first to admit he was not the best student. But writing stories was his strong point in school. He started writing rhymes at 16, taking his cue from the people he was around. Yet it was hard to take rapping seriously as a career. A white rapper just wasn't considered normal yet. It wasn't until three years later, when Eminem's The Slim Shady LP released, that COGNITO's path became clearer.
āI don't think being a white rapper has held me back,ā relays COGNITO about the always-controversial topic of the White Rapper. āIt got me seen more. It got me out there. I stand out because I am white. But let my music speak for itself.ā
As for the Eminem comparisons, COGNITO is flattered but suggests otherwise.
āWhen Eminem dropped minds were blown. I look at the Eminem comparison as an honor. He's the best rapper in game. But never once has a guy I work with said I sound like Eminem.ā
At age 21 COGNITO earned himself a new title; father. In order to care for his family, he put hip-hop on the back burner for the next year, popping into the studio every so often to record tracks with producing partner D Buck. Mike Mosley, who had worked with E-40, TQ, C-Bo, Richie Rich and Tupac, heard COGNITO's music, and in 2002, offered him a deal with his Steady Mobbin' label.
āWhen Mike wants to offer you a record deal,ā COGNITO states, āyou take your career serious.ā
COGNITO never dropped an album, but he did make a handful of important connections in the industry, one being QD3 producer Femi, one of the two producers he still consistently works with today. He continued doing shows and brushed up on the record industry rules.
2006 was a big year for COGNITO. He hooked up with Master P and his newly formed Gutta Music to release Recognition. It was an honor to be affiliated with P, a hip-hopreneur COGNITO had admired since hearing his West Coast Bad Boyz compilation in 1997. COGNITO would score his biggest hit to date, āShift Kits,ā from the Shift Kits and Hood Chicks DVD.
COGNITO stayed busy touring with fellow Bay Area rapper Andre Nickatina. When Nickatina took some time off, COGNITO hit the road solo. As fate would have it, COGNITO and Strange shared the same booker. Together on a string of show dates, COGNITO witnessed Strange's impressive stage show and extreme professionalism. COGNITO even shared a joke with Tech: He had previously recorded over Femi's āSlackerā beat, a song that appears on Tech's Absolute Power (2002).
The groundwork for the COGNITO-Strange merger was set in motion. Three years later when hip-hop activist Violet Brown, a longtime supporter of Strange, approached COGNITO about shopping a deal to the indie powerhouse, he was with it.
One conversation with Strange Music co-owner and CEO Travis O'Guin and another with Dave Weiner, Vice President of Strange Music West, plus one visit to Kansas City, the label's home, and COGNITO knew he was home. āI know it sounds clichĆ©, but you can do anything you want,ā tells COGNITO. āMy motivation has been people saying I couldn't do this. I'm hardheaded. At the end of the day, you have to go get it and no one is going to give it to you. But I look at my progression. Seeing what I'm accomplishing on my own and knowing that if I go get it, it could happen. There hasn't been a goal I shot for that I haven't achieved when it comes to my music.ā
Building on his own persistence, COGNITO is quick to admit his success has been buoyed by his supportive team: Violet Brown, Femi, Mike Mosley, Darien Smith, his studio engineer for the past seven years. The 29 year old has had an amazing team behind him, which has catapulted him to where he is today. Currently, COGNITO is working on his Strange debut, Automatic, scheduled for a February/March 2010 release.
āStylewise, I'm a storyteller,ā COGNITO points out. āWhether it's a club track or a serious, depressed track, I'm going to tell you a story and get my message across to you. I like when people can relate to a song. That's what I love more than anything.ā
āI don't follow trends,ā he adds. āI pride myself in making my music real. I don't like to front, but I also like to have fun. Take me serious, but don't take me too serious. Listen to me with an open mind. I want to be an inspiration like my musical influences were to me.ā
As COGNITO prepares for the next stage of his career, he is more than ready for the full-time grind.
āFrom 21 until now I have given this everything. I don't stop until I achieve my goal. With Strange backing me, I feel that I can accomplish all my goals. I got a shot like this and I'm going to run with it and make it happen.ā
Outcast
Cognito Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
my own, all the years that I was struggling day and night on the block was my own,
to me I'm an outcast.
It's been a long time coming, I'm still here I'm still breathing,
I've spent a long time running through each season to season.
I'm your prime example if you can't do it, so give it up,
I'm your prime example cause I've been through it so listen up.
It's about your life and how you use it, the road you chose it,
Determines your every step and movement, lord knows I tried, knows I'm defied,
It's hard to run a race that I know I'm behind in. Know that I'm grinding,
Look at life through my eyes, it ain't as easy as it looks.
Nobody knows the blood and tears that it took.
Here's an expected turn of aggression, that turned to obsession,
Turned to depression, through all that you think I learned all my lessons.
I ain't even scratching the surface, I ain't even half way,
It ain't even about the bitches, or the money I've made.
In fifty years when I look back on my past,
All that I want is for my daughters to be proud of their dad, what else do I have.
When I think about the past of my life, and all that I did on my own,
my own, all the years that I was struggling day and night on the block was my own,
all that I wanted was a chance to be accepted in life, so tell me if I'm wrong,
I just want to do it before it's over and life's gone,
Tell me you feel, But I never thought I would really be the man,
to grow up from nothing to the one sitting before me, See I'm an outcast.
Now momma always said it would be worth it, through all the pain and suffering,
Through all the rain and hurting, nobodies perfect.
I'm certain that if I left this earth, today they would miss me,
But at my funeral how long would the list be before I'm history.
An only child with no brothers or sisters, so often me and momma would pack up,
The Dots and moving often is exhausting, back and forth in them section 8 apartments,
There's only so much you can take, before it breaks your conscience and changes to nonsense.
Now there's been times in life where I feel flawless, I'd have to say those,
Were the times where my ears would hear whispers, from other angels.
Taking actions from other angles, there's always a gamble,
Always a handful, I was raised to show the game what I stand for.
Can't nobody take this moment from you, there's nowhere to run to,
So force them to make the decision to hate you or love you.
That's the moment that your fate comes to a crossroads,
And God knows, I've had my share of choices to make with obstacles off-road.
When I think about the past of my life, and all that I did on my own,
my own, all the years that I was struggling day and night on the block was my own,
all I wanted was to be accepted in life, so tell me if I'm wrong,
I just want to do it before it's over and life's gone,
tell me you feel, but I never thought I would really be the man,
to grow up from nothing to the one sitting before me, See I'm an outcast.
With every piece of sand that's in my hourglass, and with every breathe I take another hour pass.
I tell myself it don't matter, I'll let them chitter chatter,
Live with the laughter, get what I'm after, turn the page of my book.
It's another chapter, I'm after a bigger dream just to capture the bigger things,
That have actually came between all the people that disagree,
With the typical human being that never makes up excuse's.
But takes the breaks and heartaches the way that he slaves to make two cents,
He's a nuisance but they still follow his shoe prints,
Till the day that he chooses to break away from the pack, and the past is useless.
Give it everything you got and never settle for less again,
And they told me while growing up that success is the best revenge.
I'm blessed to have walked the broken road,From student to teacher,
When it finally evens out and your through it, it's much sweeter.
I would never take it for granted, never out lash but outlast the struggles,
That have now passed, label me as an outcast.
When I think about the past of my life, and all that I did on my own,
my own, all the years that I was struggling day and night on the block was my own,
all I wanted was to be accepted in life, so tell me if I'm wrong,
I just want to do it before it's over and life's gone,
tell me you feel, but I never thought I would really be the man,
to grow up from nothing to the one sitting before me,See I'm an outcast.
In Cognito's song Outcast, the lyrics reflect on the struggles and challenges faced in life. The lyrics begin with the artist acknowledging that he had to go through hard times by himself, he struggled on his own, and he felt like an outcast. Despite this, the artist highlighted the fact that he is still here and breathing, and he has been through a lot. He is a prime example, and if anyone else is struggling, they should never give up.
Moving forward, the artist elaborates on how life is a journey, and it is not always easy. It is not just about music or drug abuse, but it is about how you use your life and the choices you make. He knows that he has been behind in the race of life, but he continues to grind and work towards his goals. The artist points out that life is not always as easy as it seems, and nobody knows the blood and tears it takes to succeed. He talks about the emotional journey he has had, which includes starting with aggression and ending in depression.
The artist's mom has always encouraged him to keep going despite the pain and suffering, rain and hurting. He tells himself that he will let people talk behind his back because it does not matter. He wants to capture the bigger things in life and get what he is after, turn the page of his book and focus on the bigger picture. The song ends by reiterating the fact that the artist wanted to be accepted in life, but he never thought he would sit where he is now after growing up from nothing. He is still an outcast, but he is proud of his achievement.
Line by Line Meaning
When I think about the past of my life, and all that I did on my own, my own, all the years that I was struggling day and night on the block was my own, to me I'm an outcast.
I reflect on my past and everything I achieved on my own while going through hardships on the streets. This, to me, makes me feel like an outsider.
It's been a long time coming, I'm still here I'm still breathing, I've spent a long time running through each season to season.
I have survived for a long time and endured different seasons of life.
I'm your prime example if you can't do it, so give it up, I'm your prime example cause I've been through it so listen up.
If you are unable to achieve something, I am the perfect example of perseverance. So, listen to my story.
It was deeper than just doing music and drug abusing, It's about your life and how you use it, the road you chose it, Determines your every step and movement, lord knows I tried, knows I'm defied, It's hard to run a race that I know I'm behind in.
My life wasn't just about music and drugs, but about the choices I made that have determined my every step and movement. I tried hard and made mistakes, which makes it hard to run a race when I know I'm behind.
Know that I'm grinding, Look at life through my eyes, it ain't as easy as it looks. Nobody knows the blood and tears that it took.
I am working hard to achieve something, and people don't see how tough it is. They are unaware of my struggles and hard work.
Here's an expected turn of aggression, that turned to obsession, Turned to depression, through all that you think I learned all my lessons.
My expected turn towards aggression became an obsession, then depression, and despite all of that, people assume I have learned my lessons.
I ain't even scratching the surface, I ain't even half way, It ain't even about the bitches, or the money I've made.
I haven't even begun to make progress, nor is it about the women or money I have made.
In fifty years when I look back on my past, All that I want is for my daughters to be proud of their dad, what else do I have.
When I look back on my life fifty years from now, all I want is for my daughters to be proud of me since they are the most important thing to me.
all that I wanted was a chance to be accepted in life, so tell me if I'm wrong, I just want to do it before it's over and life's gone, Tell me you feel, But I never thought I would really be the man, to grow up from nothing to the one sitting before me, See I'm an outcast.
All I ever wanted was a chance to be accepted in society. I just want to achieve this before my time ends, and to grow up from nothing to where I am now. Yet, I still feel like an outcast.
Now momma always said it would be worth it, through all the pain and suffering, Through all the rain and hurting, nobodies perfect.
My mother always said that it would be worth it, despite the pain and suffering one may face. Nobody is perfect, despite all the rain and hurt.
I'm certain that if I left this earth, today they would miss me, But at my funeral how long would the list be before I'm history.
If I died today, people would miss me. However, after my funeral how long would it take for me to be history?
An only child with no brothers or sisters, so often me and momma would pack up, The Dots and moving often is exhausting, back and forth in them section 8 apartments, There's only so much you can take, before it breaks your conscience and changes to nonsense.
Being the only child, my mom and I moved frequently, which was tiring since we lived in low-income apartments. There is a limit to how much one can handle before it affects their mental health.
Now there's been times in life where I feel flawless, I'd have to say those, Were the times where my ears would hear whispers, from other angels.
There were times in my life where I felt perfect and heard whispers from other angels.
Taking actions from other angles, there's always a gamble, Always a handful, I was raised to show the game what I stand for.
I took risks from different perspectives, and it was always challenging. However, I was raised to demonstrate my convictions.
Can't nobody take this moment from you, there's nowhere to run to, So force them to make the decision to hate you or love you.
This is your moment, and no one can take it from you. Make them decide whether to hate or love you.
That's the moment that your fate comes to a crossroads,And God knows, I've had my share of choices to make with obstacles off-road.
That moment is when your destiny is at a crossroad, and God knows I've had a lot of decisions to make even when it's off the beaten path.
all I wanted was to be accepted in life, so tell me if I'm wrong, tell me you feel, but I never thought I would really be the man, With every piece of sand that's in my hourglass, and with every breathe I take another hour pass.
All I ever wanted was to be accepted, so tell me if I am wrong. Now I am this man, yet time passes by as quickly as the sand in an hourglass.
I tell myself it don't matter, I'll let them chitter chatter, Live with the laughter, get what I'm after, turn the page of my book. It's another chapter, I'm after a bigger dream just to capture the bigger things, That have actually came between all the people that disagree, With the typical human being that never makes up excuse's.
I tell myself it doesn't matter what people say, I will live with laughter. I will achieve my goals, turn the page, and start a new chapter. I am after a bigger dream to capture bigger things that challenge those who disagree, unlike typical humans who never make excuses.
But takes the breaks and heartaches the way that he slaves to make two cents, He's a nuisance but they still follow his shoe prints, Till the day that he chooses to break away from the pack, and the past is useless.
He accepts the breaks and heartaches to earn just two cents. He might seem like a nuisance, yet people still follow his path until he decides to break away from the pack, and his past no longer matters.
Give it everything you got and never settle for less again, And they told me while growing up that success is the best revenge.
Give it your all and never settle for anything less than your best, and growing up I learned that success is the best revenge.
I'm blessed to have walked the broken road,From student to teacher, When it finally evens out and your through it, it's much sweeter.
I am grateful that I have gone through a difficult path: from being a student to now being a teacher. When everything is finally evened out and over, it's much sweeter.
I would never take it for granted, never out lash but outlast the struggles, That have now passed, label me as an outcast. to grow up from nothing to the one sitting before me,See I'm an outcast.
I would never take for granted what I have achieved after enduring struggles that have now passed. They label me as an outcast since I have grown up from nothing to the person I am today.
Contributed by Molly H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@michaelbetz4086
Your album with Strange is the best work you have done. Wish they would of had more confidence in you and pushed the record because I feel Automatic is a top 5 record of all the albums Strange has put out.Ā
@nadineo1983
i met him after the strange music concert and he was really nice, and even after performing he still gave me a hug and smelled good :)
@TheDBGTAbridged
I love this song and video. Cognito is great.
@user-io4fj1kh5m
Still bumpin šŖš½
@SpotVega
Much respect i was the outcast STRANGE music!!!!!!!!
@CapitoleD
respect from cap d wheather it be strange or any other label he'll do good hes got mad skill.
@blueice188
Even most Strange Music fans I know have been sleepin on Cognito, damn.
@juanlennonsfunhouse2633
Respect
@huffmen1
his new album is the best ive heard. i think he should just keep doin wat he does best and thats rapping.
@MrLoaksta
Real music!!!!!