There has never been an anomaly in hip-hop quite like the southern trio CunninLynguists. Sampling genres from psych-rock to blues, New Romantic to polka, they have been musically compared to UGK and Atmosphere in the same breath. They have toured and shared stages with Kanye West and Aesop Rock to equal success. They have produced for Lil' Scrappy as well as KRS-One. They have crafted songs with international soul superstar Cee-Lo Green and politically charged indie-favorite Immortal Technique … on the same album. CunninLynguists have eschewed categories, boxes and labels for 10 years, 5 albums and 4 official mixtapes, all while having what XXL Magazine described as the "Most Hated Name In Rap".
The result? If you want labels...Southern boom-bap. Too white for BET, too black for MTV2. A preacher's son, a caucasian guy from rural Georgia and a convicted felon. But mainly … a self-made career, one of the most consistent catalogs of any current hip-hop act and one of the most loyal, worldwide fanbases in all of indie rap music.
Backed with gritty beats, quality rhymes and 808 thump, the 'Lynguists intend on recapturing the soul in southern hip-hop. With what Spin Magazine calls "Outkast's tragicomic poignancy", Deacon The Villain, Kno and Natti follow in the footsteps of artists like Goodie Mob, Ya'll So Stupid, Geto Boys and the aforementioned 'Kast in painting a picture meant to remind the world that politics, death, racism, relationships, religion and struggle are just as relevant to life below the Mason-Dixon as anywhere else.
Their critically acclaimed debut LP, Will Rap For Food, was released in October 2001. CunninLynguists were joined by Floridian emcee Mr. SOS for their 2nd LP, Southernunderground, which was independently released April 1, 2003 on Freshchest Records and QN5 Music and re-released in 2004. Guests included Masta Ace, Tonedeff and RJD2. Between Southernunderground and A Piece of Strange, they released two mixtapes titled Sloppy Seconds Vol. 1 and Sloppy Seconds Vol. 2. Their third LP, A Piece of Strange, was released in January of 2006 via LAU Records. Their fourth album, Dirty Acres, was released 2007. In 2009, they released two more mixtapes titled Strange Journey Volume One and Strange Journey Volume Two, featuring such artists as Freddie Gibbs, E-40, Slug, and Killer Mike. Their most recent LP, Oneirology, was released in 2011. Guests included Big K.R.I.T., Tonedeff, Freddie Gibbs, and Anna Wise of Sonnymoon.
The group has toured worldwide, appearing onstage alongside acts like Nappy Roots, Cee-Lo Green, Bun B, Kanye West, Raekwon of Wu-Tang Clan, Brand Nubian and more.
Kno, hailing from Georgia and currently residing in Lexington, Kentucky, has been described as "one of the top loop-miners east of the Mississippi" by URB. He produced the majority of Will Rap For Food and Southernunderground, all of A Piece of Strange, and has also recieved critical acclaim in The NY Times, Rolling Stone and other magazines for his remix of Jay-Z's Black Album, entitled Kno vs. Hov : The White Al-bu-lum in 2004. Kno released a solo LP in 2010 titled Death is Silent.
Born in Versailles, Kentucky, Deacon has also established himself as a producer. His beats have been rocked by the likes of KRS-One, King Tee as well as local Kentucky artists such as Rob Jackson and Bonafide Circle. The son of a reverend, his ear for melody and church trained voice have also landed him hook work for Ruff Ryders, Sean Price and more. Deacon released an album with Sheisty Khrist titled Niggaz With Latitude in 2010.
The duo has already begun work as a production duo under the name A Piece Of Strange, currently producing for Lil' Scrappy, Devin The Dude, D-12, Immortal Technique, Warner Brothers' rock and roll outfit Melee and others. They are managed by Lee "Skill" Resnick, whose only other clients are platinum producers Denaun Porter, Naughty By Nature's Kay Gee and Mr. Lee from Houston.
The group now officially counts emcee Natti as the third and final piece of the CunninLynguists' puzzle. After turning to music as a positive release after a 2 year prison stint in the early 2000's, Lexington, Kentucky native Natti's gravely drawl and streetwise lyrics give the group a decidedly interesting 3rd angle on the group's already broad range of subject matter.
Origin: Atlanta, GA
Year Formed: 2001
Members: Deacon The Villain
Kno
Natti
Former Member: Mr. SOS
Official Site: www.cunninlynguists.com
Dance For Me
CunninLynguists Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She was a late bloomer, from Penny to Janet in a blink
Dreamt 'bout being Josephine Baker in the mink
Gold make-up like the Shpinx, skin made to view
Body ornament performances, sin-sational
From Rhythm Nation to, ritilation through
Demon-strations of, what's she's made to do
She always told me that she wanted to dance
I tried to told her she was worthy of chance
But it'sh ard to talk to somebody in a trance
I just gave her a glance, enough to sang her blues
Be Pablo to paint her moves, be Langstion to name her Hughes
Emily dance for me someone said, she, curtsied and turned her head
She posed, with knowledge and grace she gave us a taste
WIth a look on her face that could be taken for dead
(verse 2 - Natti)
Are we crazy, deranged
To stand up for some change?
Dreams turn to schemes
Which marionette pulls your strings?
Emily's enemy was Emily, feelin me?
She only lusted to heel-toe kick to the symphony
And now she justified cryin rivers for sympathy
Which in end she finds out is simply misery
No mystery, or OnStar on destiny's roads
Ballerina wardrobe glowing under the strobe
Twirlin amongst dollars, waiting under the pole
For a slightly possible goal sometimes we sell out our soul
Can't help that, everybody done felt that
Just ask your favorite artists whose heart has turned to pitch black
Ask some of these stars where they lost they sense of self at
Strictly being puppets in public is a setback
Yeah fam, that's Emily's energy
Everybody's a dance, I don't view you no differently so dance
(outro)
She makes it rain with her tears
The song "Dance For Me" by CunninLynguists features Deacon and Natti as its vocalists, each with their own perspective on the theme of dance. In the first verse, Deacon speaks about a woman named Emily who always wanted to dance and feel worthy of romance. However, she seems to be in a trance or very vulnerable state, and Deacon feels like he cannot communicate with her. Despite this, Emily gives a beautiful and emotional performance that even brings her to tears.
Natti takes the second verse and raps about the darker side of ambition and the entertainment industry. He questions whether it is worth sacrificing one's identity and integrity to achieve fame and success. Emily's enemy is herself, as she becomes trapped in a cycle of seeking sympathy and acceptance through her dancing. Natti implies that many artists and performers have lost themselves in this way, becoming puppets of the industry and losing touch with their true selves.
The outro of the song returns to Emily and her tears, symbolizing the emotional toll that dance and the pursuit of fame can take on a person. Overall, "Dance For Me" is a commentary on the power and potential pitfalls of performance and artistic expression.
Line by Line Meaning
She was a late bloomer, from Penny to Janet in a blink
She matured late and went from being an unremarkable person to a captivating one quickly.
Dreamt 'bout being Josephine Baker in the mink
Had aspirations of becoming a glamorous performer like Josephine Baker.
Gold make-up like the Shpinx, skin made to view
Adorned herself with golden makeup and exhibited her beauty for everyone to see.
Body ornament performances, sin-sational
Her performances were sensual and involved the use of body ornaments.
From Rhythm Nation to, ritilation through
Her performances were inspired by a range of genres, from Rhythm Nation to contemporary.
Demon-strations of, what's she's made to do
She exhibited her true purpose or talent through her performances.
She always told me that she wanted to dance
She had a passion for dancing and always spoke about it.
The only time she felt worthy of romance, damn
Dancing was the only time she felt valuable or worthy of love.
I tried to told her she was worthy of chance
I tried to convince her that she was worth taking a chance on or believing in.
But it'sh ard to talk to somebody in a trance
It's difficult to communicate with someone who is so focused on their dreams.
I just gave her a glance, enough to sang her blues
I gave her some acknowledgement, enough to appease her insecurities or doubts.
Be Pablo to paint her moves, be Langstion to name her Hughes
I wanted to capture her movements like Pablo Picasso and name them like Langston Hughes.
Emily dance for me someone said, she, curtsied and turned her head
Someone requested Emily to dance and she obliged by curtsying and turning her head.
She posed, with knowledge and grace she gave us a taste
She posed with expert knowledge and grace, giving us a taste of her abilities.
WIth a look on her face that could be taken for dead
With an expression that was so absorbed in the dance that she appeared lifeless.
Are we crazy, deranged
Are we foolish or out of our minds?
To stand up for some change?
To protest or work towards making a difference.
Dreams turn to schemes
Aspirations can become plots to achieve something by any means necessary.
Which marionette pulls your strings?
Which external force controls or manipulates you?
Emily's enemy was Emily, feelin me?
Emily's self-destructive tendencies were her biggest opponent.
She only lusted to heel-toe kick to the symphony
Her one true desire was to dance to classical music with a specific foot movement.
And now she justified cryin rivers for sympathy
Now she makes excuses for seeking pity by crying excessively.
Which in end she finds out is simply misery
Eventually, she realizes that seeking attention through tears only brings sorrow or despair.
No mystery, or OnStar on destiny's roads
Destiny cannot be discerned or navigated with any clarity or assistance.
Ballerina wardrobe glowing under the strobe
The ballerina's outfit shone dazzlingly under the flashing lights.
Twirlin amongst dollars, waiting under the pole
She danced among her earnings while waiting for the next stripper's pole to become available.
For a slightly possible goal sometimes we sell out our soul
We compromise our morals or beliefs for a chance, no matter how small, of achieving our goal.
Can't help that, everybody done felt that
It's unavoidable to have moments of desperation where we consider sacrificing or compromising our values.
Just ask your favorite artists whose heart has turned to pitch black
They have compromised their integrity and become jaded as they pursued their dreams.
Ask some of these stars where they lost they sense of self at
Fame has left some without a sense of values or purpose.
Strictly being puppets in public is a setback
Being only able to operate like a marionette under public scrutiny is a hindrance.
Yeah fam, that's Emily's energy
This is a reflection of Emily's essence or character.
Everybody's a dance, I don't view you no differently so dance
Everyone has a unique contribution or talent, so embrace it and do your part.
She makes it rain with her tears
She cries plentifully and excessively, much like a person making it rain with money.
Contributed by Amelia M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Passthekind
on 616 Rewind - Feat. Tonedeff, Sankofa, Kashal Tee & Celph Titled
They got too many ?s on the lyrics.
The first one, you're gone in 60 seconds, like Nicholas Cage is.
2nd one, In the stretcher you went into a physical rubix cube.
3 n 4 got me too, I gotta listen again.
5 What kind of man are you I bet you sit on a urinal too.