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
Hellfire
CunninLynguists Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I am the god of hellfire and I bring you
"Fire!" Hellfire can't scorch me
I'll see you burn
"Fire!" Not obtained by propane or lighter
Not a man gone' contain these flames they burn higher yell
Then spreads from the stage to the youth
Who all root for more
"Fire!" You can smell it in your clothes and your nose
See a hater closin his nose we closin the doors
They gotta bounce, 'cause I learned
Where there's smoke there's fire
Similar to the streets, where there's spokes there's tires
Keep rollin' like X poppers, see them flames
They gone need dental records to retrieve them names
Of course the sheer force'll scorch upon contact
Zippo flow, here we go, let's all cock back and "Fire!"
"Fire!" Hellfire can't scorch me
I'll see you burn
"Fire!" Melt Antarctica down
Evict polar bears, help bring art to the sound spit
"Fire!" Like lit cigarette in dry leaves
Goodbye, leave, or die whenever your eyes see
"Fire!" That burns like a wound with a pool of liquor
Running through it like a molten river
Imagine hell like it's a motion picture
Hopeless folks roasting like it's a joke but sicker
Try living with "Fire!"
Not like water in mixed dranks
Forget rank, when enemies challenging this tank
"Fire!" Murder, death, kill with the grill
You've heard the best, don't sit still as you feel this
"Fire!" Folks catch chills off the skill it's
The Vill, ill will, liquefy shields with
"Fire!" Too late to secure the perimeter
It'll enter ya soul you can't control the limits of
"Fire!"
"Fire!" Hellfire can't scorch me
The song "Hellfire" by CunninLynguists is a rap song that talks about the power and intensity of fire. The first two lines, "I am the god of hellfire and I bring you / I am the god of hellfire and I bring you," serves as a proclamation of the rapper's power and authority over the subject of the song. The refrain "Fire!" is repeated throughout the song, and each time it is mentioned, it is accompanied by a different description of the effects of fire. The lyrics convey the idea that fire is not something to be taken lightly - it can destroy entire buildings and lives, and it is a force that cannot be tamed or contained by ordinary means.
In the second verse, the rapper uses a metaphor comparing fire to the streets - where there are spokes there are tires, and where there is smoke there is fire. This line suggests that just as a car needs wheels to move, the streets need people to move and thrive, and where there is smoke (something that obstructs vision and clarity), there is a likelihood of fire, or trouble brewing. The third and final verse features wordplay, alliteration and metaphors, where the rapper asserts that his flow is like a zippo lighter, implying that it is smooth, with a quick wit and the ability to ignite a reaction from his listeners. He also likens his skill to melting shields with fire, which could be interpreted as his ability to break down emotional and mental barriers with his music.
Line by Line Meaning
I am the god of hellfire and I bring you
I am a powerful force and I am here to bring you something intense and dangerous
"Fire!" Hellfire can't scorch me
I'll see you burn
I am not afraid of any inferno and I plan to make you suffer
"Fire!" Not obtained by propane or lighter
Not a man gone' contain these flames they burn higher yell
This fire is not something that can be controlled by normal means and it rages on relentlessly
"Fire!" and it's not on the roof, it's in the booth
Then spreads from the stage to the youth
Who all root for more
This fire is not a physical flame, but a metaphorical one in our music which spreads from performers to fans
"Fire!" You can smell it in your clothes and your nose
See a hater closin his nose we closin the doors
They gotta bounce, 'cause I learned
Where there's smoke there's fire
Similar to the streets, where there's spokes there's tires
Keep rollin' like X poppers, see them flames
They gone need dental records to retrieve them names
Of course the sheer force'll scorch upon contact
Zippo flow, here we go, let's all cock back and "Fire!"
Our music is so powerful that it can be felt physically, and anyone who can't handle the intensity should leave. Like a wildfire, it spreads and consumes everything in its path, leaving behind a trail of destruction
"Fire!" Melt Antarctica down
Evict polar bears, help bring art to the sound spit
Our music is so hot that it could literally melt the ice caps and displace animals, but it is still worth it to create art
"Fire!" Like lit cigarette in dry leaves
Goodbye, leave, or die whenever your eyes see
Our music is like a spark in dry leaves, and it can easily ignite something explosive. You'll either love it or fear it
"Fire!" That burns like a wound with a pool of liquor
Running through it like a molten river
Imagine hell like it's a motion picture
Hopeless folks roasting like it's a joke but sicker
Try living with "Fire!"
Our music is like a painful injury with an added element of liquor. It's like being thrown into a river of molten lava. Those who can't handle it will suffer like they are in hell, but to us it's just entertainment
Not like water in mixed dranks
Forget rank, when enemies challenging this tank
"Fire!" Murder, death, kill with the grill
You've heard the best, don't sit still as you feel this
Our music is not like a harmless mixed drink, it's more like a tank that will crush all enemies. It's deadly and not to be underestimated
"Fire!" Folks catch chills off the skill it's
The Vill, ill will, liquefy shields with
"Fire!" Too late to secure the perimeter
It'll enter ya soul you can't control the limits of
"Fire!"
Our music is so skillful that it can give people chills just from listening. It's powerful enough to destroy any defense and penetrate the soul, and it's too late to protect yourself from it
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Willis Polk II, Ryan Wisler
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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.