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
Rain
CunninLynguists Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The saddest thing I ever learned is relationships don't last
Or maybe I just feel that way cause of my past
Bad memories get to me when I drink mad Hennessey
feeling cold and alone even when I got mad friends with me
I'll still see something that reminds me of her
I got so used to her that without her my mind is a blur
She found somebody quick. I won't find another for a while
It's crazy how you can have your life arranged
and the day you get engaged you notice she's acting strange
like everything's changed and suddenly you don't trust her just the same
then you find out some other man's been fuckin out her brains
That's when your heart starts to feel the pain
so much that you can feel it in your veins and you can't forget her name
That's when you Literally go insane
and you feel like you're so sad you make it rain and then a song plays that says
[Chorus]
Wise Men say, "It looks like rain today"
Crackled on the speakers
Trickle down the sleepy subway train
[Kno]
I'll never understand how a girl can say she loves a man
and turn around and have sex with another man
I would have much rather been robbed for a hundred grand
than to get interrupted and get a call that she's touching hands
with another man. Oh God! Another man!
I can't even cry. My tears been dry. That's why it's thundering
hard out tonight and it's dark and it's cold
Cause the angels can hear me cry, and it's all in my soul
and all of them know I've never felt this pain in my past
And it's ironic the first place we made love's the same as the last
In the shower ... that's why I put the rain with her name
And my power to trust someone again has faded away
Other girls want me? Tell em it looks like rain today
I wallow in my sorrow, smoke, and watch tapes that we made
And one of them tapes is the day I got played like games in arcades
The day I almost gave up everything that I gained
It's crazy how you can have your life arranged
and the day you get engaged you notice she's acting strange
like everything's changed and suddenly it's on tape and you crumble
cause you notice on the tape she doesn't kiss you, she just fucks you
That's when your heart starts to feel the pain
so much that you can feel it in your veins and you can't forget her name
That's when you Literally go insane
and you feel like you're so sad you make it rain and then a song plays that says
[Chorus]
CunninLynguists's Rain is a poignant and emotional song that explores the theme of heartbreak and betrayal. Kno, the rapper, laments the end of his relationship, expressing his pain and confusion. He notes that the saddest thing he's ever learned is that relationships don't last, which may be because of his past experiences. Kno reveals that bad memories haunt him, even when he's in the company of friends or drinking. He gets reminded of his ex-girlfriend and the life they shared together, which makes him feel alone and cold.
Kno also reveals that his ex-girlfriend found someone else quickly, but he hasn't been able to find another partner. He had planned to marry her and start a family, but things fell apart. Kno hints that things changed after their engagement, and he no longer trusted her. He found out that she had been intimate with another man, and the pain was unbearable for him. He describes the hurt as something that he could feel in his veins, which made him literally insane. Notably, the song's title "Rain" comes from Kno's desire to "make it rain" with his tears and express his profound sadness.
Line by Line Meaning
The saddest thing I ever learned is relationships don't last
Realizing that relationships are not guaranteed to last is a sad truth.
Or maybe I just feel that way cause of my past
Perhaps my own experiences in past relationships contribute to this feeling.
Bad memories get to me when I drink mad Hennessey
Drinking alcohol brings back negative memories and reinforces my feeling of sadness.
Feeling cold and alone even when I got mad friends with me
Despite having supportive friends around me, I still feel isolated and lonely.
I'll still see something that reminds me of her
Even small triggers can bring back memories of my past relationship.
I got so used to her that without her my mind is a blur
Being so familiar with her has made it hard to adjust to life without her.
She found somebody quick. I won't find another for a while
She moved on quickly while I struggle to find someone new.
She was about to be my wife and mother of my child
We were going to have a long-term commitment and family together.
It's crazy how you can have your life arranged and the day you get engaged you notice she's acting strange
Even when things seem to be going well, sudden changes can occur and disrupt plans.
Like everything's changed and suddenly you don't trust her just the same
Her behavior made me lose trust in her and the relationship.
Then you find out some other man's been fuckin out her brains
Discovering infidelity causes intense emotional pain.
That's when your heart starts to feel the pain so much that you can feel it in your veins and you can't forget her name
The heartache is so overwhelming it feels like it's physically affecting the body, and her name is impossible to forget.
I'll never understand how a girl can say she loves a man and turn around and have sex with another man
Betrayal is difficult to comprehend when love was professed.
I would have much rather been robbed for a hundred grand than to get interrupted and get a call that she's touching hands with another man
The emotional pain of infidelity is worse than being robbed of a large sum of money.
And it's ironic the first place we made love's the same as the last
The location of our first and last intimate moments carries a poignant irony.
That's why I put the rain with her name
The rain serves as a powerful symbol of the pain and sadness she has caused.
Other girls want me? Tell em it looks like rain today
I have no interest in pursuing other romantic relationships right now.
It's crazy how you can have your life arranged and the day you get engaged you notice she's acting strange like everything's changed and suddenly it's on tape and you crumble
Unexpected changes can destroy even the most carefully planned futures, and seeing it on tape can be devastating.
Cause you notice on the tape she doesn't kiss you, she just fucks you
Discovering that the intimacy was fake and just physical is a harsh realization.
That's when your heart starts to feel the pain so much that you can feel it in your veins and you can't forget her name
The pain from betrayal is intense and all-consuming.
That's when you Literally go insane and you feel like you're so sad you make it rain and then a song plays that says
The pain is overwhelming to the point of feeling like madness, and even the weather seems to reflect the sadness.
Wise Men say, "It looks like rain today" Crackled on the speakers Trickle down the sleepy subway train
The song playing serves as a reminder of the deep sadness and emotional pain that persists despite the passage of time.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: WILBER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@waynepowers7213
2023.... And still ... absolute fire.... Have to come back once in awhile to remember what real hiphop sounds like ...
@1awesomishjohnny
cant describe how true those lyrics are .. I just love SOS´s ability to express the stories of his life mad respect
@mdkhaidree9415
2023...still listening. From Singapore.
@daveyconard9250
This is one of if not the worst feelings in the world.. No matter what your doing, who your with, or what your smokin on the pain of losing the love of your life is overpowering. Good news is time heals all, Im not even there yet but I keep my head up and I know someday this will only be a learning experience. Kick Ass song btw! Real emotion and pain conveyed.
@jaimegarcia4436
"She was about to be my wife and the mother of my child"
7 years gone and time I'll never get back.
@donnaburgoon7495
You deserve better brother,hang in there!
@daltongibbons3311
18 years bud. I completely understand, you’ll make it. The more it gets darker is the Brighter it’ll become. 💯🙏🏼
@skillastorm127
I'm sitting here on the roof of my house, smoke my cig, listen to this song an then it begins to rain e little bit... damn that feeling is fuckin' perfect
@laurentderrien
masterpiece of storytelling, I relate so much it hurts, every time
@Manojbisht792
how come these lyrics can be so perfect đź‘Śđź‘Śđź‘Śđź‘Śđź‘Śđź‘Śđź‘Śđź‘Śđź‘Śđź‘Śđź‘Śđź‘Ś it's like I found my past love life in this song.đź‘Ťđź‘Ťđź‘Ť