Their often politically-charged, culturally-introspective, and motivational lyrics find influence rooted in the early works of Nas, Public Enemy, Outkast and Common Sense. The production could be described as warm, soulful and organic -- born out of the school of producers that cite the likes of RZA, Pete Rock, Jay Dee, and DJ Premier. Cyne's "sound" is impacted by everything from Bad Brains to Krautrock, from Camp Lo to Kate Bush – it's a hybrid of emotional, historical, and challenging influences.
The group's debut release was a 12" entitled "African Elephants," released in 2001. Cyne has since released a number of EPs, singles, and two critically well-received albums. They have also collaborated on projects with internationally acclaimed artists Daedelus, Four Tet and Nujabes.
With previously released albums on Botanica Del Jibaro, P-Vine and City Centre Offices, Cyne has created a reputation as artists that stay true to the lyrical power and gritty cut-and-paste aesthetic of classic hip hop while managing to explore new sonic territory.
Up Above
Cyne Lyrics
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Cry every time I think about the things that ya did
Held me down, always told me to face my fears
I held the tears back had to get a beer
Just to maintain from all the stress of pain
I held ya there but damn now ya gone from ya
I think about the things that I should`ve said
Before the fall, I scream and I curse at God
Ya never had the chance to see me have a wife
Never be a grandmother and see my kids
Ya never see ya son mature and go on to live
I fight the tears to stay strong for the fam, but damn
I`m just a man with a broken plan, I am
I`m just a man with a broken plan, I am
I`m just a man
C`mon
(talking)
Sometimes I just zone out,
Thinking about everything that you did for me
All the love that you had given me
But then I think about where you are right now
And it brings me peace
And it brings me joy
But sometimes I still feel a little bit empty
Sometimes when the stress in the day is thick
I have a wish to have that one last kiss
One more hug, rejoice and grandma love
Of God above, a lot I needed because
The stress and strain, the pain come down the rain
The sun, it came too late now it`s not the same
My life has changed, my soul has an empty place
And only the sound of your voice can fill the space
I`ll wrestle angels just to see ya face again
Because you were my life, my mother and friend
You reside in God`s love now in heaven above
So don`t you move ya son gonna see you soon
I run, past the hardships tears and pain
Growin up I said ya name you always came
Hold my hand, gotta move through the storm
Now I need to be strong cuz you`re with the Lord
From the beginning to end, til I finish the start
Hold close to my heart no matter how hard
Things get to be, it`s you I see
Smilin, cryin, lookin down at me
Wit tears of joy, come hold your baby boy
Look at me now, it`ll make momma proud
So she can see the things I aspire to be
She sowed the seed, and now her boys a tree
And uh, moves are strong and they go along
And, raise the star let ? of God
And, all the love that you givin me
Help, me become the man you see
So, hold me close and never let me go
Low behold the time you have to go
Spread your wings momma let you fly
Cuz God himself will be the one to dry ya eyes
I`ll wrestle angels just to see ya face again
Because you were my life, my mother and friend
You reside in God`s love now in heaven above
So don`t you move ya son gonna see you soon
I run, past the hardships tears and pain
Growin up I said ya name you always came
Hold my hand, gotta move through the storm
Now I need to be strong cuz you`re with the Lord
The song Up Above by CYNE is an emotional tribute to the rapper's late mother. The lyrics are powerful and convey the depth of pain and loss that he feels after she passed away. The song starts off with the rapper expressing his need to see his mother's face one more time and how her memories still cause him to cry. He reminisces about her advice to face his fears and how he would hold back his tears by drinking beer.
The chorus "I'll wrestle angels just to see ya face again" shows the desperation and longing for his mom's presence. The song also highlights the regret that the rapper feels for not saying all he wanted to before she passed away. He curses God for taking his mother away before she could see him get married or see her grandchildren. The second verse describes the impact her death had on his life, how the pain and stress keep pouring down like rain. He talks about how her voice is the only thing that can fill the emptiness in his soul.
The bridge brings a sense of hope and acceptance as he talks about his mother residing in God's love in heaven. He aims to make her proud by becoming the man she always believed he could be. The song ends with the rapper vowing to be strong and hold on to his mother's love as he moves forward in life.
Line by Line Meaning
One more time I gotta see your face and I
I feel the need to see your face one last time
Cry every time I think about the things that ya did
I get emotional when I think about all the things you did for me
Held me down, always told me to face my fears
You supported me and encouraged me to overcome my fears
I held the tears back had to get a beer
I struggled to hold back the tears and resorted to drinking beer to cope
Just to maintain from all the stress of pain
I drank to deal with the stress and pain I was feeling
I held ya there but damn now ya gone from ya
I held onto you, but now you're gone
I think about the things that I should`ve said
I regret not saying certain things to you
Before the fall, I scream and I curse at God
I express anger and frustration towards God for taking you away
For takin you away so early in my life
I feel like you were taken away too soon
Ya never had the chance to see me have a wife
You weren't around to see me get married
Never be a grandmother and see my kids
You'll never get the chance to see your grandchildren
Ya never see ya son mature and go on to live
You didn't get to see me grow up and live my life
I fight the tears to stay strong for the fam, but damn
I try to stay strong for the family, but it's tough
I`m just a man with a broken plan, I am
I'm just a man trying to cope with a broken plan
Sometimes I just zone out,
Sometimes I get lost in my own thoughts
Thinking about everything that you did for me
I think about all the things you did for me
All the love that you had given me
I reflect on all the love you gave me
But then I think about where you are right now
I think about where you might be now
And it brings me peace
Thinking about you brings me peace
And it brings me joy
Your memory brings me happiness
But sometimes I still feel a little bit empty
Sometimes I still feel like something is missing
Sometimes when the stress in the day is thick
When I'm stressed, I wish you were here
I have a wish to have that one last kiss
I wish I could have one last kiss from you
One more hug, rejoice and grandma love
I wish I could have one more hug and feel your love
Of God above, a lot I needed because
I need a lot of God's help and support
The stress and strain, the pain come down the rain
I feel overwhelmed by the stress, pain, and difficult emotions
The sun, it came too late now it`s not the same
The situation has changed and it's too late to fix it
My life has changed, my soul has an empty place
Since you've been gone, my life feels different and there's an emptiness inside me
And only the sound of your voice can fill the space
The only thing that can make me feel better is remembering your voice
I`ll wrestle angels just to see ya face again
I would do anything to see you again
Because you were my life, my mother and friend
You were my everything, my mom and my friend
You reside in God`s love now in heaven above
I believe you're now in heaven with God
So don`t you move ya son gonna see you soon
I know I'll see you again soon
Growin up I said ya name you always came
When I was growing up and needed you, you were always there
Hold my hand, gotta move through the storm
I need strength to get through this difficult time
Now I need to be strong cuz you`re with the Lord
I need to be strong and carry on because I believe you're in a better place
Hold close to my heart no matter how hard
I'll always keep you close to my heart no matter how hard it gets
Things get to be, it`s you I see
When things get tough, I think of you
Smilin, cryin, lookin down at me
I think of you smiling and crying while looking down at me from heaven
Wit tears of joy, come hold your baby boy
I imagine you holding me with tears of happiness
Look at me now, it`ll make momma proud
I hope I'm making you proud now
So she can see the things I aspire to be
I want you to see all the things I hope to achieve
She sowed the seed, and now her boys a tree
You planted the seeds in me and now I'm growing into a strong man
And uh, moves are strong and they go along
I'm strong and I'm going to keep going
And, raise the star let ? of God
I'll raise my star and let God guide me
And, all the love that you givin me
I'll always cherish the love you gave me
Help, me become the man you see
Your love helps me become the man you always saw in me
So, hold me close and never let me go
I need your presence and love with me always
Low behold the time you have to go
I can't believe you had to leave so soon
Spread your wings momma let you fly
I know you're in a better place now and it's time to let you go
Cuz God himself will be the one to dry ya eyes
God will comfort you and take away your tears
Contributed by John H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.