Artist of the Month: CunninLynguists - A Decade of Genius

RuffDraft
RuffDraft Members, Writer Posts: 4,753 ✭✭✭✭
edited February 2011 in The Essence
cunninlynguists_large.jpg

CunninLynguists, pronounced Cunn-in-lin-guists, a pun based around ? , are a hip hop group from Lexington, Kentucky and ATL, Georgia. The group had two founding members in Kno and Deacon The Villain, who met at a function for the now defunct Blaze Magazine, in Atlanta, GA; but has had three members since 2003, starting with Mr. SOS and ending with Natti, who joined the group upon Mr. SOS' leave in in 2006.

The current three members of the group include Kno - the producer of most of the groups material (other producers such as RJD2, and Domingo have produced for the group in earlier years), with Natti and Deacon The Villain on vocals.

The CunninLynguists have been active since 2000 and released their first album, Will Rap For Food, in 2001. Will Rap For Food was warmly received by critics who were impressed with Kno's production as well as Deacon's raps. The groups debut album led to their deal with Freshchest Records who released Will Rap For Food in 2005 following their 2003 independently released, SouthernUnderground (which was re-released in 2004).
Some of the best tracks from Will Rap For Food:

Their 2003 effort, SouthernUnderground, gained guest appearances from the likes of Masta Ace, on the classic track "Seasons" which looks at Hip Hop from a Common Sense I Used to Love H.E.R. angle, discussing the history of hip hop through the seasons, produced by RJD2. Deacon raps "? Vanilla Ice cones" and goes on to state that "American's mostly wanted that Chronic on the Left Coast"... and finishes with "I wish this summers vibe could have lasted forever, too bad we had to have a change in that weather, that ? was beautiful".
Some of the best tracks from SouthernUnderground:


Their place in hip hop history was cemented with the album of 2006, A Piece of Strange. The concept driven masterpiece told the "tale of the pathway to and from sin" and was depicted clearly with the groups album cover:

cunninlynguists-a-piece-of-strange.jpg


CunninLynguists third studio album featured Goodie Mob's Cee Lo Green, Immortal Technique and ToneDeff. Kno's production was featured for the full album and eradicated any naysayers that were still around with regards to his production as he experimented further with his samples and sound. Widely regarded as the groups best album, A Piece of Strange was released worldwide and received exceptionally positive reviews with URB stating the album as "A piece of beauty".
Some of the best tracks from "A Piece of Strange":

As a now cemented and widely respected group in 2007, CunninLynguists were joined by industry talents Phonte (of Little Brother/The Foreign Exchange), Devin the Dude and Witchdoctor for their 4th studio album, ? Acres. Again, completely handled by Kno's soulful production, ? Acres featured many stand out tracks, namely the ones listed below:

Upon recent years, CunninLynguists have branched out with their Strange Journey mixtapes and the groups founding members have released their first solo albums. First with Kno's Death Is Silent (2010) and followed with Deacon The Villain's N.W.L (2010) with CunninLynguists collaborator, Sheisty Khrist. Both albums have been listed in many top 10 albums of 2010 lists and showcase the groups individual talents.

2011 looks set to see the long awaited and anticipated release of the groups 5th studio album, Oneirology. Artwork is shown below and will be released in March 2011.
cl_oneirology_cover.jpg

I for one, cannot wait for this release and appreciate the last decade of CunninLynguists legacy, a brilliantly talented group who have amounted many plays in my iPod's and iTunes over the years.
CunninLynguists, The Essence Salutes You.

Comments

  • MastaAceTheGOAT
    MastaAceTheGOAT Members Posts: 724
    edited December 2010
    Okay ijust ordered will rap for food. Will Check both albums properly this week. Ty
  • RuffDraft
    RuffDraft Members, Writer Posts: 4,753 ✭✭✭✭
    edited December 2010
    Okay ijust ordered will rap for food. Will Check both albums properly this week. Ty

    Props :tu You listened to the Masta Ace track? Seasons?
  • MastaAceTheGOAT
    MastaAceTheGOAT Members Posts: 724
    edited December 2010
    RuffDraft wrote: »
    Props :tu You listened to the Masta Ace track? Seasons?

    I can't remember, which album?
  • satyrone
    satyrone Members Posts: 4,696 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited December 2010
    southern undergroun was the album that got me into them. my homie bootlegged it b4 it came out the first time. been hooked every since.
  • Well Got Dam
    Well Got Dam Members Posts: 5,440 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited December 2010
    Them ? is dope
  • RuffDraft
    RuffDraft Members, Writer Posts: 4,753 ✭✭✭✭
    edited January 2011
    I can't remember, which album?

    It's in the links above, Seasons, it's from SouthernUnderground.
    satyrone wrote: »
    southern undergroun was the album that got me into them. my homie bootlegged it b4 it came out the first time. been hooked every since.

    Great album, I was late on hearing about them, but APOS changed all that and I had to get their entire works, they're probably my favourite group of the 00's, no doubt. And Kno is my favourite U.S. producer. What's your favourite track from that album?
    DAMITT wrote: »
    Them ? is dope

    No doubt, what's your favourite album?
  • satyrone
    satyrone Members Posts: 4,696 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 2011
    RuffDraft wrote: »
    It's in the links above, Seasons, it's from SouthernUnderground.



    Great album, I was late on hearing about them, but APOS changed all that and I had to get their entire works, they're probably my favourite group of the 00's, no doubt. And Kno is my favourite U.S. producer. What's your favourite track from that album?



    No doubt, what's your favourite album?

    Sunrise sunset and the rain are my 2 fav tracks on that album
  • RuffDraft
    RuffDraft Members, Writer Posts: 4,753 ✭✭✭✭
    edited January 2011
    satyrone wrote: »
    Sunrise sunset and the rain are my 2 fav tracks on that album

    I like Sunrise/Sunset but after a while the sample started to annoy me. I think I played it too much though.
  • satyrone
    satyrone Members Posts: 4,696 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 2011
    RuffDraft wrote: »
    I like Sunrise/Sunset but after a while the sample started to annoy me. I think I played it too much though.

    lol same here!! i used to play the hell out of that song
  • RuffDraft
    RuffDraft Members, Writer Posts: 4,753 ✭✭✭✭
    edited January 2011
    satyrone wrote: »
    lol same here!! i used to play the hell out of that song

    It's one of those songs that you just keep hearing in your head over and over and over and it makes you want to keep playing it, classic production.
  • ty the great
    ty the great Members Posts: 162
    edited January 2011
    one of my favorite groups of the last decade. Everything is at least good, A Piece of Strange is a classic and I can't wait for Oneiciology (or what ever its called lol).
  • RuffDraft
    RuffDraft Members, Writer Posts: 4,753 ✭✭✭✭
    edited January 2011
    one of my favorite groups of the last decade. Everything is at least good, A Piece of Strange is a classic and I can't wait for Oneiciology (or what ever its called lol).

    lol I looked up the meaning of the word, Oneirology. It's unsurprisingly to do with the studying of dreams as the album cover depicts the girl who seems to have demons creeping towards her.

    I thought it is perhaps to do with her dreams being unravelled, hence the bed sheets being taken from her... but I don't know.
  • stupot0607
    stupot0607 Members Posts: 1,914 ✭✭✭
    edited January 2011
    I Got a piece of strange, not listened to it fully yet, The Gates is the standout song on it though. i think ill check out Will Rap for food next.
  • RuffDraft
    RuffDraft Members, Writer Posts: 4,753 ✭✭✭✭
    edited January 2011
    stupot0607 wrote: »
    I Got a piece of strange, not listened to it fully yet, The Gates is the standout song on it though. i think ill check out Will Rap for food next.

    I'd recommend ? Acres before that, but you can't go wrong with any of their releases.

    Yeah, The Gates and Abstract Reality are both standouts, but the album as a whole is great so be sure to listen to it all the way through :tu
  • Lou Cypher
    Lou Cypher Members Posts: 52,521 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 2011
    I got every album they have released. even the solo offerings. id say my favorite album of theres is either Southernunderground or A Peice of Strange. They are one of the few groups that ive loved every album they put out. anytime they release an album its always on repeat on my ipod for atleast a month. Ive been waiting for the Kno/Tonedeff album "Chico and The Man" for years now.. looks like it may never see the light of day =(
  • RuffDraft
    RuffDraft Members, Writer Posts: 4,753 ✭✭✭✭
    edited February 2011
    Lou Cypher wrote: »
    I got every album they have released. even the solo offerings. id say my favorite album of theres is either Southernunderground or A Peice of Strange. They are one of the few groups that ive loved every album they put out. anytime they release an album its always on repeat on my ipod for atleast a month. Ive been waiting for the Kno/Tonedeff album "Chico and The Man" for years now.. looks like it may never see the light of day =(

    SouthernUnderground is underrated, good shout :tu

    haha no doubt, ? Acres was my train journey album for quite some time too... Chico and The Man is never dropping!! haha I asked on Tonedeff's facebook the other day and a bunch of people 'liked' it but didn't receive a comment back from him.