They turn ridiculous instrumentals into incredible songs with brilliant writing, eloquent performances and fantastic hook-work. Natti growth as an emcee is astounding, especially considering his contributions on Oneirology. Deacon is still my favorite rapper on the planet. Dude writes straight up poetry and his sense of melody is so goddamn raw. Both of these cats have impeccable flows. No flubs, no out of place breaths, no off-beat anything. Just consistently excellent performances.
I can’t name more than a literal handful of emcees who are flexible and creative enough to tackle a hugely open-ended subject like “dreams” over the span of an entire album with the skill level that they have. They deserve a standing fucking ovation for this album.
So, for all the deserved attention the production has gotten, please join me in giving a long-overdue round of applause to these cats for their work on this album. It’s stellar and I tip my hat to you, gentlemen.
Tone pretty much said everything there is to say, but even u go back to earlier shit, it still stands today. I love when itunes is on and some grimey kynfolk shit comes on…blunt smoke son.
sidenote: i watch that deacon freestyle (with SOS beatboxing) on the SU cd on the regular. Dopeness.
Natti on this record (and really everything APOS and since) is gold. Every verse is impeccable. And Tone’s comment about Deacon is write. The man’s a poet. And I’m going to point to his verse on ‘Dreams’ like the others. That’s still my favorite verse on the album after all these listens; the way he ends ‘please… let it be.’
I get chills!
Spot on Tone, spot on. I told natti at the last show in utah that I think he’s the most underrated MC ever. Straight up. And deacon’s been defining true lyricism for me since about 2004. So yeah, cosign
Deacon’s always been dope. I love nearly every verse he’s spit since A Piece of Strange. His delivery never seems awkward or off-beat. He’s excellent at matching the vibe of a beat - whether it’s something chill and soulful like “What’ll You Do” or more aggressive production such as “Million Miles High.” Plus, Deac doesn’t spit filler shit. Oh, and did I mention his harmonies are less like.. oh that’s cool.. and more like.. holy shit I want to hear that again and again and again, 100% of the time? Yeah. If you put Deacon’s music across MTV/Hot 97/any other major media outlet that has a huge Hip Hop audience.. he’d instantaneously put every other celebrity emcee out of business.
Natti brought it on A Piece of Strange as well without a doubt. His verse on “The Light” was always that one verse on the record that just seemed so flawless and was such a perfect way to finish off the album. That alone showed me that he was really talented, but I never thought what it could mean in the future. Then when he tackled songs like “Georgia” and “Don’t Leave (When Winter Comes)” with such personal contributions and some of the most heartfelt lyrics I’ve ever heard on rap records.. he showed that he was so much more than a talented rapper. Something I can’t even put a label on. He’s simply amazing at what he does.
i think deacon fully clicked with me as a great rapper immediately probably since i was listening to “karma” on the boom bap for neanderthals comp, but natti didn’t fully click until “If you cry”...after that I want to hear anything he does.
I think Cunninlynguists is the reunion of three of the finest artists I know.They all have amazing talents and that’s why I’ll always buy any project they are involved in.
They never disappoint. Props to them
All 3 are needed to make the CL sound. I would give Natti the MVP award on Oneirology and Deacon has always been extremely gifted. There is no CunninLynguists without Deacon the Villain.
Deacon and Natti are 2 of my favorite emcees. The lyricism & flows that they contributed to every CL album is amazing and perfectly fit the production/theme of the album. They complement Kno’s beats perfectly and without them, CL would not be my favorite group in hip hop.
Also, Deacon’s hooks are extremely soulful and add a unique flavor to each song. Especially when he’s feature on songs like “Around I Go” w/ Thee Tom Hardee & Just Me’s song which I can’t remember the name of. On those songs, the hook is the part I mostly look forward to. Oh and that’s aside from the fact that he is an incredible emcee that drops versatile flows that fit perfectly with any beat. Lyrics are ALWAYS on point… there’s not one average verse that Deacon has dropped so far.
Natti’s swift lyricism and intellectual creativity with painting images in your mind makes him stand out the most to me, especially on ‘Oneirology.’ And who can forget is verse on “Yellow Lines,” that’s one of my favorite verses ever. I must say he put himself on another level on the latest album. Every verse is incredible.
I am a huge fan of intricate lyricism, and Natti & Deacon are definitely somewhere on top of my list.
These two MCs are, in the truest sense, crafts of their trade.. it’s so very obvious for all the reasons Tone stated.. and with the incredibly apparent detail, effort, and focus they put into every word & rhyme. I love that there isn’t any filler in their work.. you can tell they value every word and where it’s placed in every song.. something I can’t say for a MAJORITY of MCs these days.
The fact they’ve continually raised the bar for what it is to be an MC is no joke, either.
Kaushil11 said:Also, Deacon’s hooks are extremely soulful and add a unique flavor to each song. Especially when he’s feature on songs like “Around I Go” w/ Thee Tom Hardee & Just Me’s song which I can’t remember the name of.
Massive fucking round of applause to Deac and Natti, Knos production is a beaut and I spend more time listening to Tone and Pack but I love Deac and Natti since WRFF, Kynfolk, ‘Woodgrain’, ‘Baby’ etc. Im a big fan of Kno (like best producer ever) but I never listen to the instrumentals alone without wanting to hear the rappers. Especially on my fav beat ever (‘Summers Gone’)...not the same without Natti.
Deacon to me is similar to an underground version of Nate Dogg, but actually raps, and is thus even better. His voice is so perfect, and I have yet to hear a Deacon hook that doesn’t blow me away. Similar to Nate Dogg in that he could provide his hook to the wackest MC out there and still make it a good song; I look forward to that Deacon hook everytime I hear one of his tracks. Add to that his obviously incredible lyrical talents and breathtaking production and you get a real triple threat. By far one of the most talented people in the game today.
Natti has also evolved into a brilliant emcee. I wasn’t originally sold on him replacing SOS, but after one listen I was definitely more than sold. A smooth voice and lyrical abilities that are beyond perfection make him one of the most talented yet underrated MC’s out there. Oneirology has really showcased his growth as an artist, and he is near the top with Deacon for my favourite MC’s in the game right now.
The best part of CunninLynguists is that all 3 members are all talented in their own ways, and each album can be diverse while producing dope music each and every time. Whenever I introduce CL to friends, I always get different comments as to who their favourite artist is. The fact that I have heard Natti, Deacon, and Kno all be favourites is really a testament to the talent that is showcased.
When I say Jurassic 5 I hear Chali 2Na, D12: Eminem, NWA: Ice Cube, AOTP: Vinnie Paz, CunninLynguists: I can’t decide because they are all too talented. And that is what puts them at the very top of my list in today’s hip-hop scene. Props to all 3 of you for the incredible hard work you put into all of your releases
Seriously, they are some of the greatest lyricists to ever emerge outta hip-hop. To be honest, I don’t listen to that much hip-hop these days (you can write the cats I do listen to on the back my hand). It’s still comforts me to know that at least there are a select few pushing the music forward, ESPCIALLY in terms of lyrics, which imo is the most neglected aspect of modern music.
I had the ultimate privilege of transporting Natti around in my car for their British tour this year. Every trip was just an unbelievable laugh fest - minus the few times he’d have a sleep, and my travel partner and I would contemplate drawing on his face for that evenings show. lol He was extremely down-to-earth though, throughout the entire trip. Deacon is just as humbling, and is certainly the kindest dude I’ve ever met. Deacon has the kinda charisma to make you feel unbelievably appreciated when ever you’re in his presence. That’s a cool thing to have!
Overall, I’m just happy they exist! If CunninLynguists is a race-coarse: Kno designs the beautiful tracks layout, and Deac & Nat are drivers - running circles and making the crowd go absolutely bonkers!
I’ve been a CL fanboy for quite some time. But, I think for good reason, and Deacon was the one that really brought me in. It’s due to his lyrics that I strive to find the better in hip hop today, and why I can’t stand unintelligent lyrics. He can stand on his own, and complements others well.
However, when Natti came on… He and Deacon have always been incredible together. Natti really came together for me on ‘Ruled the World (Viva La Vida Remix). Instantly became one of my all time favorites. The production was insane, and Natti’s lyrics effing blew me away. I’ve listened to it so much, and I can’t wait to hear the Natti solo album.
I think that most people think of CL as a whole. But these two guys DO need their appreciation for the talent they have brought to propel CL to the incredible state they’re in right now. Bravo, gentlemen. See you next week in Denver.
Natti & Decon are some of the most talented MC’s around. The chemistry between them is fucking amazing, they both complement each other when their on the same track. Everything their done they are always on the same level neither one of them falls behind the other, something that is rare to find in a group.
Natti, Deac, you’re not only my favorite MCs/lyricists for a long time now, but also two of the coolest persons I know.
I won’t start quoting lyrics/pasting lines, cause there are too many of them and I’m afraid I’d miss something. But you should know you’re highly appreciated and you three are the perfect oneness/wholeness in my eyes.
Deac and Natti are poets. Both of them have been in my favourite lyricists since APOS, but Oneirology really pushed it forward a level for me. I feel like I have a whole newfound appreciation of them.
Deac and Natti are amazing lyricists/artists who have more talent than 99% of the cats in the game. Deac has always impressed me with his versatility and has grown so much since WRFF. APOS was his album and he made a profound impact on the way I view rappers as far as lyrical content and relevance. On top of all that his melodies are buttery smooth and always improve the songs. I always knew Natti was good and he provided a great balance alongside Deac, but on Oneirology he took the crown. IMO he was the star of the show and on almost every song had my favorite verse. He has also developed a lot since the Kynfolk days and is better than ever! These 2 have elevated my standards so much that I sometimes have trouble listening to fairly talented dudes that I might have previously been impressed with. I’ll agree that they don’t get enough specific credit simply because we are never disappointed with them, and their level of consistency is almost expected.
Deac, Natti, and Kno are the holy trinity of hip hop. Thank you for doing what you do.
O ya, did I mention Deac is super dope on the production too?
Deac and Natti are amazing lyricists/artists who have more talent than 99% of the cats in the game.
I wouldn’t say their talent is why they’re so great (though certainly it is a necessary aspect), but rather their dedication to working hard and making sure their lyrics and flow are impeccable. I bet there are mainstream rappers with as much talent, but suck balls because they waste it since they don’t have as good of a work ethic/quality standard as Deacon and Natti. Not saying Deacon and Natti aren’t extremely talented, just saying that I don’t believe that is what sets them apart.
Nitroxide said:O ya, did I mention Deac is super dope on the production too?
I agree, he’s made some amazing stuff! I F*cking Like Everything is my favorite beat on IFHR, and that’s saying a LOT.
Ya I agree. Wasn’t sayin that it was the only thing that set them apart, but ur right, most people don’t work for it nearly as much (and if they do it doesn’t feel like it) so a lot of their talent is wasted. You can definitely tell that Deac and Natti put a lot of thought in their lyrics, yet they make it seem efortless.
Dude.. Deacon?? are you kidding me.. Shit.. Shouldn’t even have to say anything Tone..
His verses are absolutely amazing..
Still with me
Nobody Speaks
Ascensions
My habit
As well as you and him rippin it in “The gates”.. God damn..
I could go on.. But in all honesty.. I play some songs just to listen to Deacon’s Poetry..
Fucking amazing.. your the shit Deacon..
Who ever said your no Lyricist is a fool..
CL as a whole is my favorite rap group to listen to out of any. Anyone who even questions how good they are or how well they write only needs listen to a song or two and it becomes obvious to anyone with ears.
artistTonedeff said on May 03, 2011:
Incaspic said on May 03, 2011:
FMystique said on May 03, 2011:
2 by four said on May 03, 2011:
TimmWith2Ms said on May 03, 2011:
DjMc1200 said on May 03, 2011:
KaRaKaKaShK said on May 03, 2011:
reverse said on May 03, 2011:
CSolipsism said on May 03, 2011:
houstonz said on May 03, 2011:
amplifya said on May 03, 2011:
JLee said on May 03, 2011:
Supahbuldozer said on May 04, 2011:
The Trashman said on May 04, 2011:
Kaushil11 said on May 04, 2011:
TexasUnderground1 said on May 04, 2011:
1200x said on May 04, 2011:
CSolipsism said on May 04, 2011:
KNOWLEDGE said on May 04, 2011:
kej3210 said on May 04, 2011:
Osiris said on May 05, 2011:
FetusSoup said on May 05, 2011:
Classic said on May 05, 2011:
enthusiasm said on May 05, 2011:
1200x said on May 06, 2011:
Epic Aesthetic said on May 06, 2011:
Nitroxide said on May 06, 2011:
CleanupCrew said on May 06, 2011:
Nitroxide said on May 06, 2011:
Horton said on May 06, 2011:
zmaster56 said on May 09, 2011: