CunninLynguists - SouthernUnderground [2003]

Released: April 1, 2003
Uploaded: February 1, 2008

Tracklist:

1. Intro
2. SouthernUnderground
3. The South
4. Love Aint feat. Tonedeff
   [You can listen to this song here]
   
5. Rain
   [You can listen to this song here]
   
6. Doin Alright
7. Interlude 1
8. Old School
9. Seasons feat. Masta Ace
10. Nasty Filthy feat. Supastition & Cashmere The Pro
11. Falling Down
12. Sunrise / Sunset
13. Interlude 2
14. Appreciation [Remix] feat. Cashmere The Pro
    [You can listen to this song here]
    
15. Dying Nation
16. War
    

File Size: 80 MB

DOWNLOAD: Megaupload

INFO: Wikipedia
INCLUDED:

• Full Album Lyrics
  
• Full Album Artwork
• All Tracks Are 192 kbps
  

Underground9 Overview:
This is the second album from underground rap duo CunninLynguists, for this release the group employed Mr. SOS to accompany on vocals for much of the album.
A reader sent me an email advising me track by track reviews, i thought this would be fun but I'll do this just this time.
First of all do not let the album's name mislead you, this is an incredibly solid underground release.
Even though Kno shouldn't be allowed on the mic he does a great job with the production, while Mr. SOS doesn't disappoint and Deacon is great as always.

Intro:
The intro is a typical short piano instrumental beat, i would certainly enjoy hearing this as a song base, the sampled voice is very nice.
SouthernUnderground:
This is one of the weakest Cunninlynguists songs i ever heard, the Domingo produced beat is very disappointing and i can't find any standout verse either.
The South:
Probably the worst Kno beat i ever heard, way too noisy, weak scratches and painful drum sounds, while the subject is pretty obvious.
This could easily be the album's worst song.
Love Aint:
This is my favorite song on the album.
It features Tonedeff, that starts with a monotone verse with an amazing acoustic guitar beat starting about twenty seconds after he starts rapping, Tone's flow stands out greatly.
Can't wait for that collaboration album with Kno dropping this year.
Deacon does a great job, while Kno's flow isn't as good as his lyrics.
Rain:
This "love" song features only Mr. SOS, his verse is very good and performed very well, the piano beat is quite repetitive but the hook is beautiful.
A beat change occurs midway trough the song, a more aggressive one for Mr. SOS' second angry verse, here's a fragment:

"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"

Doin Alright:
Average song, a very nice beat but a repetitive hook, a nice Deacon verse raises my vote on this one.
Interlude 1 & 2:
I liked those short instrumentals more than the first two songs on the album, amazing to say the least, ironically.
Old School:
The very annoying beat makes me skip this song on each listen, i can't tell you much about it.
Seasons:
This is the album's single and besides featuring rapping from Deacon, Kno and Mr. SOS it features the legend Masta Ace.
It is produced by RJD2, who samples multiple famous rap songs for the song's chorus.
The song's lyrics form an extended metaphor, comparing four periods of hip hop to the four seasons of weather.
The first verse is handled by Masta Ace who compares Old school hip hop to spring.
Deacon then compares Golden age hip hop to summer.
In the third verse, Kno compares late 1990's hip hop to autumn.
In the last verse, Mr. SOS compares the bling era to winter.
Nasty Filthy:
What hit me the most is the very nice beat, Supastition stands out on the track, which is about the underground.
Overall it is one of the album's highlights.
Falling Down:
Three different beats as a base to a pretty ironic song.
It is a based on (and somewhat a parody of) the movie of the same name starring Michael Douglas who plays D-Fens, a man who has a breakdown and makes his way home in a very violent manner.
Appreciation [Remix]:
This is my second favorite track on the album and one of the reasons i consider it a classic.
A couple of years ago one of my dearest friends died and this was the only song i would listen to for days, it relaxed me then but it depresses me now.
A beautiful song, Cashmere's verse is impressive and Deacon shows his storytelling skills, here's a part of his verse:

"It was hard times following the death of father and mother
He felt disconnect now, though his guardian was his brother
Whom he envied, cause he always seemed to be the favored sibling
The one people always assumed would create a greater living
He despised it, sick of his brother's shadow
Felt like a jester wanting to be king of his own castle
Moved from Brick City to where girls got fixed titties
Hollywood, cause there that shit's pretty
Big brother would write, call, and email
Tryin to make light of the situation, askin to be sent seashells
Little brother was strugglin, in and out about three jails
Tried to stand on his own two but he fell
Called his older brother one day, cryin' apologizing
It was a Monday, said he was sick of dramatizin
And that his Hydai, had came to the end of it's road
His money was froze, too broke to launder his clothes
Old bro was understanding though, expressing sorrow
Said he would hit the first flight out tomorrow"

The beat is amazing, very abstract and dark.
War:
This is the last track on the album, and again, this instrumental tops many beats on the album.


Flow & Lyrics: 9/10
Beats: 9/10

Download and enjoy.