Mestarisoundin haastattelussa:
CunninLynguists
(12.12.2007)
Mestarisoundi.com sai linkin Yhdysvaltain Kentuckyyn, Suomessakin hyvin tunnettuun, nykyisin kolmimiehisenä toimivaan CunninLynguistsiin. Lue alta mitä Kno, Deacon ja Natti vastasivat kysymyksiin mm. tuoreesta Dirty Acres –albumista, ryhmän vertailukelpoisuudesta ja taustoista. Jutusta selviää myös, miten CunninLynguistsin suomenkeikka johti rattijuopumukseen!
Most articles I’ve read about you lately are concentrated on the production-side, but as rhymewriters, who do you look up to?
Deacon: The greats; Edgar Allen, Shakespeare, Stephen King! I'm kidding. I really grew up listening to everybody. From Biggie to Ice Cube. From Scarface to Do or Die. I like people who are good at giving you the unexpected, even if it's on a topic that's already been ran into the ground.
Natti: Basically the same thing Deac said. We grew up in the same place. We listened to everything.
What kind of themes did you go through when writing lyrics to Dirty Acres? What’s the album about lyrically?
Kno: The record is about the people making it. Its our most personal record since Will Rap For Food, maybe even more so.
Natti: Real life experiences. Some pleasant to give up, some painful to give up, but all necessary to make a good album.
Deacon: We pretty much just said fuck everybody else, let's talk about Kentucky life & living. You might not get it the first time through, but keep listening. Kentucky is different, but I believe that's a good thing. From our rhyme styles to our lingo.
Which active hiphop –artists/crews are you working with at the moment? (as APOS /CunninLynguists/solo-artists)
Deacon: It takes away from the oddity that is CunninLynguists if I answer that question. We might have tracks featuring Elvis, Tupac & Freaky Tah for all you know.
Kno: We'll work with anyone that’s dope and loves music. We won't work with underground rappers trying to charge us big money just to jump on a mixtape. Lick the balls.
You’re always compared to Goodie Mob, Outkast for obvious reasons. Which newer acts you think you could be compared to?
Natti: None. Not trying to be cocky but nobody really approaches rap music like we're approaching it right now. So it makes it difficult for me to put us in a box with anybody.
Deacon: Once again. We're odd. There's really no one to compare us to. I feel like we're just as much Rich Boy as we are Arcade Fire.
Kno: Seems like every major magazine in the United States has compared us to Dungeon Family, UGK or Geto Boys so I guess there is something to it. I feel like we don't compare to anyone because we do so many different things.
You’re all coming from different backgrounds. In which point of your life you decided to make music your profession? Or did you ever, did it just happen?
Natti: When I figured out prison wasn't that cool.
Deacon: There's was really no certain point that I decided. I knew when I dropped outta college back in 2001-2002 that I was gonna start taking it more seriously, but even then I just thought it was just about to be a nice lil ride. Each day I wake up I'm taking it a lil more seriously than the last, because each day I realize it's more and more of a blessing to be doing what I love and paying all my bills at the same time. Without breaking the law, that is.
Kno: When I realized I was really good at it. You can't tell me I don't have enough talent to do what I love for a living.
You’re taking musical influences from all over; how important is it to you that the outcome/result can be called hiphop?
Kno: It doesn't matter, this is just more ways to put something artistic in a box. I hate labels, I wish people just listened to music and enjoyed it or didn't enjoy it.
Deacon: I personally don't give a fuck what it is that we actually make. We make hip hop because hip hop raised us, but the only reason I care that it's classified as hip hop is so people know where to find our music in the Best Buy isles.
Natti: Not important at all. If Rock is the most influential genre classify us as that. Wherever people are gonna see us, call it whatever.
Saw a European date for your tour somewhere in 2008, any plans of coming over to Scandinavia or Finland maybe...?
Deacon: We're getting flown in for an exclusive show in Laax, Switzerland on January 18 for the Burton European Open. Then we'll be back in late February for a string of European shows.
Kno: Germany and Switzerland are confirmed. I'm sure some Scandinavian dates will be added. At worst we'll come through Helsinki to holler at our people. Check myspace.com/cunninlynguists for all the show information as its available.
Anything you wanna say to your fans/people in Finland?
Deacon: I brought a bottle of Finlandia Vodka back from Helsinki and gave it to one of my friends in the US. He got a DUI the next day! Ya'll make crazy good liquor! Save me a shot!
Kno: I'll pass on the light liquor, it gives me a headache. Last time we played Helsinki I woke up with a migraine. Save me a bottle of that christmas beer, that'll be enough.
Natti: Thanks for reaching all the way across the ocean and giving out your love and support. And for those devoted fans, we'll grow musically while yall grow as fans.
Muista osallistua lähiviikkoina julkistettavaan Mestarisoundi -skabaan, jossa palkintoina signeerattuja Dirty Acres CD-levyjä!
