CunninLynguists - A Piece of Strange

CunninLynguists are one of those underground groups who focus on making good music as well as writing comprehensible lyrics instead of penning nonsensical and pretentious raps with reactionary, anti-mainstream (crap) production. The southern trio's previous two albums made big waves in Hip-Hop's underground but with A Piece of Strange they dropped a masterpiece.

Producer Kno uses strong yet not overbearing beats, powerful piano keys and poignant strings and horn punches to create a brilliantly rich sound which avoids over-indulgence and retains an organic feel. Meanwhile Deacon the Villain and Natti do justice to the excellent music by providing heartfelt, thoughtful and often spiritual lyrics which are made even more personal by their refusal to hide their southern accents. However the flow of the album is interrupted nearing the end by a few instrumentals.

What sets A Piece of Strange high above most of the Hip-Hop releases of 2006 is the depth of both the production and the lyrics. Through A Piece of Strange CunninLynguists express their thoughts, ideas and emotions with a genuine clarity that is almost non-existent in Hip-Hop today.