“When I say ‘dirty,’ you say ‘South’”
Despite the double meaning of this band’s name (you can check the dictionary yourself to see what cunninlingus means), the name is fitting. Taking ego and money-driven rap out of the picture, CunninLynguists bases their hip hop on samples, loops, and the driving energy of their MCs.Their music is far from earth-shattering and does not offer anything totally new and unheard of, but this is not an expectation of the audience either. Drawing influence from Outkast, UGK and other legendary traditions from the South, CunninLynguists is entertaining and energetic, but still one could ask for more. The band was able to raise the spirit of the crowd without problem, and classics like “Mic like a memory” and “Nasty Filthy” brought the energy levels to hysteria. One must hone in on the fact, however, that the largest reactions from the audience were spurred not from the groups’ own songs, but rather from sampling better known artists and hits.Deacon the Villain, Kno, ja Mc Natty’s charisma was enough to fill III stage’s tent, and the space was the right size for this group. The three MC’s interplay, echoes of each other, and calls to and responses from the crowd filled their gig with intenisty and created a sincere interactions between the performers and the audience. The DJ’s mixing and mastering of the turntable kept the interaction with the audience close, effectively featuring hits from the South and West Coast. The CunninLynguists, who have visited Finland a number of times before, offered a good hip hop moment to the Ilosaari Rock spectators. There are surely worse ways to spend an hour of your life.
Text: Tatu Teräväinen ja Mikko Kuivalainen
Translation: Matti Erpestad
Picture: Minna Pahkin