Description
PRESSED ON 'SOUTHERN SMOKE' COLORED DOUBLE-VINYL
INCLUDES LIMITED NUMBERED OBI STRIP, LIMITED TO 500 UNITS*
Coalmine Reissues in partnership with Stunning English are pleased to announce this special edition repress of CunninLynguists’ acclaimed sophomore LP, SouthernUnderground.
Orders Will Be Limited Per Customer
Originally released in April of 2003, the album is a masterclass in Southern hip-hop that artfully balances lyricism, storytelling, and soulful production. The trio—consisting of Deacon the Villain, Kno, and at the time Mr. SOS—carves a niche in the Southern rap landscape with a sound that's deeply rooted in the region's musical traditions while pushing the boundaries of the genre. From the outset, tracks like "Southernunderground" and "Dying Nation" showcase Kno’s eclectic production, blending soulful samples, live instrumentation, and organic boom-bap beats. The production style complements Deacon and SOS’s sharp lyricism, adding depth to the album's social commentary on race, poverty, and politics.
One of the album’s standout features is its impeccable balance between introspection and wit. Songs like "Love Ain’t" offer a somber reflection on love and heartbreak, while "War" presents a poignant critique of the United States' foreign policy. However, the group doesn’t shy away from playful and humorous lyricism either, seen in tracks like the Masta Ace assisted "Seasons," which cleverly uses the metaphor of changing seasons to chart hip-hop’s evolution.
What makes SouthernUnderground particularly timeless is its unique fusion of Southern roots with a boom-bap sensibility, allowing the group to avoid the typical rap tropes often associated with Southern rap. All things considered, SouthernUnderground cements the CunninLynguists as underground rap titans capable of crafting complex, thought-provoking music without sacrificing Southern charm.
*The colorway effect will vary for each individual record, no two are exactly alike.
Tracklist:
Side A:
A1. Intro
A2. SouthernUnderground
A3. The South
A4. Love Ain’t (feat. Tonedeff)
A5. Rain
Side B:
B1. Doin Alright
B2. Interlude One
B3. Old School
B4. Season (feat. Masta Ace)
Side C:
C1. Nasty Filthy (feat. Supastition, Cashmere The PRO)
C2. Falling Down
C3. Sunrise/Sunset
C4. Interlude Two
Side D:
D1. Appreciation (Remix) feat. Cashmere The PRO
D2. Dying Nation
D3. War
D4. Karma
Album Specs:
This repress features the illustrated version of the album cover, paired with a striking “Southern Smoke” vinyl configuration—an exclusive colorway created specifically for this pressing—featuring swirling ribbons of emerald, blue, and orange smoke on a clear base.
Critical Praise:
“By mixing the absurd, the abstract, and the absolution of a rapper’s soul, the CunninLynguists have created an album which is the paramount opposite of “sophomore slump.” -RapReviews
