Seasons (Cunninlynguists song)

Infobox Single
Name = Seasons


Artist = Cunninlynguists feat. Masta Ace
Album = SouthernUnderground
Released = 2002
Format = 12" single
Recorded =
Genre = Hip hop
Length = 3:35
Writer = D. Clear
D. Diaz
R. Krohn
W. Polk II
R. Wisler
Label = Freshchest Records
Producer = RJD2
Chart position =
[ Reviews = ] *
Last single = "So Live!!"
(2001)
This single = "Seasons"
(2002)
Next single = "Dirtay"
(2004)
Misc = Extra tracklisting
Album = SouthernUnderground
Type = studio
prev_track = "Old School"
prev_no = 8
this_track = "Seasons"
track_no = 9
next_track = "Nasty Filthy"
next_no = 10

"Seasons" is a single from Cunninlynguists' second album, "SouthernUnderground", whose b-side is "Sunrise, Sunset." It has been described as an "Indy favorite...where with a hint of sarcasm hip-hop's cyclic nature is dissected" by Matt Conaway of HipHopSite.com. [http://www.hiphopsite.com/SEARCH/?ITEM=F99D19A5-61F4-4BC7-B094-BDA1D0B088BA] It features rapping from Deacon the Villain, DJ Kno and Mr. SOS of Cunninlynguists as well as Brooklyn, New York native Masta Ace. It is produced by Columbus, Ohio native 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 (see History of hip hop music) to the four seasons of weather. The first verse is handled by Masta Ace who compares Old school hip hop to spring. Deacon the Villain then compares Golden age hip hop to summer. In the third verse, DJ Kno compares late 1990's hip hop to autumn. In the last verse, Mr. SOS compares the bling era to winter; he calls it the "ice age" as a double entendre, alluding to the slang term ice, which means jewelry. The basic point made by the metaphor is that hip hop sprang up as the new thing, and became really good, but then decreased in quality, and is currently in its worst period. The last lyrics of the song offer hope for the genre saying "but it's about time for the cycle to start over."

Allusions

Each verse from "Seasons" references multiple hip hop artists as well as events, albums and other noteworthy hip hop related topics.

Masta Ace's verse

*crack epidemic during the mid- 1980's
*b-boys
*boomboxes
*LL Cool J and his performance in "Krush Groove"
*DJ Premier and his technique of chopping
*SP's, MPC's, CD's and MP3's
*Masters of ceremony

Deacon the Villain's verse

*"Fuck Tha Police" by N.W.A.
*Vanilla Ice as contrasted with Ice-T and Ice Cube
*Ice Cube's album, "AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted"
*Dr. Dre's "The Chronic"
*Redman's "Dare Iz a Darkside" as compared to Nas' "Illmatic"
*2 Live Crew as well as their run-in with censorship and C. Delores Tucker
*A Tribe Called Quest
*2Pac's "Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z." as compared to The Notorious B.I.G.'s "Ready to Die"

DJ Kno's verse

*East Coast-West Coast hip hop rivalry
*The death of 2Pac and
*Rappers wearing "shiny costumes"
*Rappers "jacking" or stealing other artists' styles
*No Limit Records
*pop rap and rock rap
*Outkast's "ATLiens" as compared to Raekwon's "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx"
*Masta Ace's "Born to Roll"

Mr. SOS' verse

*Ostentatious objects: bright chains, "ice" and mobile phones
*Platinum albums or platinum jewelry
*No gold (reference to gold albums or gold jewelry)
*No Yo! MTV Raps
*R&B artists "stealing" from classic rap songs
*Young rappers wearing "bubblegooses" to seem older
*Female rappers who "show skin" and expose their bodies
*A metaphor comparing record label heads ("jolly fat white men") to Santa Claus and artists to Santa's elves
*Sample clearances
*"Jingle Bells"

amples

The chorus of "Seasons" samples hip hop vocals that deal with the topic of seasons. The lyrics of those samples as well as information about them can be found below:

*"Seasons change--mad things rearrange" - Lauryn Hill's vocals from "How Many Mics" by Fugees
*"Play me in the winter, play me in the summer, play in the autumn; any order" - Ladybug's vocals from "9th Wonder" by Digable Planets
*"Trees bright and green turn yellow-brown, autumn caught em--See all them leaves must fall down" - Andre 3000's vocals from "13th Floor/Growing Old" by Outkast

ingle track list

A-Side

# Seasons (Radio)
# Seasons (Dirty)
# Seasons (Instrumental)

B-Side

# Sunrise, Sunset (Radio)
# Sunrise, Sunset (Dirty)
# Sunrise, Sunset (Instrumental)

References