MUSIC
Play That Funky Music White Boy
Josh Brown
Editor’s note: This interview was conducted about two years ago. But because of its shear comic value, it is timeless
“Play that funky music, white boy.”
The familiar tune is on continuos loop inside the head of Deacon the Villain. Not because he likes the song, nor is it because the chorus is the only part that he knows. But rather, it is his partner-in-rhyme, DJ Kno, who creates such a humorous, yet disturbing image inside Deacon’s already twisted cranium.
Deacon and Kno, also known as the CunninLynguists, are without question an “odd couple,” but at the same time a match made in heaven (maybe not heaven, but you get the point). Deacon compliments Kno, and Kno compliments Deacon…. When it comes to their music, that is. When the beat stops and the microphone drops, the seriousness between these two is abandoned. Then again, it’s a rarity to witness both of them serious for any length of time, even when working.
Now, I could continue this story as is, trying to squeeze in some quotes from Deacon and Kno themselves, but it would do these two no justice. In this interview, we discussed everything from inter-racial, long-distance relationships to oral fixations. Just read it and you’ll see what I mean.
How did you get into hip-hop?
Deacon: Growing up, my closest partnah’s were part of a rap group called CC (Common Criminals) when we were around the ages of 10 or 11, but I didn’t rhyme. I was a spectator, adding to the beatboxing and shit. But then, one of the members, Mr. Raw, convinced me to start writing at around the age of 16, because he said I had a way with words, which he thought would be powerful through rap. So I did. I slowly but surely started rapping publicly, and CC over time became ILLSTAR. We’re still together today.
Kno: I’ve always been drawn to rhythm. I used to be a drummer. With hip-hop, it was the drums and beats that drew me in. For instance, “Paul Revere” from the Beastie Boys. Didn’t RUN-DMC produce that? Zup-Zup-Zup-Z-ZUP.
How did you guys come up with your name, CunninLynguists?
Deacon: We’re idiots. Think of the opposite of fellatio, and then look at CunninLynguists. We’d like to think that we are both some cunning linguists and nasty with the tongue at the same time; lyrically for the music lovers and sexually for the ladies. Yes, I eat pussy.
Kno: Me and Deacon were just sitting around trying to think of a name that would encompass what we were trying to do musically, but with a twist. We came up with Gangsta Funk Mobb Murda Click first, but it was already taken. So we rolled with “CunninLynguists.” If you don’t “get it,” you must have failed sex-ed.
Many underground artists say that mainstream rappers are sell-outs. What do you think?
Deacon: Some, but not many. I mean, I can’t understand why somebody would want to stay underground for life. I definitely want to be mainstream. I’d love to be a guest on TRL one day. If people don’t like me for having that dream, come by my crib Tuesday at 6 o’clock after I get back from shooting ball. I’ll have two well-salted scrotum sacks for you to suck on.
Kno: As soon as I can be in a position to sell out, I sure as hell will. Fuck ya’ll.
If you could work with any artist, who would it be and why?
Deacon: Redman. He’s my favorite rapper on the planet, without a doubt, because he is always real. No matter whom he works with, or what the song topic is, Redman is Redman … period. I love his music. If it weren’t Redman, it would be Patti Labelle, just so I can try to holla at her. It’s worth a try. I love you Patti!
Kno: J-Zone, MF Doom, Eminem, Edan, Apathy or Rise. They are all dope to me.
What are your goals or dreams?
Deacon: To live a happy life, in whatever shape, form or fashion that may be. Go to Heaven when I die, and, somewhere along the way, see Patti Labelle nude. If that fails, Chaka Kahn then.
Kno: Two words: Alicia Keys. Na, having somebody famous and wack to ask me for a beat so I can tell them to kiss my ass.
Do you have anything to fall back on, in case hip-hop doesn’t treat you right?
Deacon: God.
Kno: I’m going to marry a rich, ugly girl. Who needs a career?
Good point. So if you two battled, who would win?
Deacon: Oh, I plead the fifth.
Kno: Eh, c’mon man, what are you asking me?
Point taken. Do you guys have any plans in the near future?
Deacon: record a hit … hopefully.
Kno: Producing tracks for dope emcees, going platinum … that’s about it.
OK, Deacon, you come from Kentucky. How are you supposed to rep a state like Kentucky?
Deacon: Man, the only thing to rep in Kentucky is chicken, horses and tobacco. I love where I’m from, but from a hip-hop perspective, it’s the most depressing place to be. I can only imagine places like Buttfuck, South Dakota or Monkey Nuts, Idaho being worse than here. If it weren’t for the Internet, I would have been eternally stranded here. I probably would be somewhere strippin’ tobacco, being a butcher in a meat shop, growing acres of that “Ghetty Green,” or in jail.
How big is the hip-hop scene in Kentucky?
Deacon: About as big as Myrtle Urkel’s titties. Or David the Gnome’s dick. There is one hot underground music store in Lexington, Kentucky called Sami’s Music. That place helps me maintain my sanity.
Is it possible to be ‘gangsta’ there?
Deacon: Actually, it’s very gangsta here. You’d be surprised. It’s not all Bo and Luke Duke shit here. I mean, rednecks do run rampant, but it’s not all like that.
I’m sure it is Deacon. So seeing how Kentucky is the Bluegrass State, did you ever consider a career in Country-Western music?
Deacon:Is this the point where I 1-inch power punch you in your throat?
Ouch. So how in the hell did you ever get discovered in Kentucky?
Deacon: Well, I found out that Sharon Stone had a cottage somewhere in the mountains in Eastern Kentucky. So, I made a trip to Cumberland, where I heard she was staying and held her hostage until she made the appropriate calls to get me where I wanted to be musically. Then, I used one of those M.I.B. flashers that my friend Curtis, an alien from Alpha Quadrant XVI – 2.34, gave me to erase her memory. Then I fondled her breast and tight ass, then flashed her again. Just kidding. How did I get found in Kentucky? The Internet, it’s been my saving grace.
Kno, how hard is it to have a long-distance relationship with Deacon, seeing how you reside in Hot-lanta?
Kno: I dunno, it doesn’t really apply now cause we’re cribbing together, combining studios, trying to make some joints. I’M FOCUSED MAN! HOLLA!
Did you start out as a DJ?
Kno: I started out producing at around age 13 on a Yamaha DD-5 Drum Machine. The little janky one with the rubber drum pads. I never tried to DJ until 96-97. I sucked at it, so I quit, but I’ve always been producing and writing rhymes.
Were you allowed to listen to rap as a kid?
Kno: My Dad didn’t care what I listened to. He actually dug Public Enemy to a certain extent. “911 Is a Joke” was his joint.
Were you ever, or are you still just a corny white-boy?
Kno: I’M WHITE?
Nevermind. So does the race difference come into play at all in your friendship/business?
Kno: Yeah, the fact that Deacon is Chinese and I’m an alien really bugs some people out. I have a hard time getting a seat at porn theaters. Racist bastards.
Deacon, how did you hook up with your partner-in-crime Kno?
Deacon: I use to textually rape him in battle tournaments online, along with his extremely played out Continuum crew (Jugga the “he was scared of a” Bully, Cashmere the Amateur,I mean, PROfessional, Kory Calico, Stahrr the F.E.M.C.E.E. and The Turrizt). Ha, just kidding. I had originally met Jugga, Kno and Turrizt online through various audio and text tournaments online. A couple years later, I was attending the Blaze Battle in ATL (I lived there for 3 years while attending school at Morehouse College), and one of the contestants was Jugga. After the show, I came up on him like, “Yo, you the same Jugga that cool with Turrizt?” And he was like, “Yeah, you Deacon?” I said, “Yeah,” then he pointed at this scrawny white kid behind him like, “This is DJ KNO, bro!” And the rest is history.
Are you two homies all the time, or just when it comes to work?
Deacon: Homies all the time. Except for the occasional Saturday Night Fever Drag queen shows he does at Club COCKy in midtown ATL. I don’t really get down with him during those phases.
So is it hard to pick up ladies with Kno around?
Deacon: Yeah, I get sick of all the girls I sleep with asking me to “shit-talk in a high voice and fuck with no rhythm, because Kno does it that way” and that’s how they like it. It gets irritating after a while.
Kno, Do you ever feel out of place, or feel like Deacon gets all the attention?
Kno: Word. Like sometimes, Deacon and his girl will be making out on his bed, and I’ll come and sit on the end of his bed to watch TV. It feels strange, like I’m out of place or some shit. But Deacon knows I don’t get channel 5 in my room, and I have to see COPS, so fuck it.
Deacon could probably whoop your ass, huh?
Kno: He’s shook.
Will you guys ever split up, or are you two inseparable?
Deacon: Well, we don’t go holding hands and skip through the park or nothing. We’re boys first. The music thing was like a fun project we did. It was his idea. He originally approached me like, “Yo, you do the rhymes, I’ll do handle the beats. We’ll have a silly name and spread it on the net.” It slowly grew to legit distribution. People buying our shit in Sweden and Finland and all type of craziness. So who knows what the future holds. But for the most part, it’s all in love and fun. I’m Deacon The Villain, he’s Kno. We did an album together, and it’s hot. If it does well, we’ll do another one and another one. It all depends on what the Goddess of hip-hop holds for us.
Kno, who will blow up first, you or Deacon? Or will you together?
Kno: Deacon will blow up first (in his bathroom by himself, with that rubber doll he owns, that is).
Humm, moving right along. Deacon, you rhyme and produce, correct?
Deacon: Well, I’d like to consider myself as a rapper that makes beats. I don’t feel like I completely deserve the “producer” title just yet.
Are you a better “producer” then Kno?
Deacon: Definitely not. What Kno will do with a sample is amazing. Or how he will hear a sample, and know exactly how he wants to use it. His breakdowns, beat-switch ups, all that shit is way beyond me.
Have you ever tried to get Kno to rhyme?
Deacon: Yeah, he rhymes on just about every song on the CunninLynguists Album. Check out “616 Rewind,” featuring Tonedeff, Sankofa, Kashal-Tee and Celph Titled. It’s on our current 12”-single, available at www.hiphopsite.com, www.sandboxautomatic.com and www.hiphopinfinity.com. Yeah, I’m pluggin’ shit. Kiss my ass.
Kno, can you actually rhyme, or does Deacon just throw his voice?
Kno: It’s funny, Pro and I were just talking about this at Scribble Jam. He almost lost his voice. I was going to enter the battle as his dummy, and he was going to “rap through me.”
Have you won any Dee-Jaying contests or anything like that?
Kno: I don’t DJ anymore, nor have I entered any Dee-Jaying contests (I reiterate that I’m wack). I did win “Battle Of The Beats 1” at alphabeats.com. It had cats like MF Doom and DJ Cheapshot in it. That’s about the only contest I’ve entered, aside from the “Peeing for Distance contest” vs. DJ Mayonnaise from Anticon. He won that (I sprained my prostate).
Has anyone ever looked at you and laughed?
Kno: You want me to kick your ass?
So Deacon … what was it like working with KRS-One?
Deacon: Beautiful. I have to thank Tonedeff for making that entire event possible.
Does Kno ever get jealous of you because you have worked with some well-known people?
Deacon: In a jokingly serious way I believe, but no hard feelings. I mean, for the most part, my style of beat making is slightly more marketable than his style. I make some beats that can definitely have a commercial appeal. Where as Kno’s beats are so creative, that for the most part, only an underground crowd would appreciate them. But Kno can definatly make marketable beats. It’s just that his love is more for the underground sound.
Were you jealous when Deacon got to work with KRS-One?
Kno: Who’s KRS-One? Sorry, I’m a new jack.
Any other comments, smart-ass remarks, humorous quotes, or other information that I could use to make this story shine?
Kno: Look for projects from iCON the Mic King, 4Zone, Eyesoulated Minds, The Understudies, Mac Lethal, Mr. SOS, JON?DOE, etc. etc. that I may or may not be involved in production-wise. Even if I’m not, still check for em. Pick up the CunninLynguists 12”, “So Live!” produced by Celph Titled, and the full length, “Will Rap For Food.” BIA BIA!
Deacon?
Deacon: I don’t like white people … only Kno. Groupies, If you’re initials aren’t J.L.F., you can show me your titties, shake your bare ass in my face, make oral sex motions with your hands and mouth, or whatever. But I’m not gonna touch you. Y’all haven’t a shot. I’ll give you my nigga Sunny’s phone number though. He’d looooooooove to touch you.
Humorous quotes? How about, “Like watching porno flicks with six chicks, I’m the hardest one in here!” -crooked I. That negro is ill. Do you know when his album is coming out? “What type of car you drive? I dunno, I think it’s an automobile.” – Jonuff. I don’t care if y’all don’t get it, it’s funny to Jonuff and I, and that’s all that matters.
Last but not least, watch out for my nigga SoS from West Palm Beach. This cats nasty. He’s on the CunninLynguists album.
Last again but still not the least, this goes out to the critics. Learn to enjoy music and not be super-sensitive limp dicks. Not everybody has the musical talent to blow your fucking mind with every song. Learn to appreciate shit instead of being so overly critical that you miss out on whatever beauty is within a song. I love all music, especially rap. Anything from Pastor Troy, to 8ball, MJG and Trick Daddy. From Jurassic 5 and Swollen Members, to cats I’ve met off the net, like Rockwell and Warbux. Look, just oil the hinges on your brains and open your minds. I may not like the style of music that Green Day does, but I can definitely appreciate the fact that they have one of the illest, most talented drummers I’ve ever heard in my entire life. Smell me? Be happy, not assholes.
Oh yeah, I love everybody, including white people and imprisoned pedafiles. Peace.
In essence, take some advice from these two comedians of music. Hip-Hop is meant to be fun. Enjoy it. Deacon, keep spittin’ those ill rhymes with your Country-Western accent, and Kno, keep making that funky music, white boy.
