Kentucky

I feel like a jerk for not pumping these guys up more often. Everybody knows Nappy Roots as the quintessential definition of Kentucky hip hop, but I prefer the CunninLynguists. Who knows, they might be down the street from me since they base in Lexington. I've never heard a bad song from the dudes. Deacon and Natti have such immensely distinctive flow and rhyme patterns. They actually talk about something yet still never come off preachy. They are comparable to none sonically. Kno is up there in my most underrated producers in the game and creates soundscapes absolutely perfect for his emcees. He's kinda like Danger Mouse in that his beats are so atmospheric that you can't help but get emotionally attached.

CunninLynguists - Nothing to Give

They've got just enough singing ability in the group to create amazingly nice hooks, always in perfect conjunction with the song sample, and both wordsmiths weave their way in and out of the subject at hand with cultural references and intricate double, triple, and quadruple rhyme schemes. You just can't beat it.

I first heard of them from their song "Caved In" which features Cee-Lo and has a genius Kanye vocal sample strewn in there. I thought that song was absolute perfection by itself. Little did I know that the whole album, A Piece of Strange, was classic as well. Do yourself a favor and buy it.

Kentucky has a hip hop scene. I swear. You'll see even more so when my album drops. Ha. And I managed to get through the whole post with no puns directed towards their name. I'm pretty professional if I do say so myself. Clever students of language, indeed.

... this was whatcha all been waitin' for ain't it?