On Tuesday (September 24), CunninLynguists‘ Natti released his new solo album, Still Motion. The project features production from Kno and SunnyStylez. It was executive produced by fellow CunninLynguists members Kno and Deacon The Villain. Beyond being a co-executive producer, Deacon also handled the bulk of the album’s production

Natti spoke with HipHopDX about the theme of Still Motion and the concepts that can be found throughout the project. 

“The theme is basically just an unapologetic glimpse into who I am as a person,” Natti said in an exclusive statement to HipHopDX. “When I first started rapping, my first Rap name was Still Motion. The first Rap group I was ever in was called Mad Militia. Two of [Mad Militia’s] members are on the track titled G.O.R. Before I joined CunninLynguists, I was in a few other groups as well. Namely, Kynfolk, with Deacon The Villain, SunnyStylez & Mr. Raw. Stylistically, every song on this album is like a piece of my Rap history.

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“My solo features the bulk of the production being handled by the very slept on, as a producer, Deacon The Villain,” Natti continued. “This, in turn, gives the album a very Kynfolk vibe. Conceptually, from a lyrical standpoint, the same can be said. Also, when I was in Kynfolk, Kno would occasionally drop us few beats, so history repeated itself in that way as well. I just thought it was time for me to do a project that I could call my own and pay homage to more of the music that moved me as a youngin’, that old Suave House, OutKast, Rap-A-Lot type of honesty over some bass-heavy beats.” 

Natti Discusses “Still Motion’s” First Single, “Bright Lights Big City”

Natti also discussed the concept of the project’s first single, “Bright Lights Big City,”  

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“It’s pretty much a two-sided coin to the good and the bad I’ve seen touring the world all these years,” Natti said. “Being from Kentucky, I have a gang of family that are important to me and some that depend on me and they hear that I’m going to all these places and think I’m going to leave my state in the rearview. This is a song that lets it be known that while I love seeing all these places and got people that I care for in them, I’ll never forget about where I come from. I also know most times the grass is greener on the other side, because there’s more shit under the surface.” 

That is not the only concept-driven song on Still Motion, an album that features Freddie Gibbs, Sha Stimuli and others. Natti also addressed other concepts that appear on the album.

“I’ve got a few different concept-driven tracks,” Natti said. “Some are on the level of my world view and some are just problems I’ve encountered in my state growing up, from issues with racism and being made to feel ashamed of having dark skin to systems that are designed for minorities to fail to the state of Rap music in general as I see it. In real life, I’m very opinionated and, generally, all over the place. ‘Still. Motion’ is much of the same. That’s just who I am.” 

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Still Motion can be streamed via Bandcamp

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