A Quick Review: Movies For The Blind by Cage

Underground emcee Cage also known as Cage Kennylz is not a guy that's easy to take. His material is a hard pill to swallow, coming out in 1988 and releasing his official demo in 1992 the kid formerly known as Alex (of A Clockwork Orange) was heavily troubled in drugs such as LSD, Angel Dust, and Acid among others. Abused by his step father who once pulled out a shotgun on him and his mother his life went down hill fast and he was locked in an mental hospital for sixteen months after his own mother said he was insane. These experiences lead to some of the rawest and darkest material I've ever heard in Hip hop. Releasing the notable tapes ...For Your Box and The Weatherproof EP gave him a name in the underground. Around this time he embarked in a feud with a young Eminem, claiming the Detroit rapper bit his style and the two would exchanges jabs throughout the 90s.

In 2002 Cage finally released his debut album, Movies for The Blind. Movies is a very disturbing piece of Hip hop that deserves a look. Through out the album Cage details the horrors of his own life in exaggerated manners like the track Suicidal Failure, where Cage (an actual failure at suicide) details his attempts to take his own life in over the top actions.

Tried to hang myself and I fell free from the rope, broke both my arms, my neck smashed my femur. Got up somehow and limped in front of a Beamer. Cracked my rib cage 'Look what ya did Cage you're dying!' But I'm not dead yet, I'm still tryin'!

Heartbreak is also a recurring theme in his music which he takes to new levels of hatred and loneliness. Sometimes seeming almost offense or misogynistic. 

'Cage snap out of it, it's just a girl!' It's just a world, it's just a life, it's just a rusty Rambo knife wedged between my ribs scratching my heart up tonight!

Multiple tracks from his earlier tapes are placed on here fitting in well with the new material, most notably one of his first singles Agent Orange, which samples the soundtrack to Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange.

And so Kiddies...Death for all...Right right? RIGHT RIGHT!! I'm against the machine like Rage! Bitches say 'I Hate you Cage!'

He also proves himself as a story teller in songs like Among the Sleep where he details having multiple nightmares that only end when he dies.

I wake up on a red floor, axe in a dead whore, my dick chewed up what'd i let this bitch give me head for?

There's a few weak spots on the album, notably Ck Won. The skits fit in well, a good surprise considering how bad hip hop skits usually are. Most are instrumentals with eerie tones and Cage narrations.

The Highlights:

Agent Orange

Among The Sleep

In Stoney Lodge

The Lowlight:

Ck Won

The Gem:

A Crowd Killer

Is it Worth a Purchase?

Chances are you won't find a copy in stores unless it's a used record shop, but there are ones online at affordable prices. Is it worth tracking down? If you're into lonely and dark themes or even a horror movie fan, this is a album deserving of your money. It's not for everyone though, so if this type of music doesn't interest you, stay away.

Overall Grade: B

Until Next Time, One Love.