Ces Cru (often stylized as CES Cru) is an American rap duo from Kansas City, Missouri, signed to independent record label Strange Music. The duo currently consists of members Donnie "Godemis" King and Mike "Ubiquitous" Viglione, but has had numerous members throughout the years. Ces Cru released their debut album Capture Enemy Soldiers in 2004. They went on to release Cesphiles, Vol. 1 Codename:irongiant (2008) and The Playground (2009). In 2010, the duo signed to Tech N9ne's record label Strange Music and have released the EP 13 (2012) and Recession Proof (2015). Their first two studio albums on the label are Constant Energy Struggles (2013), and Codename: Ego Stripper (2014). The most recent release from Ces Cru is their sixth studio album Catastrophic Event Specialists, released in February 2017. In 2021, both artists have since departed from the label.

CES Cru
OriginKansas City, Missouri, USA
GenresHip hop
Years active2000–2021
LabelsStrange
Members
  • Ubiquitous
  • Godemis
Past members
  • Sorceress
  • Mad Dog 20/20
  • General Ali
  • Perseph One
  • Kutty Slitz

Biography

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The group went through a number of different group members before becoming the trio of Ubiquitous, Godemis and Sorceress in the early 2000s.[1] In 2004, the group released its debut album, Capture Enemy Soldiers.[1] But while promoting the project, Sorceress wanted to fire the group’s then-manager. Ubiquitous and Godemis disagreed, and Sorceress departed the group.[1] They returned as a duo in 2009 with The Playground, an album they hand delivered to Strange Music label boss Tech N9ne when he witnessed the group opening for Devin the Dude at a Kansas City show.[1] Tech signed them to Strange Music in January 2012, and eight months later they released their Strange Music debut, the 13 EP on August 28, 2012.[2] On March 26, 2013, the duo released their fourth album Constant Energy Struggles.[3] The album debuted at number 98 on the Billboard 200.[4] On August 5, 2014, they released their fifth album Codename: Ego Stripper which debuted at number 40 on the Billboard 200.[5]

Discography

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Studio albums

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List of studio albums, with selected chart positions
Title Album details Peak chart positions
US US R&B US
Rap
Capture Enemy Soldiers
  • Released: January 1, 2004 (US)[6]
  • Label: Commercial Entertainment Syndicate
  • Formats: CD, digital download
Cesphiles, Vol. 1 Codename:irongiant
  • Released: August 14, 2008 (US)[7]
  • Label: Commercial Entertainment Syndicate
  • Formats: CD, digital download
The Playground
  • Released: August 28, 2009 (US)[8]
  • Label: Commercial Entertainment Syndicate
  • Formats: CD, digital download
Constant Energy Struggles
  • Released: March 26, 2013 (US)[3]
  • Label: Strange Music
  • Formats: CD, digital download
98 14 9
Codename: Ego Stripper
  • Released: August 5, 2014 (US)
  • Label: Strange Music
  • Formats: CD, digital download
40 4 2
Catastrophic Event Specialists
  • Released: February 10, 2017 (US)
  • Label: Strange Music
  • Formats: CD, digital download
150

Extended plays

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List of extended plays, with selected chart positions and certifications
Title Album details Peak chart positions
US US R&B US
Rap
13 156 26 18
Recession Proof 26 19

Guest appearances

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List of non-single guest appearances, with other performing artists, showing year released and album name
Title Year Other artist(s) Album
"Livin' Like I'm Dyin'" 2010 Tech N9ne, Kutt Calhoun, Krizz Kaliko Bad Season
"Give It Up" 2011 Tech N9ne, Lebowski All 6's and 7's
"Wiked Bizness" JL Just Landed
"Unfair" Tech N9ne, Krizz Kaliko Welcome to Strangeland
"Test You" 2012 Nesto The Owner Career Killer 3
"Strange March" ¡Mayday!, Brotha Lynch Hung Thrift Store Halos EP
"Reckless" 2013 Krizz Kaliko Son of Sam
"Colorado" Tech N9ne, B.o.B, Krizz Kaliko, ¡Mayday!, Rittz, Stevie Stone Something Else
"Nobody Cares: (The Remix)" 2014 Tech N9ne, Wrekonize, Bernz, Stevie Stone, Krizz Kaliko Strangeulation
"Great Night" Tech N9ne
"American Horror Story"
"DIBKIS (Remix)" JL, Joey Cool, Info Gates Brain Scatter 2
"Young Dumb Full of Fun" 2015 Tech N9ne, Mackenzie Nicole Special Effects
"Fun-eral" Felt Have a Nice Life
"Wait On It" Stevie Stone Malta Bend
"One Wing" ¡Mayday! Future Vintage
"War Within" Prozak Black Ink
"PBSA" Tech N9ne Strangeulation Vol. II
"Strangeulation Vol. II Cypher II" Tech N9ne, Stevie Stone
"Orangutan" 2016 Krizz Kaliko, Tech N9ne, JL, Wrekonize, Rittz GO
"Stop Breathing" Rittz, Stevie Stone Top of the Line
"It Don't Go" Bernz See You on the Other Side
"Out There" Joey Cool, JL, Tech N9ne Swank Sinatra
"Casket Music" 2017 Tech N9ne, Wrekonize Dominion
"The Answer" Tech N9ne, Krizz Kaliko
"Plenty" Krizz Kaliko, Stevie Stone Strange Reign
"One, Two" 2018 Joey Cool Joey Cool
"Kcmo vs. Everybody" Info Gates, JL, Joey Cool, Bre the 1st Lady Thankful

Music videos

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Year Title Director Artist(s)
As main performer
2012 "The Playground"
2013 "Lotus"
"When Worlds Collide"
"Juice" featuring Tech N9ne
"Seven Chakras"
2014 "Smoke" featuring Liz Suwandi
"Sound Bite"
"Wavy"
"Power Play" featuring Tech N9ne
"Jimmy Stewart"
"Double OT" Marmo Films
2015 "Letterman"
"Famished"
"Meditate"
2016 "Ricochet"
2017 "Average Joe"
"Slave"
As featured performer
2015 "PBSA" Tech N9ne featuring Ces Cru
"Strangeulation Vol. II Cypher II" Tech N9ne featuring Stevie Stone and Ces Cru

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Company, The (2012-08-31). "CES Cru Announces Strange Music Album Title, Details "Colosseum" Concept". HipHop DX. Archived from the original on 2014-05-12. Retrieved 2014-05-11. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  2. ^ a b "iTunes – Music – 13 by Ces Cru". Itunes.apple.com. 2012-08-28. Retrieved 2014-05-11.
  3. ^ a b "iTunes – Music – Constant Energy Struggles (Deluxe Edition) by Ces Cru". Itunes.apple.com. 2013-03-26. Retrieved 2014-05-11.
  4. ^ "Ces Cru – Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved 2014-05-11.
  5. ^ "iTunes – Music – Codename: Ego Stripper (Deluxe Edition) by Ces Cru". iTunes. 5 August 2014. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
  6. ^ "iTunes – Music – Capture Enemy Soldiers by Ces Cru". Itunes.apple.com. 2004-01-01. Retrieved 2014-05-11.
  7. ^ "iTunes – Music – Cesphiles, Vol. 1 Codename:irongiant by Ces Cru". Itunes.apple.com. 2008-08-24. Retrieved 2014-05-11.
  8. ^ "iTunes – Music – The Playground by Ces Cru". Itunes.apple.com. 2009-08-28. Retrieved 2014-05-11.