DiBella of AllMusic commented on "a lyrical deftness and genuine feel for the music rarely seen in the bling-conscious rap of the latter-day era".

[12][13] CunninLynguists released the third studio album, A Piece of Strange, on January 24, 2006, via Caroline Records and Groove Attack Distribution.

It features guest spots included Cee-Lo Green, Immortal Technique and Tonedeff, among others, and is entirely produced by Kno.

[15] URB gave the album four stars, describing it as "a piece of beauty, a soulful and sweeping assemblage of cuts that ride a steady wave of infectious momentum",[16] and The A.V.

[20] Produced entirely by Kno, it features artists such as Devin the Dude, Phonte of Little Brother and Witchdoctor,[21] and was described by CMJ New Music Monthly as "a defiant album that questions everything, even the assumed standards of hip hop".

[23] CunninLynguists made their way across the United States, Europe and Canada in support of the album, headlining the Dirty Acres Tour in 3 parts over the course of 2008.

It was curated entirely by the group's fans who gave feedback on and suggested ideas for song concepts, features, packaging, and artwork.

[33] At the group's beginning, members Kno and Deacon focused on energetic wordplay and outlandish rhymes, only at times delving into deeper and more introspective material, such as "Mic Like a Memory" or "Family Ties" from Will Rap For Food.

[34] This continued up until their critically acclaimed album A Piece of Strange, which featured more serious songs, such as "Brain Cell", and playful ones, such as "Beautiful Girl".

The duo was briefly accompanied by Mr. SOS for their sophomore album SouthernUnderground, before the addition of Kentucky-based emcee Natti as a permanent member in 2004 (who is featured on all material since the 2005 release of Sloppy Seconds Volume 2).