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“Second Round K.O.” is the song that initially put Canibus on the map. Ironically, it features another “entertainer” whose career is also now in the toilet, Mike Tyson. Canibus’ lyrics here were designed as a verbal pimp-slap to rap veteran LL Cool J over the now infamous tattoo-diss/rhyme-jacking incident surrounding LL’s industry collabo “4, 3, 2, 1.” The young rapper is at his lyrical best here, going deep into LL’s song catalog and personal history to add that extra sting to his verbal jabs, roundhouses, and uppercuts. The beat is perfect as well, with just an uncomplicated, hard bass line complimenting driving snare hits and high hats. Though LL was incapable of matching ‘Bis’ sheer skills in his somewhat pathetic response, the fact that he’s still rapping today (somewhat) is a testament to “The Ripper’s” resilience. But, unlike his later efforts, Canibus does actually dip into a few substantive topics with this debut. Using a vocal sample from the Marvin Gaye song of the same name, “What’s Goin On” allows Canibus to talk about the distressing prevalence of gun violence in Hip-Hop clubs and venues. His thoughtful rhymes relate how the thugs who go to the clubs to shed blood endanger everyone’s lives including the fans and rappers, not just their intended targets. Over one of ‘Clefs more inappropriate guitar accompaniments, the emcee shows adoration for his mother and her life struggles with the respectful “I Honor U.” Then, with lyrics that would make Fox Mulder proud, Canibus explores conspiracy theories galore on “Channel Zero.” He raps: “I'm talkin bout the grand deception, of 1947/ When our souls were sold to the heavens/ for technologically advanced weapons/ Crystal enhanced, brain implants, and mind control methods/ MJ-12 is not majestic/ And the focal point of our problems on this planet are not domestic/ You can accept it or be stupid and be a skeptic/ and fail to recognize the secret society's deathwish/ Ninety-seven percent of our Presidents were Masons/ Responsible for launderin trillions of dollars from the nation/ for the construction of underground military installations/ Abductions and cattle mutilations/ Experiments on human patients/ can take place in several subterranean bases/ A hundred and fifty stories below a basement/ With knowledge of genetic information, you need to fear science not Satan” Nonetheless, Canibus’ forte is unquestionably spitting emcee-obliterating battle rhymes, and he manages to slide more than a few into this album’s tracklisting. “Get Retarted” has the rapper imparting his unique brand of science-infused braggadocio over another of Wyclef’s annoying attempts at a guitar-based melody. Honestly, ‘Clef deserves a battery of psychological tests to determine what on earth possessed him to lace this beat with a country slide guitar. Then, with “Buckingham Palace,” the battle cat continues the lyrical onslaught, only pausing for some classic Hip-Hop call and response in the chorus. All things considered, Can-I-Bus is not a bad album by any stretch of the imagination. The softer, more eclectic production of Wyclef and Jerry wonder, while perfect for the Fugees efforts, simply was extremely poorly suited for Canibus’ hardcore rhyme style. Also, the fact that the label chose to give magazines incomplete copies of this for review certainly killed this album’s chances as well. I still remember the review for this in The Source which listed a segment of the hook for “Get Retarted” as something to the effect of, “you garbage, garbage, ni**az is garbage” instead of the finished, “you spineless, rhymeless, ni**az is heartless.” In addition, the fact that Wyclef allegedly threatened Blaze magazine’s editor Jesse Washington with a gun over their unfavorable review of the promo copy certainly did not help the magazines embrace Can-I-Bus either. Unfortunately, the rest of the major rap mags banded together and defecated all over Canibus’ debut in their reviews. So if you’re interested in listening to the debut of one of Hip-Hop’s tightest, most skilled, most maligned rappers, then definitely give Can-I-Bus? a listen. While certainly not the sharpest album ever constructed, it in no way deserved the denigration it received from Hip-Hop critics and so-called “heads.” Check it out. |
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