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Canibus. Lyricist. "you mad at the last album, I apologize for it / yo, I can't call it, motherfucking Wyclef spoiled it". What was supposed to be "The C-Quel" EP, came out as "2000 B.C. (Before Can-I-Bus)". And all that is left of the EP project, is the song "The C-Quel", that is opening this album. At the beginning of the cut, several past quotables are put together before Canibus is starting to bust: "getting in my way is like jumping in front of a car / breaking the sound barrier, that means the car is in front of the horn / by the time you hear it blowing, it's too late to respond / by the time you feel it hit you, I'm gone / I'll send you to hell where you belong / so by the time you body hits the floor / you spirit won't be in it no more". He continues with "a hundred thousand mile warranty / metaphorically, I'll use a hundred thousand styles and murder you orally / I took a lion on tour with me, made him respect authority / smacked him in the head for trying to roar at me". Combine these dope rhymes with a quick and tight beat, sampling the "Theme From S.W.A.T.", hooked up by Pillo Jamel, and if all of this album would be as dope as this cut, we'd have a classic in our hands. But unfortunately it's not, although "2000 B.C. (Before Can-I-Bus)" is also on some good ish. Canibus spits "I tear down mics and put an out of order sign on it" and Ty Fyffe is adding choirs to a bare track, that especially during the chorus shows sophistication. Next up is "Life Liquid", with a lackluster Journalist, who adds nothing special. Actually compared to Canibus he even sounds weak. The track is about some murderous tales, thuggism, and for that, Journalist might be good enough. This is followed by an almost humorous skit called "Shock Therapy", where some guy tortures some other fella, to confess the samples he used. Considering how unimportant Canibus considers the beat to be, it's surprising that he cares so much about samples. On "Watch Who 'U' Beef Wit", cool strings flow through the Chaos production, while the violent rhymes are a waste of time. Canibus is too lyrical to rhyme about crap like that, and it doesn't live up to his lyrical ability. An ability he then flexes again on "I'll Buss 'Em U Punish 'Em", that features Rakim. And although the jury is still out on whether Canibus is the acknowledged next God of Emceeing whenever the R decides to put down the mic, he still comes correct: "forget a pad and a pen, I write rhymes on an IBM / ebonics is dead, the binary language is in". The last punchline belongs to Rakim who goes "I'll leave your DNA on the curb / and stick my dick in your ear and fuck what you heard". Again, the verbal is on some wrestling tip, and catching that impression is succeeded, but we'd rather have straight up braggadocios rhymes. And if possible over a doper beat, as this Clue production is weak. "Mic-Nificent", the first single is giving us something more appreciated on the beat tip. Lyrically Canibus declares: "my rhymes, confuse niggas like somebody try to gang-bang wearing a blue shirt and red pants / throwing up signs with their left hand / standing out on the corner of Wetlands / with a confederate flag for a headband". At the end of the track he breaks down clubs and venues, possibly hoping he will get some play in 'em. However, this is too not party bouncy, what isn't necessarily a bad thing though. We are treated or tortured with some more Journalist rhymes on "Die Slow". But his contribution will be forgotten fast, as Canibus is kicking something so dope, it gets him a spot in the very exclusive 'lyrical shine' category. Read the whole thing here. Although "Doomsday News" can't live up to such lyrical greatness, it gives us another concept of Canibus bringing the lyrical doomsday. While the second verse seems to be the strongest, you realize the strange sound of his voice. Somewhat like he's always recorded through a radio transmission or through the phone. That might be just some special cadence to his voice, and gives him an extra rugged feel. Also remarkable is, that the tracks fade into each other, without giving us the tiniest break between 'em. And so after "Doomsday News", "Lost @ 'C'" comes on, that features an extra dope Irv Gotti and Tiawan Green production. And Canibus does not hesitate to spit something equally appealing, when he goes "I hop in front of the cameras and tell 'em how I'm feeling / I tell 'em how I feel that hip-hop should deal with it / tell 'em how I'm tired of the state rappers in / ninety percent of the shit that rappers kick is subject matterless / not original, but blasphemous, just a bunch of the same characters / shooting the same videos, it's embarrassing / using the same formulas to have a hit / using the same actors and actresses, same shit different laxative". "Phuk U" is rather annoying, with the constant 'fuck you' sample, that only makes sense, when it is filling in for Canibus' own curses. Still, he goes at it, rhyming "whoever signed you must be running the circus cause you a clown / you a rapper wit a drug habit, hiding the truth / camouflageing you needle tracks wit some colorful tattoos" and you wonder if this is directed at anyone in particular. The next track is a skit called "Horsemen" and it consists of Pharoahe Monch ripping the mic, doing an acapella piece. This is followed by "Horsementality" a track featuring the Four Horsemen: Kurupt, Rass Kass, Killah Priest and Canibus of course. Now wasn't there a different and better beat to this when it first came out? Anyways, the previously heard "100 Bars" then features the rhymes "ducking down low like Vietnam fighting the Vietcong / screaming 'incoming' when I see a bomb / speak to your leader. surrender your arms / you need about a million more soldiers to even the odds / plus 800,000 to even consider a war / and 200,000 more to even look hard". The album ends with the at the beginning acapella "Chaos". What leaves us to say, that this is the antithesis to the sophomore jinx. Of course Canibus had lots to prove, and he can put away lots of the doubts, stirred up by his weak debut. However, we'd still very much appreciate it if he would seize to babble about all the violent stuff he does not even have the physical appearance for us to take it serious, and would focus on what he does best: ripping the mic with similes, tales and punchlines that make the contestants hush faster than kids in the back of the car, when the father threatens to turn around and not go to Disney World with 'em. |
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