Canibus
Encyclopedia
Germaine Williams better known by his stage name Canibus, is a Jamaica
n-born American rapper. He is a part of supergroup
The HRSMN
. Canibus rose to fame in the mid-nineties. Canibus is well known for his extensive vocabulary and vivid imagery, as well as creating intricate rhyme schemes, complex phrases and concepts that he uses in order to provide an artistic depth to his music.
. He is of African, and Jamaican descent. His father, Basil Williams
, is a former Jamaican cricket
er. The family moved frequently, living in The Bronx
, Washington, D.C.
, Atlanta, Miami, Buffalo
, and London
due to his mother's career requiring constant relocation. Canibus stated that he was an introverted
child growing up. After completing high school in 1992, he spent a year working for AT&T
and another year as a data analyst for the U.S. Department of Justice. His interest in computers and the Internet led him to study computer science
at DeKalb College
in Atlanta.
, which earned him respect from the rap veterans. In 1996, T.H.E.M. split and Canibus teamed with businessman Charles Suitt.
came out in September 1998. The song "Second Round K.O.
", produced by Wyclef Jean
, was a success, with the video featuring Wyclef and a cameo appearance
by boxer
Mike Tyson
. Despite eventually being certified Gold
, critics panned the album, criticizing both Canibus's subject matter and Wyclef's beats, most of which were considered inferior to both "Second Round K.O." and the artists' previous collaborations.
The original album contained a lot of socially concerned material. Some songs talked about the corruption within the U.S. government, AIDS, and violence in modern America.
Canibus had a feud with LL Cool J
over a verse that Canibus displayed on LL's own track titled 4'3'2'1 off of his LP, Phenomenon. The track featured Canibus, Method Man, Redman, and DMX.
, was also released to mixed feelings and reviews – the latter once more focusing on the lack of topical variety and uninspired production – also suffering from very little promotion by Universal Records.
ll
2000 B.C. featured the first collaboration between Canibus and Kurupt
, Ras Kass
and Killah Priest
, a rap supergroup
collectively known as The HRSMN
(referring to the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
), on the track "Horsementality". Though following 2000 B.C.s release it had been announced that the group would be releasing an album, these plans never materialized, with only an EP
of outtake
s from 2001 entitled The Horsemen Project
released by Killah Priest's management in 2003. Since 2000, however, the members of the group have worked together on various songs and rumors of a full-length HRSMN album are rampant to this day and include speculation about collaborations with Pharoahe Monch
, Common
and Rakim
, among others.
Though much bitterness between Canibus and Wyclef Jean remained for a period of time, the two artists finally settled their differences at the end of 2004; they have since worked together on two remixes
of the Machel Montano
song "Carnival Survivors". In an interview with HipHopsite.com conducted in November 2005, Williams revealed that he had recorded five songs with Wyclef and Jerry 'Wonder' Duplessis at Platinum Studios in New York for the upcoming Fugees reunion album. Whether or not those recordings will appear on the album has not been determined yet.
, the title and some of the content deriving from the television show E! True Hollywood Story
. It was released on Archives Music, an independent label owned by Williams' future business partner, Louis Lombard III. It was a controversial release due to the album's overall concept, which to this day remains quite unclear to some. Many listeners interpreted it as Canibus' botched attempt at becoming a commercial and mainstream artist and wrote him off as a one-hit wonder
, while others have called it a concept album
in which the rapper satirized the mainstream hip-hop scene. Most explanations since the album's release seem to lean towards the latter; when Canibus' new official website, MicClub.net, appeared online towards the end of 2002, the summary of C True Hollywood Stories in the "Merchandise" section called it "an introspective look into the ultimate fan "Stan
's" take on the current state of hip hop".
In an interview conducted in 2005, Williams' former promoter, Pak-Man, who worked on over half of the album with the rapper, spoke on the record, with his explanation leaning toward the album being intended as satire: "At that time Canibus was in the studio recording a lot of songs and [I] mean a lot, but he didn't want to make the fans wait no more so he did C True Hollywood Stories and he wanted to have fun wit, so thats what we did we had fun wit". In an interview on AllHipHop.com posted on April 8, 2005, Williams was asked what direction he was trying to take with that album; in his response, he stated "That album depicts the state of affairs in my life at the time - nothing more, nothing less".
Mic Club: The Curriculum and Rip the Jacker (2002–2003) After the critical failure of C True Hollywood Stories, Canibus was subject to criticism and ridicule from the rap industry until the release of Mic Club: The Curriculum
, his fourth full-length album, towards the end of 2002. Although the production was handled almost entirely by little-known producers, some of them from Europe
, the record proved to be a greater critical success than the previous year's release. Mic Club also saw Canibus return to a more scientific and complex rapping style, with a number of concept tracks and few songs with a chorus
. The album was released on Mic Club Music, Canibus' own label, but failed to chart, selling relatively few copies.
Following the release of Mic Club: The Curriculum, it was announced that Williams decided to join the United States Army
. Before commencing his work with the military, however, he recorded a number of tracks which he intended to be released on his next album, entitled Rip the Jacker
. Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind
was given the task of producing the entire record, equipped solely with Canibus' pre-recorded vocals. Due to his military obligations, Canibus himself only managed to review the album after having acquired a copy.
Upon release, Rip the Jacker received rave reviews from the majority of critics, who noted that Williams' largely scientific lyrics and distinctive, rough delivery was finally matched by equally fine production, as Canibus had a history of working with badly selected producers. Unlike Mic Club, Rip the Jacker charted on both Billboard
s R&B/hip-hop charts and the Billboard 200
, peaking at #34 and #197, respectively, although commercially, it retained the tendency to sell few copies.
Critics highlighted various aspects of Rip the Jackers originality, both in terms of beats and lyrics; Stoupe had employed a large number of samples from often obscure compositions, while Canibus himself undertook a variety of topics from various perspectives. Of note was the inclusion of "Poet Laureate II", a song exceeding seven minutes in length and lacking a chorus, with several changes of beat throughout; the track was frequently singled out as one of the strongest in Canibus' career and the album as a whole convinced listeners and the industry alike that the rapper had not lost his potential.
(2005) was released to negative reviews. Canibus had never planned for it to be compiled as a separate record, but agreed to release it through the independent Gladiator Music label as part of a contractual agreement; most of the vocals for Mind Control had been recorded prior to the release of C True Hollywood Stories. A collection of previously recorded material (with only three of the songs being unreleased) produced entirely by Mark Sparks, the album failed to chart and is rarely considered an official Canibus release by the rapper's fans.
Also in 2005, a collaboration between Williams and underground rapper
Phoenix Orion, who had also been known for scientific lyrics, yielded the album Def Con Zero
, released on the independent Head Trauma Records label, owned by K-1
boxer Dewey Cooper. The record featured guest appearances from Kool G Rap
, K-Solo
, and former 106 & Park
host Free
, among others. As Cloak N Dagga, the duo briefly toured the United States promoting the release.
The following month, after numerous delays, Canibus' seventh solo album, Hip-Hop for Sale
, was released, but was panned by critics, who dismissed it as yet another failed attempt to gain mainstream recognition. Additionally, due to the earlier release of Mind Control and the leaking of most of the material in the form of a mixtape
entitled The Vitruvian Man, the release date had been pushed back to November, the original date having been May. The production on Hip-Hop for Sale was handled in part by Virginia
-based producer Nottz
, with several relatively unknown producers handling the remaining tracks after Nottz had cut ties with Canibus due to the appearance of The Vitruvian Man.The day of Hip-Hop for Sales release, Mic Club Master Volume One, a separate mixtape, appeared in stores, many of the songs receiving more praise than those present on the full-length album.
. A pair of mixtapes, titled Nothing to Prove and Nothing to Lose, were slated for release in March 2007, but were eventually scrapped; instead, Canibus decided to use the best material from each mixtape to create a new full-length album entitled For Whom the Beat Tolls
.
When the record was originally announced in March, there was only one confirmed track – the third installment in Canibus' "Poet Laureate
" series, "Poet Laureate Infinity". The track has 1,000 bars, in the form of five 200 bar verses, and is layered in such a way that "when you mix it and spread it throughout five channels, [you have the ability] to mix the track differently every time". On April 8, 2007, the track was uploaded, by Canibus himself, to a website where the listener could mix the track differently on a digital mixing board. The website is now down, but the fansite Canibus-Central.com provided a backup.
"For Whom the Beat Tolls" was originally set for release in May 2007, but was pushed back one month, and a released on June 12, 2007 (though it was not distributed by Universal as previously reported). The album has 16 tracks and includes contributions from Killah Priest
and Vinnie Paz, among others, and featured two personally made mixes of the "Poet Laureate Infinity" track ("Poet Laureate Infinity v003" and "Poet Laureate Infinity v004").
Following the release of "For Whom the Beat Tolls", Canibus went on a sporadic tour in the U.S. to promote the record. In August 2007, Canibus made an announcement on his Myspace page that he had cut ties with his business partner Louis Lombard: "To my friends, family and fans, Just wanted everybody to know I no longer do business with Louis Lombard, III & Mic Club Music.
. Melatonin Magik was released on February 09, 2010, to relatively positive reviews, being regarded as one of his most focused efforts yet. The album included several guest appearances, a marked contrast to many of his previous albums in which he kept features at a minimum.
was released on Oct. 5, 2010. Producers include DJ Premier
, Jake One
, Scram Jones
, Tha Bizness and J-Zone.
An allegedly fake Twitter account posing to be Canibus began posting inflammatory comments towards Royce Da 5'9" and the Shady Records
camp in early 2011, inciting verbal rebuttals from Royce, believing that the account had been him. Royce's fulmination continued, even after it had been announced that the account was fake by Canibus himself. This caused Canibus to release snippets from a track in which he has lines directed toward Royce. Royce responded simply by saying that Canibus had "fallen off" and could no longer rap well. Similar comments regarding the track were made by affiliate Joe Budden
. Insulted, Canibus decided to release two audio snippets. One titled "Lyrical Law VS Joey Cupcakes" in which he harshly insults Budden; poking fun at his personal life and taking smaller shots at Royce Da 5'9". the other, titled "Lyrical Law VS Royce Da 5'9"" was a length of audio in which he goes in depth about his perception of the situation and further insults Royce Da 5'9".
A track entitled "Spring Training" was released by Joe Budden two days after "Lyrical Law VS Joey Cupcakes" containing lines directed towards Canibus. To many, the track appears to be a response. This is untrue however, as the track was allegedly recorded prior to having a conflict with Canibus. As of June 2011, an official response from either Royce or Budden (aside from brief messages on Twitter) has yet to surface.
and 2007's Poet Laureate Infinity. In September 2011, Canibus released a new track on his Reverb Nation page entitled "RTJ IIIFINITY LANDS OCTOBER 1st".
. In a 2005 interview, Canibus stated "I enlisted because I wanted to get away from the music.... I wanted to do something that gave me a separate definition from what I had done all through my teens and twenties. I was 28 when I enlisted". In 2004, he was caught smoking marijuana and was discharged for it.
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n-born American rapper. He is a part of supergroup
Supergroup (music)
In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....
The HRSMN
The HRSMN
The HRSMN is an American hip hop group that has released one album entitled The Horsemen Project. The group consists of the platinum and gold selling artists, Canibus, Ras Kass, Killah Priest, and Kurupt. The name of the group is in reference to the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, who appear in...
. Canibus rose to fame in the mid-nineties. Canibus is well known for his extensive vocabulary and vivid imagery, as well as creating intricate rhyme schemes, complex phrases and concepts that he uses in order to provide an artistic depth to his music.
Early life
Germaine Williams was born on December 9, 1974 in Kingston, JamaicaKingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
. He is of African, and Jamaican descent. His father, Basil Williams
Basil Williams (cricketer)
Basil Williams is a former West Indian cricketer who played in seven Tests from 1978 to 1979....
, is a former Jamaican cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er. The family moved frequently, living in The Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, Atlanta, Miami, Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
due to his mother's career requiring constant relocation. Canibus stated that he was an introverted
Extraversion and introversion
The trait of extraversion-introversion is a central dimension of human personality theories.Extraverts tend to be gregarious, assertive, and interested in seeking out external stimulus. Introverts, in contrast, tend to be introspective, quiet and less sociable. They are not necessarily loners but...
child growing up. After completing high school in 1992, he spent a year working for AT&T
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
and another year as a data analyst for the U.S. Department of Justice. His interest in computers and the Internet led him to study computer science
Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
at DeKalb College
Georgia Perimeter College
Georgia Perimeter College is a two-year associate degree-granting unit of the University System of Georgia. In May 2011, the state Board of Regents approved two bachelor's programs: a Bachelor of Arts in Sign Language Interpreting and a Bachelor of Science in Health Informatics...
in Atlanta.
Early career (1995–1996)
He began rhyming in the mid-'90s and by 1995 under the name Canibus Sateevuh, and formed a duo called T.H.E.M. (The Heralds of Extreme Metaphors) with Atlanta rapper Webb (now called C.I., also known as Central Intelligence). While he was with Webb, he took part in a legendary cypher with the Wu Tang Clan family in Buffalo, New YorkBuffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, which earned him respect from the rap veterans. In 1996, T.H.E.M. split and Canibus teamed with businessman Charles Suitt.
Debut album (1997–1998)
Canibus' debut album Can-I-BusCan-I-Bus?
Can-I-Bus is the debut album by rapper Canibus, released on September 8, 1998 through Universal Records. The album was released after the rapper's success with his LL Cool J diss track, "Second Round K.O.", which was included on Can-I-Bus, with additional support from heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson....
came out in September 1998. The song "Second Round K.O.
Second Round K.O.
"Second Round K.O." was the lead single released from Canibus' debut album, Can-I-Bus. The song was produced by Wyclef Jean and his cousin Jerry Wonder and featured spoken vocals from boxer Mike Tyson....
", produced by Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean is a Haitian musician, record producer, and politician. At age nine, Jean moved to the United States with his family and has spent much of his life in the country...
, was a success, with the video featuring Wyclef and a cameo appearance
Cameo appearance
A cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
by boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson
Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...
. Despite eventually being certified Gold
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
, critics panned the album, criticizing both Canibus's subject matter and Wyclef's beats, most of which were considered inferior to both "Second Round K.O." and the artists' previous collaborations.
The original album contained a lot of socially concerned material. Some songs talked about the corruption within the U.S. government, AIDS, and violence in modern America.
Canibus had a feud with LL Cool J
LL Cool J
James Todd Smith , better known as LL Cool J , is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and actor...
over a verse that Canibus displayed on LL's own track titled 4'3'2'1 off of his LP, Phenomenon. The track featured Canibus, Method Man, Redman, and DMX.
Wyclef Feud, Second album (1999–2000)
Because Wyclef produced the majority of the tracks on Can-I-Bus, Williams blamed him for the general dissatisfaction with Can-I-Bus and cut ties with him, going as far as to diss Wyclef, most notably on the title track of his second album ("You mad at the last album? I apologize for it / Yo, I can't call it, motherfucking Wyclef spoiled it!"). Said album, 2000 B.C.2000 B.C. (album)
2000 B.C. is the second studio album by rapper Canibus, released on July 18, 2000 through Universal Records.Considered to have been a significant improvement over his debut album, Can-I-Bus, 2000 B.C. featured multiple record producers and greater differentiation...
, was also released to mixed feelings and reviews – the latter once more focusing on the lack of topical variety and uninspired production – also suffering from very little promotion by Universal Records.
ll
2000 B.C. featured the first collaboration between Canibus and Kurupt
Kurupt
Ricardo Emmanuel Brown , better known by his stage name Kurupt, also known as Kurupt Tha Kingpin, Kurupt Young Gotti or Young Gotstra is an American rapper and former Executive Vice President of Death Row Records...
, Ras Kass
Ras Kass
John Austin IV, better known by his stage name Ras Kass, is an American rapper. He is also a part of hip hop supergroup The HRSMN along with Canibus, Killah Priest, and Kurupt...
and Killah Priest
Killah Priest
Walter Reed, better known as Killah Priest, Iron Sheik from the Middle East, or Masada, is an American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan affiliate who was raised in Bedford-Stuyvesant & Brownsville neighbourhoods in Brooklyn. He is known for intensely spiritual lyrics loaded with metaphors and religious...
, a rap supergroup
Supergroup (music)
In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....
collectively known as The HRSMN
The HRSMN
The HRSMN is an American hip hop group that has released one album entitled The Horsemen Project. The group consists of the platinum and gold selling artists, Canibus, Ras Kass, Killah Priest, and Kurupt. The name of the group is in reference to the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, who appear in...
(referring to the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are described in the last book of the New Testament of the Bible, called the Book of Revelation of Jesus Christ to Saint John the Evangelist at 6:1-8. The chapter tells of a "'book'/'scroll' in God's right hand that is sealed with seven seals"...
), on the track "Horsementality". Though following 2000 B.C.s release it had been announced that the group would be releasing an album, these plans never materialized, with only an EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
of outtake
Outtake
An outtake is a portion of a work that is removed in the editing process and not included in the work's final, publicly released version. In the digital era, significant outtakes have been appended to CD and DVD reissues of many albums and films as bonus tracks or features, in film often, but not...
s from 2001 entitled The Horsemen Project
The Horsemen Project
The Horsemen Project is the first full-length album released by the hip hop supergroup The HRSMN through Think Differently Music/Proverbs Music Inc...
released by Killah Priest's management in 2003. Since 2000, however, the members of the group have worked together on various songs and rumors of a full-length HRSMN album are rampant to this day and include speculation about collaborations with Pharoahe Monch
Pharoahe Monch
Pharoahe Monch is an American hip hop artist. He is known for his complex lyrics, complex delivery, and internal and multisyllabic rhyme schemes.-Biography:...
, Common
Common (rapper)
Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr. , better known by his stage name Common , is an American hip-hop artist and actor....
and Rakim
Rakim
William Michael Griffin Jr. , known by his stage names Rakim , Rakim Allah, R.A.K.I.M., and The Master, is an American rapper. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential and most skilled emcees of all time. Eric B...
, among others.
Though much bitterness between Canibus and Wyclef Jean remained for a period of time, the two artists finally settled their differences at the end of 2004; they have since worked together on two remixes
RemixeS
RemixeS is a compilation of French singer Mylène Farmer's singles by various famous DJ's, including JXL, Felix Da Housecat and Paul Oakenfold.-Brackground, writing and release:...
of the Machel Montano
Machel Montano
Machel Montano is a soca singer, record producer and songwriter based in the Trinidad and Tobago....
song "Carnival Survivors". In an interview with HipHopsite.com conducted in November 2005, Williams revealed that he had recorded five songs with Wyclef and Jerry 'Wonder' Duplessis at Platinum Studios in New York for the upcoming Fugees reunion album. Whether or not those recordings will appear on the album has not been determined yet.
C True Hollywood Stories (2001)
In 2001, Canibus released his third album, C True Hollywood StoriesC True Hollywood Stories
C! True Hollywood Stories is the third studio album by the rapper Canibus, released through Archives Music on November 6, 2001. The album is Canibus' first release on an independent record label...
, the title and some of the content deriving from the television show E! True Hollywood Story
E! True Hollywood Story
E! True Hollywood Story is an American documentary series on E! that deals with famous Hollywood celebrities, movies, TV shows and well-known public figures...
. It was released on Archives Music, an independent label owned by Williams' future business partner, Louis Lombard III. It was a controversial release due to the album's overall concept, which to this day remains quite unclear to some. Many listeners interpreted it as Canibus' botched attempt at becoming a commercial and mainstream artist and wrote him off as a one-hit wonder
One-hit wonder
A one-hit wonder is a person or act known mainly for only a single success. The term is most often used to describe music performers with only one hit single.-Characteristics:...
, while others have called it a concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
in which the rapper satirized the mainstream hip-hop scene. Most explanations since the album's release seem to lean towards the latter; when Canibus' new official website, MicClub.net, appeared online towards the end of 2002, the summary of C True Hollywood Stories in the "Merchandise" section called it "an introspective look into the ultimate fan "Stan
Stan (song)
"Stan" is the third single from The Marshall Mathers LP, by rapper Eminem featuring Dido. It peaked at number one in the United Kingdom and Australia. It is also included on Curtain Call: The Hits, performed with Eminem and Dido as well track 17 on Curtain Call: The Hits as a live Performance from...
's" take on the current state of hip hop".
In an interview conducted in 2005, Williams' former promoter, Pak-Man, who worked on over half of the album with the rapper, spoke on the record, with his explanation leaning toward the album being intended as satire: "At that time Canibus was in the studio recording a lot of songs and [I] mean a lot, but he didn't want to make the fans wait no more so he did C True Hollywood Stories and he wanted to have fun wit, so thats what we did we had fun wit". In an interview on AllHipHop.com posted on April 8, 2005, Williams was asked what direction he was trying to take with that album; in his response, he stated "That album depicts the state of affairs in my life at the time - nothing more, nothing less".
Mic Club: The Curriculum and Rip the Jacker (2002–2003) After the critical failure of C True Hollywood Stories, Canibus was subject to criticism and ridicule from the rap industry until the release of Mic Club: The Curriculum
Mic Club: The Curriculum
Mic Club: The Curriculum is the fourth studio album by rapper Canibus, released on November 19, 2002 through Canibus' own label, Mic Club Music. It is generally recognized for its scholarly vocabulary and complex lyrics. Much of the production is handled by relatively unknown producers, though the...
, his fourth full-length album, towards the end of 2002. Although the production was handled almost entirely by little-known producers, some of them from Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, the record proved to be a greater critical success than the previous year's release. Mic Club also saw Canibus return to a more scientific and complex rapping style, with a number of concept tracks and few songs with a chorus
Refrain
A refrain is the line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse; the "chorus" of a song...
. The album was released on Mic Club Music, Canibus' own label, but failed to chart, selling relatively few copies.
Following the release of Mic Club: The Curriculum, it was announced that Williams decided to join the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. Before commencing his work with the military, however, he recorded a number of tracks which he intended to be released on his next album, entitled Rip the Jacker
Rip the Jacker
Rip the Jacker is the fifth studio album by rapper Canibus, released on July 22, 2003, through Babygrande Records.- Conception :After producer Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind produced the track "Liberal Arts" from Canibus' fourth album Mic Club: The Curriculum , Babygrande Records CEO Chuck Wilson...
. Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind
Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind
Kevin Baldwin, better known by his stage name as Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind, is an American hip hop producer, DJ, and member of the underground hip hop group Jedi Mind Tricks. His production is often the most acclaimed aspect of the group's work...
was given the task of producing the entire record, equipped solely with Canibus' pre-recorded vocals. Due to his military obligations, Canibus himself only managed to review the album after having acquired a copy.
Upon release, Rip the Jacker received rave reviews from the majority of critics, who noted that Williams' largely scientific lyrics and distinctive, rough delivery was finally matched by equally fine production, as Canibus had a history of working with badly selected producers. Unlike Mic Club, Rip the Jacker charted on both Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
s R&B/hip-hop charts and the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, peaking at #34 and #197, respectively, although commercially, it retained the tendency to sell few copies.
Critics highlighted various aspects of Rip the Jackers originality, both in terms of beats and lyrics; Stoupe had employed a large number of samples from often obscure compositions, while Canibus himself undertook a variety of topics from various perspectives. Of note was the inclusion of "Poet Laureate II", a song exceeding seven minutes in length and lacking a chorus, with several changes of beat throughout; the track was frequently singled out as one of the strongest in Canibus' career and the album as a whole convinced listeners and the industry alike that the rapper had not lost his potential.
Mind Control, Cloak n Dagga and Hip-Hop for Sale (2005–2006)
Following Rip the Jacker and Canibus' subsequent discharge from the army, an album entitled Mind ControlMind Control (Canibus album)
Mind Control, is the sixth studio album by Canibus, released on June 21, 2005 through Gladiator Music and Tommy Boy Records. The album was originally recorded in 2001 before C True Hollywood Stories and was released to complete a contractual agreement Canibus had with Gladiator Music...
(2005) was released to negative reviews. Canibus had never planned for it to be compiled as a separate record, but agreed to release it through the independent Gladiator Music label as part of a contractual agreement; most of the vocals for Mind Control had been recorded prior to the release of C True Hollywood Stories. A collection of previously recorded material (with only three of the songs being unreleased) produced entirely by Mark Sparks, the album failed to chart and is rarely considered an official Canibus release by the rapper's fans.
Also in 2005, a collaboration between Williams and underground rapper
Underground hip hop
Underground hip hop is an umbrella term for hip hop music outside the general commercial canon. It is typically associated with independent artists, signed toindependent labels or no label at all....
Phoenix Orion, who had also been known for scientific lyrics, yielded the album Def Con Zero
Cloak and Dagga: Def Con Zero
Def Con Zero is an album by Cloak-n-Dagga, a group composed of rappers Canibus and Phoenix Orion, released on October 25, 2005 through Head Trauma Records and First Kut Records. The album features K-Solo, Kool G Rap, and Free among others...
, released on the independent Head Trauma Records label, owned by K-1
K-1
K-1 is a defunct world-wide kickboxing promotion based in Tokyo, Japan founded by Kazuyoshi Ishii, a formerKyokushin karate practitioner. K-1 combines stand up techniques from Muay Thai, Karate, Taekwondo, Savate, San Shou, kickboxing, western-style boxing, and other martial arts...
boxer Dewey Cooper. The record featured guest appearances from Kool G Rap
Kool G Rap
Nathaniel Thomas Wilson , better known by his stage names Kool G Rap , Kool G. Rap, and Giancana , is an American rapper, from the Corona neighborhood of Queens, New York. He began his career in the mid-1980s as one half of the group Kool G Rap & DJ Polo and as a member of the Juice Crew...
, K-Solo
K-Solo
K-Solo is an American rapper from Central Islip, New York who, along with EPMD, Redman, Das EFX, and Keith Murray, was part of the Hit Squad in 1990s.-Late years:...
, and former 106 & Park
106 & Park
106 & Park is a Top Ten Hip-Hop and R&B music video show, set up in a countdown format, that airs weekdays at 6:00 PM on BET . Since its inception, it was the network's #1 rated show...
host Free
Free (rapper)
Antoinette Marie Wright, better known by her stage name, "Free" , is an American media personality, television producer and philanthropist. She rose to fame as the first host of BET's 106 & Park...
, among others. As Cloak N Dagga, the duo briefly toured the United States promoting the release.
The following month, after numerous delays, Canibus' seventh solo album, Hip-Hop for Sale
Hip-Hop for Sale
Hip-Hop for Sale is the seventh studio album by rapper Canibus, released on November 1, 2005 through his own label Mic Club Music in conjunction with Babygrande Records and Koch Entertainment. The album was originally produced entirely by Nottz, but other up-and-coming producers were included on...
, was released, but was panned by critics, who dismissed it as yet another failed attempt to gain mainstream recognition. Additionally, due to the earlier release of Mind Control and the leaking of most of the material in the form of a mixtape
Mixtape
A Mix Tape or Mixed Tape is a compilation of songs recorded in a specific order, traditionally onto an audio Compact Cassette.A Mix Tape, which usually reflects the musical tastes of its compiler, can range from a casually selected list of favorite songs, to a conceptual mix of songs linked by a...
entitled The Vitruvian Man, the release date had been pushed back to November, the original date having been May. The production on Hip-Hop for Sale was handled in part by Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
-based producer Nottz
Nottz
Dominick Lamb better known by his stage name, Nottz is a music producer, writer and rapper from Norfolk, Virginia, U.S. He sometimes extends his executive name to Nottz Raw.-History:...
, with several relatively unknown producers handling the remaining tracks after Nottz had cut ties with Canibus due to the appearance of The Vitruvian Man.The day of Hip-Hop for Sales release, Mic Club Master Volume One, a separate mixtape, appeared in stores, many of the songs receiving more praise than those present on the full-length album.
For Whom the Beat Tolls (2007)
In January 2007, it was announced that Canibus would release new material in 2007 exclusively on his own imprint, Mic Club Music, in a joint venture with Legion Entertainment and distributed via his former major label, Universal Music GroupUniversal Music Group
Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
. A pair of mixtapes, titled Nothing to Prove and Nothing to Lose, were slated for release in March 2007, but were eventually scrapped; instead, Canibus decided to use the best material from each mixtape to create a new full-length album entitled For Whom the Beat Tolls
For Whom the Beat Tolls
For Whom the Beat Tolls is the eighth studio album by rapper Canibus, released through Mic Club Music on May 29, 2007 in the United States and June 5 worldwide...
.
When the record was originally announced in March, there was only one confirmed track – the third installment in Canibus' "Poet Laureate
Poet Laureate
A poet laureate is a poet officially appointed by a government and is often expected to compose poems for state occasions and other government events...
" series, "Poet Laureate Infinity". The track has 1,000 bars, in the form of five 200 bar verses, and is layered in such a way that "when you mix it and spread it throughout five channels, [you have the ability] to mix the track differently every time". On April 8, 2007, the track was uploaded, by Canibus himself, to a website where the listener could mix the track differently on a digital mixing board. The website is now down, but the fansite Canibus-Central.com provided a backup.
"For Whom the Beat Tolls" was originally set for release in May 2007, but was pushed back one month, and a released on June 12, 2007 (though it was not distributed by Universal as previously reported). The album has 16 tracks and includes contributions from Killah Priest
Killah Priest
Walter Reed, better known as Killah Priest, Iron Sheik from the Middle East, or Masada, is an American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan affiliate who was raised in Bedford-Stuyvesant & Brownsville neighbourhoods in Brooklyn. He is known for intensely spiritual lyrics loaded with metaphors and religious...
and Vinnie Paz, among others, and featured two personally made mixes of the "Poet Laureate Infinity" track ("Poet Laureate Infinity v003" and "Poet Laureate Infinity v004").
Following the release of "For Whom the Beat Tolls", Canibus went on a sporadic tour in the U.S. to promote the record. In August 2007, Canibus made an announcement on his Myspace page that he had cut ties with his business partner Louis Lombard: "To my friends, family and fans, Just wanted everybody to know I no longer do business with Louis Lombard, III & Mic Club Music.
Melatonin Magik (2010)
In December 2009, it was announced that Canibus was in the process of releasing his 9th studio album Melatonin MagikMelatonin Magik
- Charts :...
. Melatonin Magik was released on February 09, 2010, to relatively positive reviews, being regarded as one of his most focused efforts yet. The album included several guest appearances, a marked contrast to many of his previous albums in which he kept features at a minimum.
C of Tranquility (2010)
His long awaited album C of TranquilityC of Tranquility
C Of Tranquility is the tenth studio album by Canibus released on October 5, 2010 on Interdependent Media.-Track listing:# Captn Cold Crush # Salute C Of Tranquility is the tenth studio album by Canibus released on October 5, 2010 on Interdependent Media.-Track listing:# Captn Cold Crush (Produced...
was released on Oct. 5, 2010. Producers include DJ Premier
DJ Premier
Christopher Edward Martin , better known by his stage name DJ Premier , is an American record producer and DJ, and was the instrumental half of the hip hop duo Gang Starr, together with emcee Guru...
, Jake One
Jake One
Jacob Dutton, better known as Jake One, is an American hip hop record producer from Seattle, Washington.-Biography:Dutton grew up in Capitol Hill and moved to the North End of Seattle when he was 15. He started making music on a Casio keyboard in 1992. He attended the University of Washington and...
, Scram Jones
Scram Jones
Marc Shemer, better known by his stage name Scram Jones, is a producer, DJ and emcee from New Rochelle, New York. He has produced music for the Wu-Tang Clan. Mariah Carey, Jae Millz, Saigon, and Lloyd Banks. As an emcee he has been featured alongside Nas, Saigon, Styles P, Kool G Rap and Immortal...
, Tha Bizness and J-Zone.
Lyrical Law and Royce Da 5'9"/Joe Budden Feud (2011)
Originally intended to be a Melatonin Magik remix album, as more and more guests were invited to feature, Canibus decided to also record new material for the album, and it quickly evolved into an official solo album. In April 2011, it was announced that he would be selling the album through his new website, canibuscatalogue.com in order to have more control over promotion and sale.An allegedly fake Twitter account posing to be Canibus began posting inflammatory comments towards Royce Da 5'9" and the Shady Records
Shady Records
Shady Records is an American record label specializing in hip hop music. Eminem and his manager Paul Rosenberg founded the label in 1999 after the release of The Slim Shady LP.Since the formation, the label has signed nine acts...
camp in early 2011, inciting verbal rebuttals from Royce, believing that the account had been him. Royce's fulmination continued, even after it had been announced that the account was fake by Canibus himself. This caused Canibus to release snippets from a track in which he has lines directed toward Royce. Royce responded simply by saying that Canibus had "fallen off" and could no longer rap well. Similar comments regarding the track were made by affiliate Joe Budden
Joe Budden
-Early life:Budden was born in Spanish Harlem, but lived in Queens until he was 12 and from there moved to Jersey City, New Jersey. He is one of five boys...
. Insulted, Canibus decided to release two audio snippets. One titled "Lyrical Law VS Joey Cupcakes" in which he harshly insults Budden; poking fun at his personal life and taking smaller shots at Royce Da 5'9". the other, titled "Lyrical Law VS Royce Da 5'9"" was a length of audio in which he goes in depth about his perception of the situation and further insults Royce Da 5'9".
A track entitled "Spring Training" was released by Joe Budden two days after "Lyrical Law VS Joey Cupcakes" containing lines directed towards Canibus. To many, the track appears to be a response. This is untrue however, as the track was allegedly recorded prior to having a conflict with Canibus. As of June 2011, an official response from either Royce or Budden (aside from brief messages on Twitter) has yet to surface.
Rip The Jacker 2: Infinity (2011)
Rip The Jacker II: Infinity will be a sequel to both Rip The JackerRip the Jacker
Rip the Jacker is the fifth studio album by rapper Canibus, released on July 22, 2003, through Babygrande Records.- Conception :After producer Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind produced the track "Liberal Arts" from Canibus' fourth album Mic Club: The Curriculum , Babygrande Records CEO Chuck Wilson...
and 2007's Poet Laureate Infinity. In September 2011, Canibus released a new track on his Reverb Nation page entitled "RTJ IIIFINITY LANDS OCTOBER 1st".
Military career
In 2002, Canibus signed up for the United States ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. In a 2005 interview, Canibus stated "I enlisted because I wanted to get away from the music.... I wanted to do something that gave me a separate definition from what I had done all through my teens and twenties. I was 28 when I enlisted". In 2004, he was caught smoking marijuana and was discharged for it.
Solo Albums
- 1998: Can-I-Bus
- 2000: 2000 B.C. (Before Can-I-Bus)
- 2001: C True Hollywood StoriesC True Hollywood StoriesC! True Hollywood Stories is the third studio album by the rapper Canibus, released through Archives Music on November 6, 2001. The album is Canibus' first release on an independent record label...
- 2002: Mic Club: The CurriculumMic Club: The CurriculumMic Club: The Curriculum is the fourth studio album by rapper Canibus, released on November 19, 2002 through Canibus' own label, Mic Club Music. It is generally recognized for its scholarly vocabulary and complex lyrics. Much of the production is handled by relatively unknown producers, though the...
- 2003: Rip the JackerRip the JackerRip the Jacker is the fifth studio album by rapper Canibus, released on July 22, 2003, through Babygrande Records.- Conception :After producer Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind produced the track "Liberal Arts" from Canibus' fourth album Mic Club: The Curriculum , Babygrande Records CEO Chuck Wilson...
- 2005: Mind ControlMind Control (Canibus album)Mind Control, is the sixth studio album by Canibus, released on June 21, 2005 through Gladiator Music and Tommy Boy Records. The album was originally recorded in 2001 before C True Hollywood Stories and was released to complete a contractual agreement Canibus had with Gladiator Music...
- 2005: Hip-Hop for SaleHip-Hop for SaleHip-Hop for Sale is the seventh studio album by rapper Canibus, released on November 1, 2005 through his own label Mic Club Music in conjunction with Babygrande Records and Koch Entertainment. The album was originally produced entirely by Nottz, but other up-and-coming producers were included on...
- 2007: For Whom the Beat TollsFor Whom the Beat TollsFor Whom the Beat Tolls is the eighth studio album by rapper Canibus, released through Mic Club Music on May 29, 2007 in the United States and June 5 worldwide...
- 2010: Melatonin MagikMelatonin Magik- Charts :...
- 2010: C of TranquilityC of TranquilityC Of Tranquility is the tenth studio album by Canibus released on October 5, 2010 on Interdependent Media.-Track listing:# Captn Cold Crush # Salute C Of Tranquility is the tenth studio album by Canibus released on October 5, 2010 on Interdependent Media.-Track listing:# Captn Cold Crush (Produced...
- 2011: Lyrical LawLyrical LawLyrical Law is the eleventh studio album by Canibus released on June 24, 2011 over Itunes. Physical copies were shipped Independently from his website, , starting July 5, 2011. Buyers of the album had a choice of the LP in a sleeve, jewel case, or as an LP Deluxe Package. The Lyrical Law Package...
- TBA: Rip the Jacker II: Infinityhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7udVRm0ad3M
Collaboration Albums
- 1993: Lyrical Warfare with Webb as T.H.E.M (The Heralds of Extreme Metaphors)
- 2003: The Horsemen ProjectThe Horsemen ProjectThe Horsemen Project is the first full-length album released by the hip hop supergroup The HRSMN through Think Differently Music/Proverbs Music Inc...
with Killah Priest, Kurupt & Ras Kass as The HRSMNThe HRSMNThe HRSMN is an American hip hop group that has released one album entitled The Horsemen Project. The group consists of the platinum and gold selling artists, Canibus, Ras Kass, Killah Priest, and Kurupt. The name of the group is in reference to the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, who appear in... - 2005: Def Con Zero with Phoenix Orion as Cloak-n-Dagga
- 2011: In Gods We Trust - Crush Microphones To Dust with Keith MurrayKeith Murray (rapper)Keith Murray is an American rapper and a member of the rap trio Def Squad, which includes fellow rappers Redman and Erick Sermon.-Music career:...
as The Undergods - TBA: The End is Near with Killah Priest, Kurupt & Ras Kass as The HRSMNThe HRSMNThe HRSMN is an American hip hop group that has released one album entitled The Horsemen Project. The group consists of the platinum and gold selling artists, Canibus, Ras Kass, Killah Priest, and Kurupt. The name of the group is in reference to the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, who appear in...
- TBA: Untitled Album with Kool G RapKool G RapNathaniel Thomas Wilson , better known by his stage names Kool G Rap , Kool G. Rap, and Giancana , is an American rapper, from the Corona neighborhood of Queens, New York. He began his career in the mid-1980s as one half of the group Kool G Rap & DJ Polo and as a member of the Juice Crew...
Collaboration EPs
- 2009: Canibus and Keith Murray Are the Undergods with Keith MurrayKeith Murray (rapper)Keith Murray is an American rapper and a member of the rap trio Def Squad, which includes fellow rappers Redman and Erick Sermon.-Music career:...
as The Undergods
Official Mixtapes
- 2003: The Brainstream
- 2003: My Name Is Nobody
- 2005: Mic Club Mixtape Master Volume One
- 2005: The Vitruvian Man