Canibus
Canibus | |
|---|---|
| File:Canibus.jpg Germaine Williams | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Jamaica |
| Years active | 1995 - present |
Germaine Williams (born December 9 1974), better known as Canibus and also as Can-I-Bus and Rip the Jacker, is a Jamaican-born, American MC and rapper.
Background
After his parents, Basil and Elaine Williams, divorced, Williams moved to the United States with his mother at the age of thirteen. His first new home was The Bronx, where he found an interest in the hip-hop culture, beatboxing, breakdancing and rap music. Due to his mother's job he was often forced to move, living in Washington, D.C., Miami, Florida, Buffalo, New York, England (where his mother originated from), Atlanta, Georgia and New Jersey. This constant movement limited his ability to make friends and turned him into something of a recluse[1]. Williams graduated high school in 1992 and went on to work for AT&T and the US Department of Justice as a data analyst. It was at this time that Williams became highly interested in the Internet. Having developed this interest in computers and the Internet, he studied computer science at DeKalb Community College (now Georgia Perimeter College) in Atlanta.
Music career
Early career (1995–1997)
He began rhyming in the mid-'90s and by 1995 formed a duo called T.H.E.M. (The Heralds of Extreme Metaphors) with Atlanta rapper Webb (now called C.I., aka Central Intelligence). While he was with Webb, he took part in a legendary cypher with the Wu Tang Clan family in Buffalo, New York, which earned him respect from the rap veterans. In 1996, T.H.E.M. split and Canibus teamed with businessman Charles Suitt. In 1997, Canibus started earning respect in the hip hop world after making numerous guest appearances with artists including The Lost Boyz, Common, Wyclef Jean, Ras Kass, Heltah Skeltah and The Firm.
Debut album, LL Cool J feud and sophomore album (1998–2000)
For the first part of 1998, he was managed by the main man behind the Fugees, Wyclef Jean, who was introduced to him by Jay-Z. It was at this time that the intense rivalry between him and rapper LL Cool J began. The battle stemmed from a collaboration with LL titled "4, 3, 2, 1" from L's 1997 album Phenomenon. LL took offense to the lines, "L, is that a mic on your arm? Let me borrow that", which referenced his tattoo of a microphone on his arm – and which Canibus claimed were his own way of showing the rap veteran respect – and wrote an indirect diss to Williams: "The symbol on my arm is off limits to challengers / You don't wanna borrow that, you wanna idolize". Before the song was released, LL Cool J asked Bis to change his lines. Canibus claims that LL vowed to modify his own lines as well, but the latter denied this and pointed out that nobody would know who he was talking about if only Canibus' line was changed. The original version eventually leaked, and fans started to piece the lines together.
After inking a deal with Universal Records in 1998, Canibus released his debut single, "Second Round K.O.", in which Williams commenced an all-out assault on LL for dissing him on "4, 3, 2, 1". The rivalry continued, with both sides releasing further diss tracks (LL Cool J's "The Ripper Strikes Back" and Canibus' own "Rip the Jacker", among others), but eventually the feud fizzled out.
Later on in his career, Canibus would have a similar, but less publicized rivalry with hip-hop superstar Eminem, with the latter referring to him as "Can-I-Bitch" in several songs. Additionally, a song entitled "Can-I-Bitch" leaked onto the Internet and file-sharing networks in 2004 and was subsequently released on the bootleg album Straight from the Lab; the song itself sees Eminem commenting on the rivalry in a humorous tone, with a number of explicit references to Canibus' rapping style.
Canibus' debut album Can-I-Bus came out in September of 1998. While "Second Round K.O.", produced by Wyclef Jean, was a success, with the song and video featuring Wyclef and a cameo appearance by boxer Mike Tyson, the album itself was a commercial failure. Despite eventually being certified Gold, critics (including The Source) also panned the album, criticizing both Canibus' subject matter and Wyclef's beats, most of which were considered inferior to both "Second Round K.O." and the artists' previous collaborations.
Because Wyclef produced the grand majority of the tracks, 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., 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.
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 outtakes 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 of 2005, Williams revealed that he had recorded five songs with Wyclef and Jerry Wonder at Platinum Studios in New York for the upcoming Fugees reunion album. Whether or not those recordings will appear on the album hasn't been determined yet.
C True Hollywood Stories (2001)
In 2001, Canibus released his third album, C True Hollywood Stories, the title and some of the content deriving from the television show E! True Hollywood Stories of the E! television network. 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 hype man, 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".
Despite, or perhaps partly due to, the varying interpretations of the release, it is still regarded as one of Canibus' weakest releases; reviewers noted that Canibus attempted to alter his voice, possibly in order to gain mainstream appeal, and that the production, handled by mostly unknown individuals, was significantly lacking in quality.
Mic Club: The Curriculum and Rip the Jacker (2002–2003)
After the critical and commercial 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 handed 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, an unexpected decision which confused much of his fan base. 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 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 Jacker's 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 hadn't 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 Control (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 combination of previously released material and new songs and 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 Sale's 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.
Upcoming releases
Canibus has an assorted number of projects that have been announced, but, as of December 2006, it is largely unknown when or if they will be released. It was officially reported that in 2006, Williams would release Mic Club, Vol. 2, the sequel to Mic Club: The Curriculum, as well as a sequel to Rip the Jacker. In October 2005, Dewey Cooper announced that Canibus would release a solo album on Head Trauma Records in 2006; this was to be entitled Caesar Germanicus. Canibus had gone on to state that all three albums were in production and that Caesar Germanicus would be his final release. However, it has been announced that Canibus has parted ways with Head Trauma Records (as well as Babygrande) so it's possible that Caesar Germanicus may not be released at all. He did have one recorded appearance in 2006, guesting on the song Ambition by Christian hip-hop duo GRITS.
Canibus has recently announced on his Canibus-Central fansite that he would be releasing an entirely new album on a new label, InterDependent Media; the album is said to be called The 'C' of Tranquility. Williams has confirmed that the production will be handled by DJ Premier, D.R. Period, Buckwild, Domingo, Scram Jones and Puerto Roc (Just Blaze has also been rumored to produce on the album, but this hasn't been confirmed). Tracks confirmed for this release include Bar War", described by Canibus as "400 bars structured as 200 bars accompanied by it's 200 bar twin".
Canibus will also be releasing 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 Group. A pair of mixtapes, titled Nothing to Prove and Nothing to Lose, are currently slated for release in February 2007. The mixtapes are to include features and production from Nas, DJ Premier, Wyclef Jean, GZA, Tha Dogg Pound, Tyrese, Domingo, Prince Paul, MF Doom, Butch Cassidy, Vinnie Paz of Jedi Mind Tricks, J. Wells, K-Solo, Doug E. Fresh, PlusScience, Mya and others. A new update on the Mic Club myspace page said "MARCH 2007 Mic Club Music will release Canibus' "NOTHING TO PROVE" in stores worldwide , 22 New Tracks including POET LAUREATE INFINITE Produced by DJ PREMIER." There is no confirmation when "Nothing To Lose" will be released yet, but the site said that micclub.net will be running up again shortly.[2]
A separate album is set to be released through Universal in late 2007, with an all-star lineup of producers and features. The LP, which may be called The Rebirth of Hip-Hop, will be Canibus' first release on a major label since 2000 B.C. (which was, ironically released on Universal).
Also, Canibus and Phoenix Orion are working on a sequel to Def Con Zero, entitled, "Def Con V2.0: Ground Zero". This album has four tracks already made and is slated to be released in 2007 as well. Since both Bis and PXO have left Head Trauma, the record is set to be released on PXO's own label, Phocus Entertainment. Canibus has also been confirmed to have signed some sort of deal with K-Solo's new label Waste Management Records, but it is unknown as to how this will come into play with his future releases.
Military career
In 2002, Canibus signed up for the United States Army. For the next three years, fans were not provided with an official reason for this decision. It was originally thought that the rapper joined the military because he was affected by the September 11, 2001 attacks, but, according to an interview with SOHH.com from 2005, there was another reason: "'I enlisted because I wanted to get away from the music,' said the MC. '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'" [3]. In May of 2003, two months before his fifth album, Rip the Jacker, was released to rave reviews, he graduated from Fort Knox and began working as a reconnaissance specialist. In 2004, the authorities found Williams smoking marijuana and thereby discharged him.
Subject matter
Canibus is known for his scientific and philosophical approach to hip hop. In many of his lyrics, he uses scientific jargon and often creates intricate rhyme schemes.
I destroy your whole city block when I'm ready to rock
blow your speaker box magnetically shielded or not
magnetic energies propagates in radio waves
oscillate lyrics and beats copulate to pop your tape
manipulating space in large proportions
millions of brain organs get lost when I start talkin
about shit like, supernatural forces
gnomes and fairies and superstring theories
~"Chaos", 2000 B.C.
Canibus frequently uses complex phrases. He also uses intricate concepts to create punchlines, an important concept in rap music.
Discography
Albums (solo)
| Album cover | Album information |
|---|---|
Can-I-Bus
| |
| 2000 B.C. (Before Can-I-Bus) | |
C True Hollywood Stories
| |
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Mic Club: The Curriculum
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| Rip the Jacker | |
 |
Mind Control |
|
Hip-Hop for Sale
|
 |
The 'C' of Tranquility
|
|
The Re-Birth of Hip-Hop
|
Albums (group)
- The HRSMN - The Horsemen Project (2003)
- Cloak N Dagga - Def Con Zero (2005)
- Cloak N Dagga - "Def Con V2.0: Ground Zero" (2007)
Mixtapes
- My Name Is Nobody (2003)
- The Brainstream (2003)
- Mic Club Master Volume One (2005)
- Nothing to Prove (2007)
- Nothing to Lose (2007)
Filmography
- Bamboozled (2000)
- Beef 2 (2004)
- The MC: Why We Do It (2004)
References
External links
Official Websites
- Official Canibus homepage
- Canibus' profile page on Myspace
- Mic Club's page on Myspace
- Phocus Entertainment, for information on upcoming Cloak N Dagga album
- Babygrande Records official website
- Waste Managment official website