Canibus
Can-I-Bus?
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Second round K.O.," Canibus' incendiary uppercut to LL Cool J last spring, rekindled memories of old-school MC battles. It also created an industry buzz unseen since Nas was crowned the heir apparent to Rakim. So much for the hype: Canibus, a protégé of the Fugees' Wyclef Jean, is a talented rapper, but he's far from being hip-hop's next great standard-bearer. Think of him as Larry Holmes defeating Muhammad Ali. Holmes won, but Ali will always be the champ. Can-I-Bus, Canibus' eagerly anticipated debut album, is a major disappointment. If you've read his press clippings, you know that Canibus references the Internet, the Bible, intergalactic conspiracy theories and even
Read More Gandhi. But spitting out facts and figures does not make you a dope MC. Spit is the operative word here: Canibus never alters his flow – he just rages from track to track. "Get Retarded" is the typical Canibus joint. Backed by a mundane drumbeat and pseudocomplex rhymes, Canibus palms his nuts hard and insists that rappers "haven't written the perfect rhyme yet." The sonically lame "Hypnytis" is a distant relative of the Biz Markie classic "Vapors." Problem is, Canibus adds nothing new to the mix: Lines like "People that treated you foul just wanna be nice now" are barely a synopsis of "Vapors." Even one of Canibus' better songs, the soul-drenched "What's Goin' On," is long on condemning rap's love affair with guns yet short on insight. Canibus naively asks, "Why is everyone packin'?" but his excessive use of "nigga" doesn't exactly uplift the race. What is missing from Can-I-Bus are the interesting life stories covered in those press clips – Canibus grew up in three different countries, but he doesn't bring that worldly perspective to the album. It is only on "I Honor U" that one gets a hint of Canibus' journey. Produced by Wyclef, this midtempo cut is an inspiring tribute to Canibus' mother. Lush vocal arrangements and slinky keys propel the track, making you wish Canibus had taken the time to write more-personal rhymes. The sensitive kid who surfs the Net and loves to read is MIA. Fact is, really intelligent cats don't reduce women to "bitches," call a rapper of LL's status a "faggot nigga" or give someone as misguided as Mike Tyson a cameo slot. In these smoke-filled last days of the 1990s, Canibus and Can-I-Bus are exactly what much of hip-hop has become: a lot of hype. Don't believe it. (RS 796) KEVIN POWELL Following his career-defining battle with LL Cool J, Canibus was poised to become a big rap star. With production from Wyclef, among others, his debut generated high hopes, but Can came up short, and his career has floundered ever since. Regardless, the album still sports some heat, namely the infamous LL dis track "Second Round K.O." and mix tape favorite "How We Ride. |
