If you can believe it, Canibus is still rhyming. He's still spittin' verses that are 10 minutes long and way over the heads of most casual Hip Hop fans. And, guess what? He still doesn't give a fuck if you like him or not. He STILL is unwavering in his stance against the industry and against watering down his content to sell more records. This is essentially why most of you didn't even know that today he released a new solo LP titled "Melatonin Magik." This is actually his NINTH album in the past 12 years!!! I bet most of you didn't have the slightest clue that he's been steadily releasing music this whole time. Granted, at least half of his releases were garbage, but they sucked more so because of Canibus's inability to pick quality beats (a negative attribute of his throughout his career, which, I believe, basically fucked his career).
His new album "Melatonin Magik" is no different than most of his releases this past decade. It's an average album primarily because the production is nothing to brag about. But, like all of his albums, it's worth listening to just to hear the insane lyrical content.
I had the pleasure of witnessing him perform live for the first time in my life last night at Southpaw in Brooklyn. After watching him flawlessly spit every single noteworthy, complicated rhyme he's written since hittin' the scene in 1998, I drew only one conclusion: CANIBUS IS NOT HUMAN, HE'S A FUCKIN' ROBOT. I mean this guy is a fuckin' perfectly crafted Cylon from Battlestar Galactica. He commanded the crowd who amazingly repeated every one of his lines in unison. The crowd was excellent and I was happy to see that New York still has a very alive and thriving REAL Hip Hop fan base. Canibus performed his new music acapella, which was very smart of him. This way, the crowd could appreciate the skills on his new shit without being distracted by the production. He also ran through classics like "2nd Round KO," "How We Roll," "2000 BC," and his verse from "4, 3, 2, 1." Even Agallah the Don was on stage with his fur coat and permed out hair spittin' all of Canibus's lines next to the DJ.
Canibus may not be one of the greatest rappers, but he's definitely one of the illest lyricists of all time. His show last night left me in awe at his stage presence and ceremony mastery. The new album is decent overall, but it's definitely a lesson in lyrical wordplay and metaphor. It would do most upcoming "emcees" a lot of good to give Canibus a listen. Maybe they'll learn how to put words together skillfully and creatively. I mean, shiiiiitttt, that's only the main piece of a rapper's job description, right???
Peep Canibus performing "2nd Round KO" live from Southpaw last night in Brooklyn. He also breaks down how the industry black balled his ass in the late '90s. Notice how the crowd knew every single line (and YOU KNOW my ass was hittin' every line in that bitch)!!! Check it below:
Also, peep this two minute freestyle acapella Canibus kicked last night:
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1 comments:
dope show. it was good to see him back. two things: 1. he rapped with a prerecorded backdrop the entire show. meaning he rapped over his lyrics. 2: he stumbled through the two best parts of his most noted song "second round ko". He started off beat, and forgot to jump in on the "now watch me rip that tat from your arm, kick you in the groin...". I knit pick because i love emceeing. can't exactly say he flawlessly spit every noteworthy complicated rhyme.
dope review otherwise.
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