sny ipod on shuffle discovery: Canibus "Master Thesis"

I've had my 20 gig ipod for about 5 months and so far I've added just over 1700 songs. I've come to realize that there are probably not 5000 songs out there to fill this thing and as hard as I try, I'll never completely listen to the 1740 I have on it now.

Just scrolling through the list of artists reveals an eclectic mix--from Amerie to Frank Zappa, perhaps now as high-brow as most, but certainly not one dimensional either. In an effort to discovery new music I've even added songs and albums from new artists of varying genres just to open my mind to new and exciting audio delights. More than not I stick to what I know and like (as I'm sure most people do), but on the occassions when I'm too lazy to thumb the click wheel I just let the ipod suffle through the songs and that brings me to Canibus.

The most I had known about him was that a few years back he had a beef with LL Cool J during a rap session and shortly disappeared. A friend of mine and passionate Canibus supporter shared his knowledge and collection with me. I added songs to my ipod and promised to see what the hub-bub was about. Whenever a Canibus song came on I would scroll to the next song, but the intro to "Master Thesis" always intrigued me. Finally I listened.

Amazing. Canibus has a flow and use of words that is rare in the rap game. There isn't talk of bling and bitches, but of deeper meanings and concepts.

The highest professorship, my English etiquette compels me to not say it if I can't spell it bitch My circularised 3rd Eye, sees all Atlantis was surrounded by 4 sea walls I read one-fourth of the Library of Alexandria before it was burnt to the floor I wish I could've learned more about the shapes of the sacred geometry they used to draw They were new millennium but Euclidian in form ancient in many ways but not nearly as old Carved from Egyptian gold molded in Assyria with processed Beryllium by the quintillion

I was transfixed by the visuals he described and haunting melody. This may not be the best Canibus has ever made, but if that is the case, his best must be a masterpiece.

Though heralded as a prospective talent at the time of his major-label debut in 1998, Canibus nonetheless became little more than a momentary phenomenon as his subsequent work failed to match the hype surrounding him. Following some underground work and cameo appearances. He retained a cultish following and continued to release albums independently of the majors, occasionally firing off more of the battle raps he remains most known for.

Born Germaine Williams in 1974 in Jamaica, Canibus moved to the United States with his mother at a young age. Because his mother's career required constant relocation, the family moved frequently and the soon-to-be rapper found solace within himself. His rhetorical abilities blossomed later, once hip-hop became the guiding force in his life.

In 2002, Canibus signed up for the United States Army. The reasons why are not entirely sure, but it is known that he was affected by the September 11, 2001 attacks. In May of 2003, two months before his fifth album would be released, he graduated from Ft. Knox and started out as a reconnaissance specialist. In 2004, he was caught smoking marijuana and was discharged for it.

Canibus' new album "Hip Hop For Sale" by Virginia Producer Nottz is coming soon and available Here. Canibus will also shoot his first solo video in five years for the album's title track in New York City.

Master Thesis is from the album Mic Club: The Curriculum available Here.


Special thanks to Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide

That's So New York