Songoftheday 3/31/21 - So I'm a let the world know the truth you don't want me to shine, you studied my rhyme then you lays your vocals after mine...
"Second Round K.O." - Canibus
from the album Can-I-Bus (1998)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #29 (one week)
Weeks in the Top-40: 7
Today's song of the day comes from rapper Germaine Williams, who records under the moniker Canibus. Born in Jamaica, he moved with his mother to the United States. Williams started a career in hip-hop after working in public service, and first got noticed as a guest on LL Cool J's single "1,2,3,4". However that featured cameo caused some drama, as his verse about LL was perceived by that rapper as a dis, who inserted his own rebuttal in the finish version of that same song. Feeling slighted, Canibus used this perceived "feud" as fodder for his own solo debut single, "Second Round K.O.". A reference to LL's single "Mama Said Knock You Out", the barrage of disses and boasts sounded weird coming from an unknown newcomer, and bordering comical from a weaselly-looking guy like him trying to threaten a powerhouse (lyrically and physically) like Mr. Smith. But the controversy gave him headlines, and even bad news is good news, and he had enough pull to get Wyclef Jean to produce the single...
"Second Round K.O." became Canibus' first and only top-40 pop hit in May of 1998. The song also climbed to #13 on Billboard magazine's R&B chart, and #3 on their Rap Singles list. Internationally, the single reached the top-40 in the UK at #35 and New Zealand at #30. The Can-I-Bus album came in all the way at #2 on the Billboard 200 sales list.
Later that year, Canibus was a guest on Senegalese singer Youssou N'Dour's "How Come" from the Bulworth soundtrack, which was a minor British hit at #52. It was another Wyclef production, but by the time of the aftermath of the debut, Canibus found himself feuding with Wyclef, and by the time of his sophomore effort on Universal Records, 2000 BC (Before Canibus), interest pretty much faded, with single "Mic-Nificent" stalling down at #23 on Billboard's Rap Singles list and not even placing on their pop and R&B charts. The album made the top ten on the R&B chart at #6, and got into the top-40 on the Billboard 200 at #23, but that wasn't enough for Universal to let him go. Since then Canibus has released thirteen albums independently, with a smattering of them making the R&B albums list, and one, Rip The Jacker from 2003, popping on to the Billboard 200 at #194. His most recent set, Full Specturm Dominance, was released in 2019.
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Here's Canibus on a TV appearance...
and finally, live in concert with a friggin' lion (call PETA)...
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