This group consisted also of his partner Webb. Following a fallout with his partner, Canibus pursued a solo career and began infiltrating the mix-tape circuit. By 1997, he had approached the brink of the major-label rap game, guesting regularly on high-profile releases: He contributed to "Uni-4-orm," an inclusion on the Rhyme & Reason soundtrack also featuring Heltah Skeltah and Rass Kass; "Love, Peace & Nappiness," an inclusion on the Lost Boyz's Love, Peace & Nappiness also featuring Redman and A+; "Making a Name for Ourselves," an inclusion on Common's One Day It'll All Make Sense; the non-album remix of Wyclef Jean's "Gone Till November."
And most famously, "4, 3, 2, 1," an inclusion on LL Cool J's Phenomenon also featuring Redman, DMX, and Method Man.
Of the several guest appearances, "4, 3, 2, 1" certainly meant the most, as it brought together many of New York's preeminent hardcore rappers and thus ushered Canibus into that same elite class. At the same time, however, Canibus lashed out shortly afterward with the Mike Tyson-featuring "Second Round K.O.," where he rhymed, "So I'ma let the world know the truth, you don't want me to shine/You studied my rhyme, then you laid your vocals after mine."
In fact, the entirety of the song directed barbed rhymes at LL: "You walk around showin' off your body cause it sells/Plus to avoid the fact that you ain't got skills/Mad at me 'cause I kick that sh*t real niggaz feel/While 99 percent of your fans wear high heels," and so on. Shortly thereafter, LL sought his revenge, releasing "The Ripper Strikes Back" on the Survival of the Illest soundtrack (1998) and thus channeling even more attention toward Canibus.
From the track's chorus ("Can-I-bus? Yes you can!") to practically every line of the verses ("You soft as a newborn baby takin' a nap/Make my dick hard with that bitch-ass track/Where you at? smokin' in some one-room flat/Suckin' on Clef's dick hopin' to come back"), LL unleashed a fury of insults and threats. The media, of course, elevated the battle to grand heights, as even MTV gave the story headlines. In the aftermath of 2Pac's and Biggie's deaths, such confrontations fascinated the rap community, and Canibus certainly capitalized on his newfound publicity.
As for his debut full-length, Can-i-bus (1998), though, the response was sobering. Critics expressed little support, and sales quickly dropped as listeners also felt genuinely disappointed. Executive produced by Wyclef, the album suffered on many levels, both production-wise and rhetorically as well (critics targeting Canibus' delivery more than his lyrics or themes). The momentum that "Second Round K.O." had generated simmered almost immediately, and it didn't help that LL's "Ripper Strikes Back" found substantial acceptance at the time as well.
In the two years following the release of Can-i-bus, the rapper maintained an extremely low profile, much in contrast to the regular guest appearances he had made leading up to his debut. As a result, when he finally did return with his follow-up album, 2000 B.C. (2000), few noticed, it came and went generally unheard, and Canibus returned to the underground after parting ways with Universal. He continued to record albums and release them on the independent circuit (including 2002's Mic Club, 2003's Rip the Jacker, and 2005's Mind Control); furthermore, he retained a small base of fans as well, yet his days as the next-big-thing had clearly come and gone, as they similarly had for so many other talented rappers.
Channel Zero
Canibus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm talkin to all y'all hard rock niggas
Let y'all niggas know that I understand
What niggas is really goin through ya understand?
Motherfuckin down to they last cent
Smoke the looseys
Thinkin up shit to do, doin stick ups and shit
Bustin at niggas, murderin niggas
What if that was your breed was you murderin clown?
It's wack
Shout out to grandpa, you know what i'm sayin
Shout out to grandpa kelly
My man ralou's brother little Deven
Ya know I'm sayin, Freaky Taliq's moms, rest in peace
Know I'm sayin
Everybody wanna live the ill life, know i'm sayin
But yo we tryin ta live it like love, peace and nappiness
You know I'm sayin, word up
I'm growing up in the ghetto
And there was nobody happy
And my head is mad nappy and
I'm thinkin up a way that I can get some dough
Man I'm tryin ta blow
But yet this record shit is so slow
I got the whole family on my back
All I do is eat and sleep
Run the street with that steel pack
You know the lost boyz got
With timbs and jeans
Field jackets, and hats coverin the eyes
But listen, that's how it is
If you don't dig how I live
Motherfucka
Cuz everyday on the street
The black man is gettin beat
Police line us up on the concrete
Now people look at me
And always see wrong
A new problem everyday
I'm tryin ta be strong
Now how strong can a nigga be
When the blacks is locked down
And the white man's got the key
It's gettin harder day after day
Somebody got ta pay
And in my closet lays an AK
The new cat is found dead
Plus when he killed the girl
He put the gun to his own head
Ya never hear it on the 6:00 news
When my niggas get killed in the street over tennis shoes
It's hard enough for us blacks to earn cash man
The homeless keep warm by settin fire to a trash can
Now everyday I need ends
New shit my nigga weed
St. Ides is my best friend
Pa's is broke
No calls comin in on my phone
And money I'm down to my last stone
My mom dukes is always bangin on my door
My music's too loud
I got clothes on the floor (pick em up)
She doesn't understand
I'm cruisin in the fast lane
I'm fresh outta nerves
Ma, you're workin on my last vein
Now how can I explain
That I don't wanna take her out
But that's stuck in my brain
We're havin fight after fight
Because I leave when it's bright
And comes home the next night
But that's the life that I live understands me
It's bad enough that Po-Nine tried ta can me
Ayo my lifestyle is rough
I got three sisters, four brothers
Man, ain't this enough?
But yet I gots no hero
But I got the 411 on the ghetto
Tune into channel zero
Tune into channel zero
Tune into channel zero
Everybody in the world
Everybody uptown
Everybody in Queens
Tune into channel zero
Everybody in Brooklyn
Everybody in the Bronx
Everybody in the world
Tune into channel zero
I live in Queens, New York (what you do?)
I twist a cap with my niggas
Smoke a blunt let's start to talk
About this ill situation
That us blacks is in
It's time we build a better nation
Motherfuck them police
Some whites talk about peace
But they ain't ready for the planet
Marky Mark be talkin that slang
But he don't even understand it
Yea I said Marky Mark
Frontin like the buddarist punk
I never saw you in the park
You give it all to your bullshit skills G
A white boy actin black, that shit kills me
Pants hangin, talkin slang kid and all that
I never seen you in the projects or black
Ya never wons no grammy
Ya whites gave Elvis a stamp
But what ya plan ta give my man Sammy?
The lyrics of Canibus’s "Channel Zero" focus on the hardships that individuals living in the ghetto face, from struggling to make money to the constant threat of violence, racial injustices, and police brutality. Canibus acknowledges that he understands the difficult lives of those who have to resort to stealing or selling drugs in order to make ends meet. This is evident in the lyrics "Let y'all niggas know that I understand What niggas is really goin through ya understand? Motherfuckin down to they last cent Smoke the looseys Thinkin up shit to do, doin stick ups and shit Bustin at niggas, murderin niggas Gettin bullshit ass money."
He also talks about how hard it is to make it in the music industry, especially when one comes from poverty. He talks about how record deals take a lot of time and how frustrating it is to wait around for one. He states in the lyrics "But yet this record shit is so slow I got the whole family on my back All I do is eat and sleep Run the street with that steel pack" Canibus emphasizes the life that he lives and the struggles he has to face growing up in the ghetto. Although he constantly faces negative perceptions from others in his neighborhood and from society, he maintains a sense of pride and rebellion as he refuses to allow this to define him.
Line by Line Meaning
Ayo, yea niggas
Hey, yeah everyone
I'm talkin to all y'all hard rock niggas
I'm addressing all of you tough individuals
Let y'all niggas know that I understand
I want to let you all know that I understand
What niggas is really goin through ya understand?
I comprehend the struggles that you all are going through, do you understand?
Motherfuckin down to they last cent
They are completely broke
Smoke the looseys
Smoking cheap cigarettes
Thinkin up shit to do, doin stick ups and shit
Coming up with criminal activities to do, like robberies
Bustin at niggas, murderin niggas
Shooting and killing individuals
Gettin bullshit ass money
Earning low-quality, insignificant money
What if that was your breed was you murderin clown?
Imagine if it was your own family that you were killing, you clown
It's wack
It's terrible
Shout out to grandpa, you know what i'm sayin
I want to give a shout out to my grandpa, do you understand?
Shout out to grandpa kelly
I specifically want to mention grandpa Kelly in my shout out
My man ralou's brother little Deven
I also want to acknowledge little Deven, the brother of my friend Ralou
Ya know I'm sayin, Freaky Taliq's moms, rest in peace
I want to express my condolences to the mother of Freaky Taliq, who is no longer with us
Know I'm sayin
Do you understand what I'm saying?
Everybody wanna live the ill life, know i'm sayin
Everyone wants to live a reckless and exciting life, do you understand?
But yo we tryin ta live it like love, peace and nappiness
But we are trying to live it with love, peace, and happiness
You know I'm sayin, word up
You know what I'm saying, that's the truth
I'm growing up in the ghetto
I am maturing in a disadvantaged neighborhood
And there was nobody happy
No one was content or joyful
And my head is mad nappy and
And my hair is extremely unkempt and messy
I'm thinkin up a way that I can get some dough
I'm trying to come up with a plan to make money
Man I'm tryin ta blow
Man, I'm trying to become successful
But yet this record shit is so slow
But the progress in my music career is very slow
I got the whole family on my back
I am responsible for supporting my entire family
All I do is eat and sleep
All I do is take care of basic needs like eating and sleeping
Run the street with that steel pack
I roam the streets carrying a gun for protection
You know the lost boyz got
You know the group Lost Boyz has
With timbs and jeans
With Timberland boots and jeans
Field jackets, and hats coverin the eyes
Wearing military-style jackets and hats pulled down low to cover the eyes
But listen, that's how it is
But understand, that's the reality
If you don't dig how I live
If you don't understand my lifestyle
Motherfucka
Damn
Cuz everyday on the street
Because every day on the streets
The black man is gettin beat
Black men are facing violence
Police line us up on the concrete
Police make us stand in a row on the pavement
Now people look at me
Now people judge me
And always see wrong
And always see me in a negative light
A new problem everyday
A new challenge every day
I'm tryin ta be strong
I'm trying to stay strong
Now how strong can a nigga be
Now, how strong can a person be
When the blacks is locked down
When black people are being incarcerated
And the white man's got the key
And the white people have control over our fate
It's gettin harder day after day
It's becoming more difficult each day
Somebody got ta pay
Someone has to be held accountable
And in my closet lays an AK
And I have an AK-47 hidden in my closet
The new cat is found dead
The recent guy is found dead
Plus when he killed the girl
In addition, when he killed the girl
He put the gun to his own head
He committed suicide by shooting himself
Ya never hear it on the 6:00 news
You never hear about it on the news at 6 o'clock
When my niggas get killed in the street over tennis shoes
When my friends get murdered in the streets over sneakers
It's hard enough for us blacks to earn cash man
It's already difficult for black people to make money, man
The homeless keep warm by settin fire to a trash can
Homeless people stay warm by starting fires in trash cans
Now everyday I need ends
Now every day I need money
New shit my nigga weed
New things, my friend, includes weed
St. Ides is my best friend
I rely on St. Ides (a brand of malt liquor) as my closest companion
Pa's is broke
My father is broke
No calls comin in on my phone
I don't receive any phone calls
And money I'm down to my last stone
I only have a small amount of money left
My mom dukes is always bangin on my door
My mother is constantly knocking on my door
My music's too loud
I play my music too loudly
I got clothes on the floor (pick em up)
I have clothes scattered on the floor (pick them up)
She doesn't understand
She doesn't comprehend
I'm cruisin in the fast lane
I'm living a fast-paced lifestyle
I'm fresh outta nerves
I have no more patience
Ma, you're workin on my last vein
Mom, you're pushing me to my limit
Now how can I explain
Now how can I justify
That I don't wanna take her out
That I don't want to take her on a date
But that's stuck in my brain
But that idea is constantly on my mind
We're havin fight after fight
We're constantly arguing
Because I leave when it's bright
Because I leave when it's still daytime
And comes home the next night
And return home the following night
But that's the life that I live understands me
But that's the life I lead, do you understand me?
It's bad enough that Po-Nine tried ta can me
It's already bad that the police tried to arrest me
Ayo my lifestyle is rough
Hey, my lifestyle is challenging
I got three sisters, four brothers
I have three sisters and four brothers
Man, ain't this enough?
Man, isn't this already a lot?
But yet I gots no hero
But I still don't have a role model
But I got the 411 on the ghetto
But I have all the information about the ghetto
Tune into channel zero
Listen closely to what I have to say
Everybody in the world
Everyone around the world
Everybody uptown
Everyone in the uptown area
Everybody in Queens
Everyone in Queens, New York
Tune into channel zero
Listen closely to what I have to say
Everybody in Brooklyn
Everyone in Brooklyn, New York
Everybody in the Bronx
Everyone in the Bronx, New York
Everybody in the world
Everyone around the world
Tune into channel zero
Listen closely to what I have to say
I live in Queens, New York (what you do?)
I reside in Queens, New York (what do you do?)
I twist a cap with my niggas
I open a bottle with my friends
Smoke a blunt let's start to talk
Let's smoke a marijuana joint and begin talking
About this ill situation
About this terrible situation
That us blacks is in
That we black people are facing
It's time we build a better nation
It's time for us to construct a better country
Motherfuck them police
Fuck the police
Some whites talk about peace
Some white people talk about peace
But they ain't ready for the planet
But they are not prepared for the world
Marky Mark be talkin that slang
Marky Mark (a white rapper) speaks in that style
But he don't even understand it
But he doesn't even understand it
Yea I said Marky Mark
Yes, I mentioned Marky Mark
Frontin like the buddarist punk
Acting as if he is the biggest punk
I never saw you in the park
I never saw you in the neighborhood
You give it all to your bullshit skills G
You give your all to your useless skills, G (slang for friend)
A white boy actin black, that shit kills me
A white guy acting black, that really upsets me
Pants hangin, talkin slang kid and all that
With pants hanging low and using slang, kid, and all that
I never seen you in the projects or black
I never saw you in the housing projects or around black people
Ya never wons no grammy
You never won any Grammy awards
Ya whites gave Elvis a stamp
White people idolized Elvis Presley
But what ya plan ta give my man Sammy?
But what are you planning to give my friend Sammy?
Lyrics © Spirit Music Group
Written by: DEXTER A ARCHER, TERRANCE COCHEEKS KELLY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind