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.
Watch Who U Beef Wit
Canibus Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yo, you better watch who you beef with
You might be walking down the street then, suddenly you hear tire screeching
Niggas'll be hoping with heat and
Throw you in the car-seat and leave your lady standing there screaming
The whole weekend, you get blindfolded and beaten
Nose-bleeding, gasping for air, wheezing
You got kidnapped and you don't even know the reason
Watch who you beef with
(Canibus)
Yeah, It ain't no secret
Talking that street shit'll get you in some deep shit
See niggas know who you be with, where you be at
When you'll be gone, when you'll be back
All of my niggas got doctor degrees in thuganometry
We all know how to hold the heat properly
And how to conduct armed-robbery for personal property
And could go without food or water for twenty-four hours, at least
We fugitives, who ain't doing a bid
And shoot to live, even if it means leaving you for dead
‘Cause niggas like you get scared, look for loopholes
Pick the phone up and dial nine, uno, uno
What happened to them cruel niggas that you talk about?
Them cruel niggas that you never walk without?
I know what happened, y'all heard about the double action
Portable gatling, and y'all don't want get blasted
(Chorus: Canibus)
Yo, you better watch who you beef with
You might be walking down the street then, suddenly you hear tire screeching
Niggas'll be hoping with heat and
Throw you in the car-seat and leave your lady standing there screaming
The whole weekend, you get blindfolded and beaten
Nose-bleeding, gasping for air, wheezing
You got kidnapped and you don't even know the reason
We even called your fans for ransom, they said, "Keep him"
Watch who you beef with
(Canibus)
Ey yo
We run up in radio stations on some unannounced shit
Catch the DJ off guard and round-house him
Duck tape his mouth then, put a pound to his gut
And force him to play five cuts off the up-and-coming album
Just the way I planned it, niggas'll start to panic
Brains get hijacked like planes'll crash landing
Bitch niggas pray to the Lord
The black box that was supposed to record the pilot's voice got destroyed
So watch who you beef with, and watch who you suck your teeth at
It'll probably be something you regret
You'll get wet with horizontal rain droplets
Miniature rockets, coming out barrels of metal objects
Niggas get shot in the face
On the ground shaking like Tectonic plates, that cause earthquakes
Now you got your grill in the ground, how that dirt taste?
You shouldn't have started this shit in the first place
(Chorus: Canibus)
Yo, you better watch who you beef with
You might be walking down the street then, suddenly you hear tire screeching
Niggas'll be hoping with heat and
Throw you in the car-seat and leave your lady standing there screaming
The whole weekend, you get blindfolded and beaten
Nose-bleeding, gasping for air, wheezing
You got kidnapped and you don't even know the reason
We even called your fans for ransom, they said, "Keep him"
Watch who you beef with
(Canibus)
‘Cause niggas is coming to get you, ready to rip you
With intercontinental ballistic-missiles and pistols
Put a red dot on your head like you Hindu
Then put a hole in you big enough to put my open fist through
We can verbally diss you, or we can get physical
Whatever niggas want to do, we can do it too
‘Cause you a sinner, I'm a sinner, we all sinners
We've robbed niggas for they presents at they Bar Mitzvahs
We've robbed niggas for they body organs
And sold them to the highest bidders, things like hearts and livers
One and a half million in cash when it's delivered
Then go to Yom Kippur and beg for God to forgive us
See you the type that, finds violence real frightening
And holds your crucifix tighter when shells is firing
Sitting by your bed perspiring, trying to crawl underneath it
You need to watch who you beef with
(Chorus: Canibus)
Yo, you better watch who you beef with
You might be walking down the street then, suddenly you hear tire screeching
Niggas'll be hoping with heat and
Throw you in the car-seat and leave your lady standing there screaming
The whole weekend, you get blindfolded and beaten
Nose-bleeding, gasping for air, wheezing
You got kidnapped and you don't even know the reason
We even called your fans for ransom, they said, "Keep him"
Watch who you beef with
(Canibus)
Keep that low-down stinking dirty motherfucker
You need to watch who you beef with
You need to watch who you beef with
You need to watch who you beef with
Yeah nigga, watch who you beef with
Watch who you beef with
The lyrics to the song "Watch Who You Beef Wit" by Canibus talks about the consequences of getting into violent confrontations with people. The chorus sets the tone of the song by warning listeners to be cautious about who they cross paths with, as they could end up getting kidnapped, beaten, and left for dead. The verses on this track go on to describe Canibus' experience with street violence and his capacity to handle it as a "fugitive" surrounded by people who have "doctor degrees in thuganometry." These people know how to "conduct armed-robbery for personal property" and can "go without food or water for twenty-four hours at least."
Canibus also describes how easy it is to locate and harm those who wronged you, whether it's a radio DJ or a rapper who offended you with their lyrics. He cautions listeners to think twice before picking a fight with him and his associates, who are not afraid to use "intercontinental ballistic missiles and pistols" or to rob you for your "body organs." The song's message is that violence begets violence and that one should always watch who they cross to avoid getting caught up in dangerous situations.
Overall, "Watch Who You Beef Wit" is a cautionary tale of the dangers of engaging in street violence, delivered with Canibus' characteristic lyrical dexterity and sharp delivery.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo, you better watch who you beef with
Be careful who you engage in conflict with
You might be walking down the street then, suddenly you hear tire screeching
You could be in the wrong place at the wrong time
Niggas'll be hoping with heat and
People will have guns and be ready to use them
Throw you in the car-seat and leave your lady standing there screaming
Kidnap you and leave your loved ones distraught
The whole weekend, you get blindfolded and beaten
You'll be tortured for days without knowing why
Nose-bleeding, gasping for air, wheezing
You'll be physically and mentally broken
You got kidnapped and you don't even know the reason
You'll be taken without any explanation
We even called your fans for ransom, they said, "Keep him"
Your captors will contact your followers and demand money in exchange for your release
Yeah, It ain't no secret
Everyone knows
Talking that street shit'll get you in some deep shit
Boasting about living a dangerous lifestyle will lead to trouble
See niggas know who you be with, where you be at
People know who you associate with and your whereabouts
When you'll be gone, when you'll be back
Your routine is known
All of my niggas got doctor degrees in thuganometry
My associates are skilled in criminal activity
We all know how to hold the heat properly
We're proficient in handling firearms
And how to conduct armed-robbery for personal property
We know how to steal from others at gunpoint
And could go without food or water for twenty-four hours, at least
We're accustomed to going without basic necessities for extended periods of time
We fugitives, who ain't doing a bid
We're wanted by law enforcement and have avoided serving time in prison
And shoot to live, even if it means leaving you for dead
We'll use deadly force to protect ourselves
'Cause niggas like you get scared, look for loopholes
Individuals like you become fearful and search for a way out
Pick the phone up and dial nine, uno, uno
Dial 911 for help
What happened to them cruel niggas that you talk about?
What happened to the dangerous people you claimed to know
Them cruel niggas that you never walk without?
The individuals who you said you always had with you for protection
I know what happened, y'all heard about the double action
You and your associates were likely harmed by stronger opponents
Portable gatling, and y'all don't want get blasted
Our firearms are powerful and could cause great harm to you
We run up in radio stations on some unannounced shit
We'll show up at your place of work and cause chaos without warning
Catch the DJ off guard and round-house him
Physically harm the radio DJ when they least expect it
Duck tape his mouth then, put a pound to his gut
Prevent the DJ from calling for help and threaten them with a firearm
And force him to play five cuts off the up-and-coming album
Compel the DJ to play certain songs to promote our upcoming music release
Just the way I planned it, niggas'll start to panic
Our actions will cause widespread fear
Brains get hijacked like planes'll crash landing
People's minds will be taken over like a hijacked airplane
Bitch niggas pray to the Lord
Weak individuals will pray for divine intervention
The black box that was supposed to record the pilot's voice got destroyed
Evidence that could be used against us was destroyed
So watch who you beef with, and watch who you suck your teeth at
Think twice before starting drama with someone, and even before expressing annoyance at someone
It'll probably be something you regret
You'll likely regret your actions
You'll get wet with horizontal rain droplets
Blood will be spilled
Miniature rockets, coming out barrels of metal objects
We'll shoot you with bullets from firearms
Niggas get shot in the face
People will be shot in the face
On the ground shaking like Tectonic plates, that cause earthquakes
The victims will be convulsing like the Earth's plates during earthquakes
Now you got your grill in the ground, how that dirt taste?
Now you're dead and buried, how does it feel?
You shouldn't have started this shit in the first place
You brought this trouble upon yourself
'Cause niggas is coming to get you, ready to rip you
We're coming to hurt you
With intercontinental ballistic-missiles and pistols
We'll use extreme force to harm you
Put a red dot on your head like you Hindu
We'll aim to kill you with precision
Then put a hole in you big enough to put my open fist through
The bullet wound will be large and gruesome
We can verbally diss you, or we can get physical
We can insult you or hurt you
Whatever niggas want to do, we can do it too
We're prepared to escalate the situation as far as necessary
'Cause you a sinner, I'm a sinner, we all sinners
We're all flawed human beings who've done wrong things
We've robbed niggas for they presents at they Bar Mitzvahs
We've stolen from people who were celebrating their religious rites of passage
We've robbed niggas for they body organs
We've stolen organs from living people to sell on the black market
And sold them to the highest bidders, things like hearts and livers
We've profited off of human suffering and desperation
One and a half million in cash when it's delivered
We've made a significant amount of money from criminal activity
Then go to Yom Kippur and beg for God to forgive us
We don't truly feel guilty and mock the religious practices of others
See you the type that, finds violence real frightening
You're not cut out for this kind of lifestyle
And holds your crucifix tighter when shells is firing
You'll turn to religion in moments of danger
Sitting by your bed perspiring, trying to crawl underneath it
You'll be constantly afraid and paranoid
You need to watch who you beef with
You should be careful who you get into conflicts with
Keep that low-down stinking dirty motherfucker
Stay away from scummy individuals like us
Yeah nigga, watch who you beef with
Seriously, be careful who you mess with
Contributed by Nora F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.