Artist Canibus

Canibus is a paradoxical figure, equal parts old-school battle rapper and new-school prophet of doom. He’s a whip-smart lyricist, and where others might stress their hard-knock lives on the streets, Canibus boasts about his knowledge of such things as super-smart dolphins and bizarre conspiracy theories. (Canibus is onto you, Illuminati.) The Jamaican-born rapper’s long career has been a storied one: public grudges and feuds, brushes with the mainstream, critically panned albums. But through it all, Canibus remains an undeniable talent who's at his best when indulging his eccentricities—and this year’s Melatonin Magik does just that. His ninth studio album is intensely cerebral and densely layered in provocation and premise. It’s a uniquely Canibus effort, for better or for worse. 

Updated 05/12/2010