Canibus

Germaine Williams, better known by his stage name Canibus, is an American rapper. He is a part of supergroup The HRSMN.


Germaine Williams was born in Jamaica in 1974. His father, Basil Williams, is a former Jamaican cricketer. The family moved frequently, living in The Bronx, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Miami, Buffalo, and Montreal due to his mother's career requiring constant relocation. After completing high school in 1992, he spent a year working for AT&T and another year as a data analyst for the U.S. Department of Justice.



He began rhyming in the mid-'90s and by 1995 formed a duo called T.H.E.M. with Atlanta rapper Webb. While he was with Webb, he took part in a legendary cypher with the Wu Tang Clan family in Buffalo, New York, which earned him respect from the rap veterans. In 1996, T.H.E.M. split and Canibus teamed with businessman Charles Suitt.


For the first part of 1997, he was managed by the Fugees' Wyclef Jean, who was introduced to him by Jay-Z. It was at this time that the intense rivalry between him and rapper LL Cool J began. The battle stemmed from a collaboration with LL titled "4, 3, 2, 1" from LL's 1997 album Phenomenon. LL took offense to the lines, "L, is that a mic on your arm? Let me borrow that", which referenced his tattoo of a microphone on his arm ? and which Canibus claimed was his own way of showing the rap veteran respect ? and wrote an indirect diss to Williams: "The symbol on my arm is off limits to challengers" and "Now let's get back to this mic on my arm / If it ever left my side, it'd transform into a time bomb / You don't wanna borrow that, you wanna idolize." Before the song was released, LL Cool J asked Canibus to change his lines. Canibus claims that LL vowed to modify his own lines as well, but the later denied this and pointed out that nobody would know who he was talking about if only Canibus' line was changed. The original version eventually leaked, and fans started to piece the lines together.

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