It seems that New York emcee veteran Canibus finally gave some people what they were asking for with second album of 2010, C of Tranquility. Canibus seemed to return to more conventional beat selection, and cut down the number of features on his album – two things that detracted from February’s Melantonin Magik. Complete with support from the legendary DJ Premier and Domingo, C of Tranquility is easily Canibus’ most wide-reaching and Hip Hop-rooted works in close to a decade. However, the human encyclopedia still slows himself up and hinders appeal with new levels of self-idolization.
From start to finish, C of Tranquility is driven by Canibus multi-syllabically rhyming about his aptitude as an emcee, mixed with detailed rhymes about esoteric subjects rarely touched on by emcees. There is no break, until the very last track, which is the one and only instance of a feature. But it’s just a remix of a standout track from earlier in the project – the DJ Premier assisted “Golden Terra of Rap” 
featuring the iM label-mates Von Pea and Donwill of Tanya Morgan, Truthlive, and Moe Green, and only brings a few new verses to the table.
When Canibus is left to fend for himself, this album maintains the subject matter that’s made the emcee a cult star, and shunned him by the mainstream. Digesting Canibus’ words takes focus and thought, and although some fans surely appreciate that in their music, this will alienate the crowd that is just looking for something to kick back, relax, light a blunt, and groove out to.
One of C of Tranquility‘s more audibly appealing offerings is the J-Zone-produced “Free Words.” The drawback is that it’s barely the length of an interlude, clocking in at 1:10. And besides this and the aforementioned DJ Premier joint, no other track stands out as good or bad. It’s simply passable. DJ D Sharp provides precise scratches on Scram Jones’ banger “Captain Cold Crush,” which serves as a decent way to introduce C of Tranquility, and leads right into “Salute,” produced by M.O.P./Smoothe Da Hustler hit-maker D/R Period, which sounds like something that Danze and Fame would have slaughtered. Thankfully Canibus’ rhymes are at some of their most palatable on “Salute” (when his lizard king references get ignored), as he spits, “I’m the studio night owl / Stress give me white eyebrows / Who the fuck I gotta fight with now? / Yeah, conspicuous characters creep through America with a killer chemical in a canister called Canibus, craziest crystal / Communicate correct signal / They call it criminal, I call it lyrical.”
After listening to C of Tranquility, it seems as though Canibus tried to make an independent album that sounded closer to his two decade-old major label releases. Although there is evidence of a lot of effort put into the project, Canibus’ delivery and subject matter are what they’ve always been. Uber-complex lyricism, esoteric subject matter, rapid flows, a raspy voice, and not too much charisma still reign supreme. For serious fans of Canibus’ work, this album is a benchmark achievement and something to celebrate. For others, this is the emcee’s return to the New York sound that made him, and evidence of a homecoming from one of Hip Hop’s most elusive characters ever.
Very nice album. Glad to hear Canibus behind some good production too.
realy good album canibus is on form the only let down is the djpremier callabo
shyt is fiiiire give this shyt a solid four dx!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! what the fuck
I haven’t supported Canibus in years, but he did everything I been hoping for, I may have to buy this.
I liked Melatonin Magik more(besides all the feautures) but this album is still fire
Say whaat?
You need to listen again reviewer lady
Captain Cold crush is straight fire
merchant of metaphors is dope too
C of traquility(track) is different again.
Its not meant to be main stream, this is conscious hip hop,not commercial. The difference is like paintball and a gun.
absolutely no time went in AT ALL from IMculture. they had it for two years and did nothing, only 4 songs most of which were 1 to 2 mins long were new songs that werent 2 years old. this album could have been classic up there with Rip The Jacker but it is very clear that canibus did not get a last say on the album and that it was a contractual agreement.
let me get this straight, according to this review.
-he brought it back to his days when he was great.
-he never faltered on lyrics.
-he worked with great producers.
-he touched subjects which other rappers never would have touched.
-for canibus fans, this is a serious landmark.
AND YOU GAVE IT A 3 1/2?
step your reviews up dx. this is straight fire, even according to your review, but its a 3 1/2?
HipHopDX gives everything a 3 1/2 stars. This album is at least a 4 star album…it’s right up there with Canibus’ Rip the Jacker release to me. My favorite tracks on this album are:
Lunar Deluge
Good Equals Evil
Pine Cone Poem
Merchant of Metaphors
Golden Terra of Rap
I can’t believe that they said that there weren’t any stand out tracks. “Lunar Deluge” is mind-numbingly brilliant. In all actuality, the one that this reviewer liked the most “Free Words” was probably my least favorite track because I thought the beat was too sloppy and it seemed to overpower the vocals. My only real complaint is that I thought that some of the songs should’ve been longer…and I thought the originally released versions of “Cingularity Point” & “Worthlessness Purpose” had better beats. Definitely at least a sold “4” rating though.
that 3 1/2 is so fuckin obnoxious. its like the xxl for this site or some shit. fuck xxl by the way they fell off a while ago. around the time they bought out scratch magazine and made that shit not even worth wiping your ass wit. look that mamgzine up if you ain’t know the progression of the covers is hard to see.
but yeah cultures clothing i agree the original versions of those two tracks cingularity point and worthlessness purpose was waaay better. that is the one major flaw and let down for me in this album. it is razor sharp behind that. especially cingularity point was so dope way better than what we got here. oh well. i think that j-zone track is fire. i fuckin love that dude, his beats are all somethin else, straight up flames.
“this will alienate the crowd that is just looking for something to kick back, relax, light a blunt, and groove out to.”
As far as I’m concerned, those people can die and burn slow. Hip hop is supposed to be introspective, complex and unique. Fuck the pop music, and although Canibus isn’t the most underground rapper by far in terms of sound and subject matter, he is still more connected with that branch than with the mainstream.
Real talk by ‘the Watcher’…Fuck Pop, we always hungry & thirst fo’ dat ‘intelligence, mind-bogling’ sound to keep our brain freshly working…Miss me wit dat same ol’ love-talk shit on radio!
Album was dope Canibus is always left field thats what i love about his music
can.i.bus IZ BACK
at least a 4 but i guess this is what happens when you let a woman review a canibus album
LOL. real talk though anyone who’s followed canibus or at least researched him last minute would give this at least a four. it is his most productional-wise cohesive album. most of his others are flawed with a lot of weak producer doing most tracks. c true hollywood stories for example diverse is the bets beat maker on the album and he does the intro. the rest of the producers are trash no names besides fokis. this album had mostly all well known and dope underground heavyweight producers on it. they all sick. so maybe that says something about the review. at least being an uneducated hip hop snob.
this excludes rip the jacker of course. Stoupe The Enemy Of Mankind straight laced that shit. production god there
This album deserves a higher rating for sure
his best album since Rip The Jacker
*Politician Voice* My name is Alloyius McIlwaine of Cultures Clothing, and I APPROVE this message lol
One of the dopest lyricists to ever touch a MIC
I don’t know what DX has against Canibus but it’s something for sure. 3.5 for C and 3 for Melatonin Magik. That’s crazy. More like 4.5 and 4. But this bitch is too intelectually inferior to feel it.
I agree with your assessment of the two albums, but the sexism is unnecessary.
hate his`style
Yeah his style isn’t for everyone, but you can’t listen to songs like “Good Equals Evil” and front on the lyrics. Lyrically, he’s Top 5 Dead or Alive.
whaaaat…NEW MIXTAPE!
http://www.datpiff.com/Mic_Heist_Scene_Of_The_Crime.m160412.html
DX c’mon, u gave a lady to review a canibus album ??? what do u xpect !!!!women and consciuos hiphop dnt mix…how many times do u find women seriously on some conscious shit ??? very few examples, how many female emcees still exist?? less than 5 (oh dnt count that Minaj thing she jst a eye candy thing not emcee), while DX thinks otherwise…man wtf DX ???? a woman review a canibus album !!! really stupid…that bitch cant understand the human encyclopedia…this music is not for bitches its for thoz that have mental power…
I love this album as much as the next guy, but to say that the reviewer gave this a lower rating than what it deserved because she was a woman is completely ridiculous. If you read the other reviews online, you can see that a lot of people are giving this album the same rating…partially because it’s going waaaayyyy over people’s heads. I haven’t seen “Lunar Deluge”, “Good Equals Evil”, “Merchant of Metaphors” or “Pine Cone Poem” mentioned in any of these reviews, and those are some of the albums highlights in my opinion. To me, it seems as if people are giving it a pretty solid rating, but they simply aren’t getting it. For example, a couple of reviewers said that Canibus was just talking about how dope his skills were…which clearly shows that they weren’t really listening to the songs that I mentioned above. I guess that’s why Canibus has such a big chip on his shoulder… “The fools who threw away my jewels offended me”.
Someone needs to get laid so he can appreciate women a little better, HAHA. Bro, you said name one woman who can bring it consciously, how about Charli Baltimore? She was good enough to be in the Mau Maus with Bis, Search & Mos Def (to name a few) in Bamboozled, (check out Blak iz Blak on youtube) and she’s got a new album coming out next year titled “Controlling Charli” so peep her shit. As for any bad reviews on Canibus, that’s just people who can’t understand that you don’t have to dumb yourself down to rap. I never heard a Bis song I didn’t like and though I haven’t got the new album yet, I’m sure it’s tight and will find out soon.
Cultures Clothing knows what he is talking about! if you take away DJ premiers’ production, lunar deluge is the best track on the album…. moreover, why are people being so sexist?! you can say she doesn’t know what she is talking about, but you can’t say that all women don’t know what they are talking about…. back to this album: def the best canibus album since RTJ… the lyrics are tight, as always, and the production is better than alot of his work since…well done.
Lyrically he can anyone dead or alive!!!
Eminems lyrics sound elementary and childish in comparison. Luda sounds like a down south drop out in comparison. I dont even need to compare your Weezy and Gucci’s do I?
Only a few can come close… Talib,Black Thought, Mos Def etc…..
Why u hatin on em just cos canibus can’t leave it alone. Recognise when ur talkin about a hiphop legend. never put him in the same category as heads like gucci mane.
eminem>>>>canibus….true story
Ems a POP legend not a HIP HOP one he hasn’t done shit to warrant that title within Hip Hop culture
come on, man. ever heard of the album ‘infinite’? if that isnt a Hip Hop album then i dont know what is. only after dre endorsed him did he start sucking.
sick as fuck!
huh… she was definitely not spot on about being able to spark a blunt and kick back to this album. this is pure genius that will make your thoughts run wild. the kind of production ‘Bus has been missing in a lot of his albums, if you’re a true fan it’s a breath of fresh air. cop it.
lol…i know. i want to turn off all the lights, smoke, and listen to this.
agreed…. canibus is the best for blazing a blunt to… i thought his name was a double entendre: can i bus? and cannabis sativa; meaning you smoke while he flows…
Na not feelin him. You know most ppl on here only feelin bc J Cole said he was one of his favorite rappers, but he also said that he doesnt listen to him anymore and i see why. Not tryna hate jst stating my opinion
Yeah no biggie man he’s not for everybody…different strokes and all. Canibus isn’t on the gratuitous punchline thing anymore…he’s all about lyricism & enlightenment…which even turns off some people that used to be fans. Even so, I don’t think anybody can listen to a song like “Lunar deluge” and not recognize the talent there…
I cant believe this bitch ddnt even mentiion the best tracks on the album…Lunar Deluge and good Equals Evil. this review biatch ddnt listen to the album, she was jst told by some kid about free words. that track is not even close to any other track on the album. Where u realy listening to the same cd ????
I guess thats what happens when u give a man’s job to a woman…the oposite of what shes suppose to say…punk ass bitch…
I agree with everything you said except for the sexist stuff. It’s 2010…degrading someone because of their gender is completely ridiculous. I do agree with what you said about her not actually listening to the CD though…because Free Words was one of the worst tracks in my opinion and she made no mention of the best tracks.
Eat a dick, b.
One of the best albums this year so far. Golden Terra of Rap (my fav 2010 track) stands out too much, though.
He is the illiest ni@@a we have watched him prove it he has snatched many’a crowns with their heads still attach to’em! Like Vinnie P stated, “I feel sorry from anybody who think they equal to Biss.
This album is straight fire along with all Biss’ albums. The fact that HH-DX didn’t give it a wak review proves it, unlike its previous attempts to review ‘For Whom the Beat Tolls’. However, much like the latter and the former the bias towards Bis still remains.
Canibus is the ultimate executioner’s dream
Swingin the guillotine, cause whenever the head is severed from the human body with a sharp enough weapon the brain remains conscious for ten seconds long enough for me to give you one last message And when you get to Hell you can tell Lucifer I said it!
Peace
Dope Album! Huge Bis fan. Not quite 5/5 but deserves 4/5 – tracks too short, needs new material (most was recorded in 2008) Like the following tracks…
Capt’n Cold Crush + C Scrolls
Merchant of Metaphors + Golden terra of Rap
Title 17 Usmc + Cingularity Point + Pine Cone Poems.
damn good album
Is there an instrumental version of this album? I can’t stand this dude’s voice. The beats hit though.
this bitch should be fired!!!!
Canibus – lyrical law new album comins soon
This album is fucking incredible!!!!
HRSMN album coming real soon
4 1/2 solid album
His best album in years!
sounds like his lyrics just went over amanda’s head perhaps?
this is canibus’ best work since RTJ… lunar deluge is lyrically amazing, its what i expect of bis though…. forget what the review says, this is the best artist to blaze to! hence the name…. DJ Premier! wow, impressive. that guy is dope… a much tighter production than in previous albums.. well done bis!
Finally sum beats 2 match the lirrick.. good production .. and indeed best album ever..
This albums hot from start to finish quite unlike this review which had from the looks of it been thrown together quickly after a scan through the album. Canibus delivered some of his most thought provoking lyrics throughout this album over arguably the best production he’s used since RTJ
Agreed. It’s like the people writing the reviews are paid to not give Bis the props and respect that is due to him. Always wanna come with some stupid slick shit and most of the time you can just tell that it’s cuz they aren’t smart enough to comprehend what he’s talking about.
almost forgot…LYRICAL LAW COMING SOON…
Good MC, never could put it all together.
People dont understand Canibus was one of the reasons that Hip Hop died in the late 90’s. So much potential, he could have kept underground, intelligent, hardcore Hip Hop alive, but he could never pick out beats or had a vibe that people could connect to him with. Way out there.
Much respect though.
Another Canibus classic!!!
canibus getz some spect!!! !!
i like it a lot.
Who the f*ck are these people that review albums?
Do you rhyme? You got some sh*t recorded AMANDA? I wanna hear your album. Where’s the credentials?
Best album so far, lyrics are sick! This is definitely Bis at his finest.
Indeed, HHD always give Bis a weak review, this one being one of the better ones!
Yes, apperantly, this critic has no concept of ‘esoteric’ content as Bis gets way deeper than some loose generalization basically meaning she has no idea what he’s really talking about. As someone who has been doing the research into REAL worldy matters long before I paid Bis much attention I can appreciate the genius Canibus packs into all his verses. I just gave the first few tracks an in-depth listen earlier today for the first time and was fukin blown away.. it’s like watching DaVinci paint but with mic..
fuk this site
Great Album. Stop complaining about hip hop dying if your not listening to the great stuff that kept it alive in the first place
One of Canibus best albums.
P.S.
this album deserves no LESS than 4 out of 5 mics.
anyone who would give it anything less obviously doesn’t know the first thing about good rap music.
Canibus once again crushing mc’s with his ever evolving flow. Canibus has no off button. He’s going full steam ahead with no let up. His lyrics are not only dope but insightful, mindful with a savage dose of truth. Some of his earlier albums were lacking in the beat department but this one has some truly classic hip hop beats. Real hip hop beats. None of that fake manufactured bull****.
Canibus is aging like a fine wine, only getting better with time. Between this album… melatonin is magik and for whom the beat tolls he is batting 1.000 since 07. I personally can’t wait to see what he has in store for “lyrical law” later this year.
P.S. This reviewer doesn’t know what she’s talking about… Clearly not qualified to be reviewing hip hop albums
Damn, dude is unfuckwithable when he throws everything out there.
WORST REVIEW EVER!!!!!! Amanda this CD is not for you, it doesn’t include tracks that talk about you bouncing on a pole or some make-believe man throwing money at you to buy a new purse.
ehhh, girls have the worst taste in rap music.
Best Canibus album since Rip the Jacker. For real…..wow. im shocked at the review on a site that gets so much traffic.
comon man…… counter the points she made, rather than attack females…. the only thing you said about the mans work i agree with…
yea stop blaming us for your problems cuz your way of thinking is the real problem and to proove u wrong can is in my top3 of all times but this is not his best work even tho i like it
Excellent album, compelling relevant subjects that will leave the listener thinking and wanting more. The reviwer is really dismissive “captain cold crush is a decent way to introduce” are you kidding, decent ! that track is legendary. And not mentioning Pine Poem track is just ridiculous. 5 stars, great work bis