The C-Quel

Annotation

The C-Quel (Canibus) rap. minor reference to Vietnamese

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Annotation — Rap / Hip Hop Songs

Canibus, born Germaine Williamson 9 December 1974 in Kingston, Jamaica, his career was based in New York, part of the East Coast Hip Hop / Hardcore Hip Hop scene, finding minor success and known for freestyle and battle raps. This album contained three references to Vietnam. The song "The C-Quel" (Universal Music # 012 159 054-2) described one of these rap battles, using Vietnam as a metaphor for being a jungle guerilla, taking on MCs on a verbal battle: "I'll battle you with a gun to my neck, ambushin' emcees, jumpin' out the trees like Vietnamese in fatigues covered with leaves". The song "Horsementality" continued the theme: "and my lyrics be the atomic rockets, cosmic vomic - spittin', hittin' at y'all Vietnam vets", as did the song "100 Bars", presenting an image of guerilla warfare as a metaphor: "duckin' down low like we in 'Nam fightin' the Viet Cong, screamin' 'incoming' when I see a bomb".

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: The C-Quel: Whoever grabs the mic after me'll get booed / Get everything in the club thrown at you and ya' crew / I'm the illest nigga alive, watch me prove it / I'll snatch ya' crown with ya' head still attached to it / I battle you the respect, I'll battle you over a blank check / I'll battle you with a gun to my neck / Ambushin' emcees, jumpin' out the trees like Vietnamese / In fatigues covered with leaves / Next year, you'll be walkin' around the "How Can I Be Down / Conference with a laminate, that said "I Got Shitted-On By Canibus" "Horsementality: Swear by our forefathers / Anything you speak, think, or show will be disregarded / Then I drag your frightened ass through the darkness / Bring you out the other side, as a carcass / I'm heartless, regardless if y'all claim to be Gods or Goddess / To me, y'all all garbage; I see all of y'all as movin' targets / And my lyrics be the atomic rockets, cosmic vomic - spittin' / Hittin' at y'all Vietnam vets / Wit' military arms and bombs strapped to our chest / Castin' meteor storms and comets" "100 Bars: My army march a million strong / Like the Nation of Islam with suede Timbs on / Extremely hostile, fully armed troops dressed / In frog suits and night vision goggles / A lyrical lynch mob shittin' on niggas / Drawn to a hideous form with horns and a mink on / Duckin' down low like we in 'Nam fightin' the Viet Cong / Screamin' 'incoming' when I see a bomb / Speak to your leader, surrender your arms / You need about a…

About the artist

Rapper born 9 December 1974 in Kingston, Jamaica, raised in the US. [Source: Wikipedia]

Themes

Violence Metaphor · Rap Battle · Vet · VC · Guerrilla Warfare

In collections

Rap / Hip Hop Songs