Canibus

Germaine "Canibus" Williams knows he has a way with words. Even in the rap world, where hyperbole is commonplace, the 23-year-old native of Jamaica takes boasting to new levels. In one song he warns other rappers, "My intelligence begins where yours peaks. . . . " And his stage name is meant to underscore his prowess as a rapper. Though "Canibus" could also be taken as a wink to hip-hop's widespread references to marijuana, the moniker means "Can I Bus"--as in, "Can I bust a rhyme?"

Germaine "Canibus" Williams knows he has a way with words. Even in the rap world, where hyperbole is commonplace, the 23-year-old native of Jamaica takes boasting to new levels. In one song he warns other rappers, "My intelligence begins where yours peaks. . . . " And his stage name is meant to underscore his prowess as a rapper. Though "Canibus" could also be taken as a wink to hip-hop's widespread references to marijuana, the moniker means "Can I Bus"--as in, "Can I bust a rhyme?"

** Canibus, "2000 B.C. (Before Canibus)," Universal. Being a quality rapper doesn't always mean that you'll make a quality rap album, as evidenced by the second collection from this quick-witted lyricist. Canibus sounds as though he's trying to impress you with his better-than-average vocabulary and aggressive flow. But his delivery sounds forced, detracting from the impact of his often clever words. The production seems overly dramatic and uninspired.

"Celebrity Skin," the new album from Courtney Love and her band, Hole, enters the list of Southern California's best-selling albums impressively at No. 2, according to SoundScan. Rapper Canibus also debuts strongly at No. 8.

While JZ's bumping "Who You Wit" proves to be this soundtrack's only true standout, Canibus, Panama P.I. and the Lost Boyz's laid-back "Group Home Family," Aaliyah's "One in a Million (Remix)" with Ginuwine, and a surprisingly effective rendition of the soul classic "Don't Ask My Neighbor," performed by "Martin" actresses Tisha Campbell and Tichina Arnold, make this collection worth a second listen.

STACKING UP SALES Total album and single sales of CDs and cassettes for the week ended Sept. 13, compared with week-ago and year-ago levels, in millions of units: Latest week Albums: 11.3 Singles: 1.6 Week ago Albums: 11.9 Singles: 1.7 Year ago Albums: 10.2 Singles: 2.3 Atop the Charts Weekly and year-to-date record company market share as of Sept. 13, based on current albums sold. This is an indicator of music company performance. Figures do not include catalog sales.

Now that's what they call unprecedented. A compilation of recent hits called "Now That's What I Call Music, Vol. 4" debuts at No. 1 on the nation's album chart this week and carves out a modest niche in music history by becoming the first album of that type to claim the top spot. "Excluding soundtracks, this is the first collection of previously released hits to go No. 1," says Geoff Mayfield, director of charts for Billboard magazine.

Whatever happened to quality singer-songwriters? The answer to one of the most frequently asked pop questions of the '90s isn't that they have stopped making records. It's that their records are mostly sitting unopened in record store bins.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Staying Atop the Hill: Lauryn Hill's "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill" was the nation's best-selling album for the third straight week, according to SoundScan figures. Hill sold almost 214,000 copies last week, easily outdistancing the 127,000 figure for rapper Canibus' debut album, "Can-I-Bus." The surprise was that the soundtrack sequel "Back to Titanic" actually sank a little, falling from No. 2 to No. 5 (107,000 copies sold).