Verified archive entry

Air Strike (Pop Killer)

By Canibus · Targeting Eminem

Air Strike (Pop Killer) is a diss track by Canibus targeting Eminem. The recording also credits DZK and D12. The recording belongs to Canibus and Eminem's long-running exchange and attacks Eminem or figures associated with him.

Released2010

Annotated8

ExplicitYes

Addressable transcript

Lyrics & breakdown

Demo lines only. Select a line number to copy a stable deep link.

01
[Intro]
02
"Alright, we're about to blast the hell out of here"
03
"Rear (?), what's your position? Got 3-6 down, one two... (?)"
04
"Okay"
05
"Here comes"
06
"Holy!"
07
"But uh, like, honestly, I don't let them have it yet, you know. His little... Whatever, like, barely peeped my radar, you know. So hopefully, he'll do something better, like, get my attention or whatever"
08
War Lab, call us haters all you want
09
[Verse 1: Kuniva]
10
Fuck it, call me a hater, full blown instigator
11
Leavin niggas on intubators breathin like Darth Vader
12
I hate people that pack guns but they don't bust 'em
13
Or bitches that come back to my room but they ain't fuckin
14
Pistol clutching, the Dozen, you heard it don't get is misconstrued
15
Whatever we do'll hit the news once we get the tools
16
[Interlude]
17
If you’re an MC and you mention my name in the wrong way, you draw first blood, I’m gonna come at you"
18
[Verse 2: Canibus]
Multi-line diss block
19
You pushed D12 to the side to sign Voltron 5
20
If Proof was alive, he'd be dyin' inside
21
You ain't no hip-hop messiah, you a bitch 'cause you dissed Mariah
22
Shit like that supposed to be private
Block notePressures the target to answer
TargetEminem
MeaningWhat it means: In “You ain't no hip-hop messiah, you a bitch 'cause you dissed Mariah,” Canibus treats Eminem's response, delay, or silence as part of the contest rather than a neutral choice. Why it was said: The recording belongs to Canibus and Eminem's long-running exchange and attacks Eminem or figures associated with him. By defining silence as concession, the line tries to control the timetable of the feud and force Eminem into replying on the artist's terms.
ContextThe recording belongs to Canibus and Eminem's long-running exchange and attacks Eminem or figures associated with him.
23
I'ma fry you on behalf on Mariah and Michael
24
Put you back on them drugs, make you suicidal
25
You can't shut the record down, nigga it's viral
26
When you use the word "nigga," just remember your idols
27
[Verse 3: DZK]
28
I got a question, I'm white, can I join D12?
29
I'll sell you four million records then I'll tell you go to hell
30
Leave Swifty in charge, then remove all the stars
31
And make the group wish Bizarre shot pool in a bar
32
An assault lawyer stop the beat, suing us all
33
I really do hope you know who get involved
34
Cause I'm a fan and I'll get you for a Nick Cannon dissin'
35
And you already know how fuckin' sick Canibus is
36
[Verse 4: Swifty]
37
I hate a bitch-ass nigga just as much as I hate fags
38
I love goin' to war but I hate when they raise the flag
39
These niggas hittin' the streets spittin' venom on me
40
Then start renegin' the beef, I hate peace treaties
41
Forever yo' enemy I increase beef as Amityville's finest
42
Cause I don't believe in stoppin' violence
43
I'm a tyrant that'll snatch my respect and scram
44
I use a Uzi cause I hate a Tec when it jams
45
I hate when dudes treat this like life a movie
46
Usin' rap as his excuse to do shit and they only move keys in the booth
47
I piss on niggas hands, whoever's grown, patches and tombstones
48
I hate 'em ass when I break into a home
49
I'm barefaced, I clap your cat, ransack it
50
That's what I'm wearin' black and I hate goin' out the back
51
So call me a hater, walkin' detonator, I ain't afraid
52
To stick this blade into your fade in front of spectators
53
[Interlude]
54
You're an emcee, big small it doesn't matter
55
No matter how big I get, I just want people to know
56
[Verse 5: Canibus]
Multi-line diss block
57
You the devil in a red dress on MTV
58
You signed more black people than a basketball team
59
What you trying to say subconsciously? You can't rock the beat like me
60
Consciously, you know I rock you to sleep
Block noteForces the dispute into a direct contest
TargetEminem
MeaningWhat it means: In “What you trying to say subconsciously? You can't rock the beat like me,” Canibus addresses Eminem as an opponent who must prove the claims being made rather than rely on reputation. Why it was said: The recording belongs to Canibus and Eminem's long-running exchange and attacks Eminem or figures associated with him. The challenge narrows the argument to performance under pressure, where refusing or failing to answer can itself be presented as a loss for Eminem.
ContextThe recording belongs to Canibus and Eminem's long-running exchange and attacks Eminem or figures associated with him.
61
Slim Shady you a coward 'cause you scared to rap with me
Multi-line diss block
62
The only black man you respect is 50
63
And the greatest rapper of all time was dead right and dead wrong
64
You shouldn't have even been on that song
Block noteCalls the target's toughness an act
TargetEminem
MeaningWhat it means: In “Slim Shady you a coward 'cause you scared to rap with me,” Canibus portrays Eminem as frightened or unwilling to stand behind the aggression shown in public. Why it was said: The recording belongs to Canibus and Eminem's long-running exchange and attacks Eminem or figures associated with him. A diss threat depends on the audience believing the speaker will confront the opponent; calling Eminem afraid is designed to empty that threat of force.
ContextThe recording belongs to Canibus and Eminem's long-running exchange and attacks Eminem or figures associated with him.
65
[Verse 6: DZK]
66
He fell off so hard this faggot broke his accent
67
I'm flippin through the channels seein Bruno get his ass sniffed
68
And I'm disgusted man, what the fuck is wrong with you?
69
Why'd you date Mariah? Mariah's not a fuckin' dude
70
You never even saw her nude and you busted, too
Multi-line diss block
71
Must have been thinkin 'bout your stepdad touchin' you
72
But that ain't nothin new, I asked your ugly crew
73
They verified it, so bitch quit lyin'
Block noteTurns the target into a visual punchline
TargetEminem
MeaningWhat it means: In “But that ain't nothin new, I asked your ugly crew,” Canibus reduces Eminem to an exaggerated physical caricature instead of engaging the target's preferred public image. Why it was said: The recording belongs to Canibus and Eminem's long-running exchange and attacks Eminem or figures associated with him. A visual insult is easy for an audience to remember and repeat; the goal is to make ridicule of Eminem travel beyond the song itself.
ContextThe recording belongs to Canibus and Eminem's long-running exchange and attacks Eminem or figures associated with him.
74
[Verse 7: Canibus]
Multi-line diss block
75
I remember the first time we met, I ain't even liked you
76
Walkin' around my video set like you was in high school
77
It must excite you seeing black people being tribal
78
That's why Dr. Dre signed you
Block noteQuestions the target's judgment
TargetEminem
MeaningWhat it means: In “Walkin' around my video set like you was in high school,” Canibus characterizes Eminem as unintelligent, careless, or unable to understand the situation being addressed. Why it was said: The recording belongs to Canibus and Eminem's long-running exchange and attacks Eminem or figures associated with him. The insult makes the target's decisions part of the evidence: a poor response can be framed not as strategy, but as proof that Eminem never understood the contest.
ContextThe recording belongs to Canibus and Eminem's long-running exchange and attacks Eminem or figures associated with him.
79
I bet you right now you got a big rotten Rosenberg beside you
Multi-line diss block
80
Trying to be just like your father, inside you
81
Your Stan android fanboys need to kill that noise
82
I know what you thinking, "kill that boy"
Block noteTurns the target's own work into ammunition
TargetEminem
MeaningWhat it means: In “Your Stan android fanboys need to kill that noise,” Canibus quotes or reshapes a recognizable phrase associated with Eminem, using the target's own catalogue or public image as the setup for the insult. Why it was said: The recording belongs to Canibus and Eminem's long-running exchange and attacks Eminem or figures associated with him. The callback is meant to deny Eminem control of a familiar signature: the audience recognizes the source, but now hears it serving the opponent's punchline.
ContextThe recording belongs to Canibus and Eminem's long-running exchange and attacks Eminem or figures associated with him.
83
[Verse 8: DZK]
84
We leavin' Elvis funny money makin' pelvis shattered
85
Let's see you square dance now, let's see you hold your bladder
86
Let's see you fire back Em where's the fire at it?
87
Suicide hotline time, go dial that
88
Put on that "8 Mile" hat and write a vile track
Multi-line diss block
89
Get at some people that can actually diss you back
90
No more target practice on retarded actors
91
And pop stars, Marshall you're not hard
Block noteMakes the confrontation explicit
TargetEminem
MeaningWhat it means: In “And pop stars, Marshall you're not hard,” Canibus addresses Eminem directly and makes the situation described in the quoted line the point of confrontation. Why it was said: The recording belongs to Canibus and Eminem's long-running exchange and attacks Eminem or figures associated with him. Naming or plainly addressing Eminem removes the safety of a subliminal and makes the quoted claim something the target can either answer or leave standing.
ContextThe recording belongs to Canibus and Eminem's long-running exchange and attacks Eminem or figures associated with him.
92
[Interlude]
93
"Whatever happens to me in this game, I've always got my ear to the street"
94
"Whatever happens to me in this game, I've always got my ear to the street"
95
"Whatever happens to me in this game, I've always got my ear to the street"
96
[Verse 9: Canibus]
97
Renegade Schemenegade, you pink like lemonade
98
I've been better than you before Genesis was made
99
You ain't better than Black Thought, you ain't better than Mos Def
100
You ain't better than Canibus, Professor Griff, Hotep
101
So Renegade Schemenegade, you pink like lemonade
102
I penetrate through Halley's Comet with metal blades
103
Yeah! You and I both know why I'm saying this
104
I hope Whoo Kid get fired for playing this
105
[Verse 10: Bizarre]
106
Get off, Nikolai Volkoff, mazel tov
107
Ready to show off, fo'-fo'll blow your do' off
108
Blowin off steam, goin off the beam
109
Let the nine sing, bitch this ain't a dream
110
Bitch I'm the king, color me bad
111
Skinny jeans, what happened to the sag? You makin' me mad
112
Y'all a bunch of JJ Fags, now who the fuck is bad?
113
Motherfucker I'm bad!
114
Call me a hater
115
[Outro]
116
"I'm kinda doing this deliberately 'cause I wanted a reaction from him"
117
"Oh you want us to get him on, you two can go at it"
118
"Well, that would probably take up the whole hour and we don't have a lot of time so you can do that"
119
(Laughs)
120
"Spank niggas and they go tattle
Multi-line diss block
121
Intense like when Eminem and Canibus had a battle"
122
"But you can't invade me, though"
Block noteForces the dispute into a direct contest
TargetEminem
MeaningWhat it means: In “Intense like when Eminem and Canibus had a battle",” Canibus addresses Eminem as an opponent who must prove the claims being made rather than rely on reputation. Why it was said: The recording belongs to Canibus and Eminem's long-running exchange and attacks Eminem or figures associated with him. The challenge narrows the argument to performance under pressure, where refusing or failing to answer can itself be presented as a loss for Eminem.
ContextThe recording belongs to Canibus and Eminem's long-running exchange and attacks Eminem or figures associated with him.