Hip-Hop Rumors: Mike Tyson And LL Cool J: What Caused The Beef?

I was perusing the Ill Community and I saw this crazy video posted by Water Ur Seeds. The video is crazy. It has Mike Tyson, LL Cool J, Flavor Flav, Eric B, Grand Master Dee, Mr. Magic (RIP) and some others in a video that really takes you back. Even if you weren’t around at that time, this video will probably make you feel strange about what Hip-Hop has become.

But, those of us that know, know there is something else going on. It was a time when Mike and LL were really good friends.

So, in the video LL and Mike Tyson are in there as friends. LL repeatedly quotes his old line “I’m like Tyson, Icin’ / I’m a solider at war.” This is no great mystery. But lets talk about it. After time passed, LL and Tyson grew apart. Moreover, a younger crop of Hip-Hop champs started to emerge. One of them was Canibus. Cani and LL got into a feud that was pretty epic, all in all. Remember how LL sneak dissed Canibus on this song:

Basically LL didn’t appreciate Cani wanting to get the same tattoo that he wanted: A microphone on the arm.

Eventually, Canibus got even more Stanish with “Rip The Jacker,” which was a play on LL’s alter ego Jack The Ripper.

The beef bubbled over. Canibus sneak recorded LL, exposing the rap god as very fearful of an all out battle. He told Cani to chill. But, Canibus couldn’t chill. He felt disrespected and wanted to kill a legend. He got another legend to help him do it. He got Mike Tyson, LL’s old friend, and they proceeded to go at LL. The crazy thing was in the video Mike is actually TRAINING Canibus to fight. And….here is “2nd Round KO.”

This remains to be one of the greatest disses of all time. Kinda makes Meek Mill’s Cassidy diss look silly, doesn’t it?

Canibus had one major problem. His debut album. It flopped and it sucked. LL swooped in for the kill with a song that was largely forgettable. But timing is everything.

It was actually and he killed him with “99% of his fans don’t exist.” He also dissed Mike Tyson as a “convicted rapist” and a “ear biter.” So… that was a the complete end of their friendship. LL bodied cats on that. There was some more back and forth but this was it. LL’s legend remained intake. Canibus continued to flounder, but maintained loyal minions. Til this:

LL said, “Solider n***a thought I told ya n***a/ cross over slam dunk, game over n***a!” That was a Class A sonning now that I listen to it again…it totally holds up.

Mike Tyson didn’t fare much better as boxer, but did comeback in a major way recently. I’m sure this beef is long dead, but I have to thank Water Ur Seeds for the flashback! This was actually fun to write and reminisce on.