LL COOL J AND CANIBUS WIELD LYRICAL SWORDS

Also, Survival Of The Illest Campaign Coming

The ongoing battle between rappers LL Cool J and Canibus continues with the debut of LL Cool J's new song "The Ripper Strikes Back" on WQHT (Hot 97) in New York Monday (April 20) night.

The feud originally started when Canibus was guesting on LL Cool J's track "4,3,2,1" for his Phenomenon album, which was released in October 1997 on Def Jam Records. While working on the song, Canibus -- who was allegedly dissed by LL Cool J in private -- lyrically took a jab at LL during the recording of his verse, which was followed by one from LL to Canibus.

The controversy continued with the release of Canibus' "Second Round K.O." which strikes back at LL, to which LL answered by creating "The Ripper Strikes Back." A spokesperson at Def Jam confirms that the song is in direct response to Canibus' "Second Round K.O.," which was released as a single in late March on Group Home Entertainment/Universal Records.

Here are some lyrics from "The Ripper Strikes Back": "You want the fame/ Now you're famous overnight/ Famous for getting fucked/ By a stick of dynamite" and "Held down my ground/ For a decade and a half/ Now I'm 'bout to give your grimy ass a bloodbath/ Talk about being broke nigga/ I'm rich 'cuz I learned to separate the money from the bitch/ Don't hate me 'cuz I'm paid/ Hate me 'cuz I'm everything you want to be/ Handsome, young, plus legendary."

"The Ripper Strikes Back" will be available for free on a limited- edition CD, which will be released as part of the Def Jam' Survival of the Illest campaign on May 19 with the purchase of the upcoming DMX album. In addition to "The Ripper Strikes Back," Survival of the Illest, Vol. I will also feature previously unreleased tracks from DMX, Onyx, and Def Squad.

The campaign is centered around the upcoming releases of DMX's It's Dark and Hell is Hot on May 19 on Ruff Ryders/Def Jam Records, Onyx's Shut 'Em Down on June 2 on JMJ/Def Jam Records, and Def Squad's El Nino on June 30 on Def Jam Records. It will also feature other upcoming tracks from Cormega, Jayo Felony, Redman, Method Man, and Flesh-N-Bone, as well as DMX, Onyx, and Def Squad on the next two volumes, which will be given away with the new Onyx and Def Squad albums, respectively.

DMX, Onyx, and Def Squad will also start touring the U.S. in mid-June as part of the campaign, to which one fan and seven of his or her friends can win a weekend on the road with these acts. The winner of the contest, which is in conjunction with Black Entertainment Television's Rap City, will get their own tour bus, driver, money, an all-access pass, and hotel accomodations for one weekend of the tour.