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Cannibal Ox

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Cannibal Ox
Also known asCan Ox
OriginHarlem, New York, United States
GenresHip-hop, alternative hip-hop
Years active1998–present
LabelsDefinitive Jux, IGC Records/iHipHop Distribution
MembersVast Aire
Past membersVordul Mega
Websitecannibalox.com

Cannibal Ox is an American hip-hop project from Harlem, New York, United States. It consisted of Vast Aire and Vordul Mega, often accompanied by DJ Cip-One. In 2023 Vordul Mega left the project.

History

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The members of Cannibal Ox, Vast Aire, and Vordul Mega met each other as high school students in Harlem. They began performing in the New York underground hip-hop scene in the 1990s, leading them to meet El-P and become among the first members of his record label Definitive Jux.[1]

In 2001, Cannibal Ox released their debut studio album, The Cold Vein. It was the first full-length studio album released by Definitive Jux and was fully produced by El-P. The Cold Vein received positive reviews from critics and put the duo in the underground hip-hop spotlight, and it has been highlighted as one of underground hip-hop's best albums by outlets such as Fact and HipHopDX.[2][3] However, the duo did not release any further projects until the 2005 live album Return of the Ox: Live at CMJ. That live album, a recording of their September 17, 2005 Rothko concert which was the midnight closing show of the 2005 CMJ Music Festival,[4] was promoted as being the start of the group's return, and also contained a new song called "Live from the Planet of Eat", squashing two years of break-up rumors. The liner notes of Return of the Ox hinted that a Cannibal Ox LP would be released in 2006, though the duo ultimately released no music that year.[citation needed] The final El-P produced Cannibal Ox track was Mr. Lif's "Brothaz" remix, released on the 'Defintive Swim' compilation on February 27, 2007.

In March 2007, El-P stated that he "really doubt[ed]" that a second Cannibal Ox album would be released in the near future.[5] Later that year, Vast Aire confirmed that he was no longer working with Definitive Jux, and that plans for a new Cannibal Ox LP had been scrapped. He cited creative and financial differences with El-P and Definitive Jux, as well as Vordul's alleged clinical depression.[6] Though the group's members did not collaborate under the Cannibal Ox name in the late 2000s, Vast Aire made a guest appearance on Vordul's 2008 album Megagraphitti, and Vordul appeared on Vast Aire's albums Dueces Wild (2008) and OX 2010: A Street Odyssey (2010).[7][8] In May 2011, El-P stated on his Facebook page that "there wont ever be a can[nibal] ox album produced by me again and thats a fact."[9]

On April 16, 2013, Cannibal Ox released a single titled "Gotham", produced by Bill Cosmiq.[10] The duo's next project was Blade of the Ronin, their second studio album, which was released through iHipHop Distribution on March 3, 2015.[11] Blade of the Ronin was produced by Bill Cosmiq and Black Milk.[1]

Discography

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Studio albums
Compilations
  • Gotham (Deluxe LP Edition) (2013)
Live albums
  • Return of the Ox: Live at CMJ (2005)
Singles
  • "Iron Galaxy / DPA (As Seen on T.V.)" (2000) (with Company Flow)
  • "Vein / A B-Boy's Alpha" (2001)
  • "The F Word" (2001)
  • "Cosmos / Streets Be Testin' You" (2003) (with Invisible)
  • "Gotham" (2013)
  • "Metal Ox" (2021)
  • "Raspberry Jelly" (2021) (with Double A.B.)
  • "Da Supafriendz" (2022) (with MF Doom)

References

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  1. 1 2 "Cannibal Ox Talk New Album, El-P & More". OK-Tho.com. March 13, 2015. Retrieved March 13, 2015.
  2. ↑ Piyevsky, Alex; Geng; Twells, John; Raw, Son; Rascobeamer, Jeff (February 25, 2015). "The 100 best indie hip-hop records of all time". Fact. p. 101. Archived from the original on October 10, 2016.
  3. ↑ "The 30 Best Underground Hip Hop Albums Since 2000". HipHopDX. August 26, 2015. Archived from the original on September 11, 2015.
  4. ↑ "It's CMJ's 25th Anniversary". Brooklyn Vegan. Retrieved October 11, 2025.
  5. ↑ Friedman, Skinny (March 14, 2007). "An Interview with El-P". Can I Bring My Gat?. Archived from the original on September 30, 2011.
  6. ↑ "Twin Cities Hip Hop • Index page". Archived from the original on December 1, 2008. Retrieved April 16, 2008.
  7. ↑ DawnStar (January 22, 2008). "Interview with the One and Only Vast Aire". Basement Flavor. Archived from the original on October 21, 2009.
  8. ↑ "Vast Aire Song Feature". Smokingsection.uproxx.com. Retrieved February 19, 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  9. ↑ "El-P Facebook". Facebook.com. Archived from the original on February 26, 2022. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
  10. ↑ Martin, Andrew (April 5, 2013). "Stream Cannibal Ox's Comeback Single 'Gotham'". Potholesinmyblog.com. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Reviews for Blade of the Ronin by Cannibal Ox - Metacritic". Metacritic.
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