Cannibal Ox
American hip-hop group
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.
Cannibal Ox | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Can Ox |
| Origin | Harlem, New York, United States |
| Genres | Hip-hop, alternative hip-hop |
| Years active | 1998–present |
| Labels | Definitive Jux, IGC Records/iHipHop Distribution |
| Members | Vast Aire |
| Past members | Vordul Mega |
| Website | cannibalox.com |
History
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, 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
- Studio albums
- The Cold Vein (2001)
- Blade of the Ronin (2015)
- Live from the Aireport (2023)
- Aireplane (2025)
- 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)