An air of mystique surrounds the careers of
Harlemites Vast Aire and Vordul Mega, collectively
known as Cannibal Ox. Fourteen years after
earning their status as luminaries of underground
hip-hop, Cannibal Ox is set out to release the
highly-anticipated sophomore album, Blade of the
Ronin. Serving as the follow-up to the duo's
acclaimed debut album, Blade of the Ronin is the
embodiment of Vast and Vordul's years of creation
and properly serves to provide listeners with the
grimy yet futuristic soundscape that they've come
to expect from Cannibal Ox.
Since the success of The Cold Vein, Cannibal Ox
has largely maintained their independent,
enigmatic persona, shying away from the glowing
heat of the mainstream limelight. Blade of the
Ronin solidifies the triumphant return of Cannibal
Ox as the kings of underground hip-hop, as Vast
and Vordul capture their trademark sound with Bill
Cosmiq at the helm for the majority of the album’s
production. Together, this trio has created an
album that personifies a sense of insightful lyricism
and poignant production that has arguably been
absent from the scene since The Cold Vein. The
album also features tremendous guest
appearances from MF Doom, U-God (of Wu-Tang
Clan), Elzhi, Artifacts and more, all of whom
compliment the vibe of Can Ox. It is now available
for the first time ever on vinyl, as a special edition
Red 2XLP pressing.
