Following up a classic album is hard, especially if the said album is an abstract hip hop classic released almost 15 years ago. Rap duo Cannibal Ox find themselves in this exact position with the release of their latest, Blade of the Ronin. Unfortunately, they exhibit little of the surreal imagery and practical street allegories that made them legends after the release of The Cold Vein. Still, the album stands independently and should be experienced as such. Blade of the Ronin combines catchy, yet largely typical, production with surreal, braggadocious imagery to make for only somewhat interesting listen before it quickly goes stale.
Cannibal Ox is a hip hop duo from Harlem, New York, comprised of Vast Aire and Vordul Mega. They came to prominence with the release of The Cold Vein in 2001, becoming known for prophetic imagery, yet straightforward storytelling over El-P’s sparse, alienating production. However, since then, the duo has remained mostly quiet. While rumors of a new album have persisted, Vast and Vordul’s pursuits of their own solo careers have made a sophomore product seem unlikely.
Now, with Blade of the Ronin, Ox lyrically takes listeners on a journey that is never rooted in reality. Although interesting, the lines do not really relate and give the impression of a fever dream. The lack of connection also leaves the two to resort mostly to punch lines and brag raps for substance instead of crafting an overall story or experience. For instance, Vast Aire takes advantage of some classic childhood nostalgia when he says, “Hey, ain’t you that dude who got caught touching Pikachu?” It’s just one of those lines that never fails to leave a bad taste. Some topics are sacred, but Ox seems to be grasping at sensationalist straws to gain attention instead of supplying actual substance.
Flow-wise, Vordul acts as a complacent onlooker while Vast is much more energetic and lively. At times, Vordul can be a bit too laid back, and the production seems to envelop him. Still, he usually sounds like the wizened older man who has been around the block a few too many times. Vast counters him with his hyper, slightly frenetic delivery. He has one of the most distinctive voices in hip hop, which he uses prominently without coming off as annoying. Technically, the two are pretty typical, and there are no dazzling internal rhymes or double time flows.
Comparatively, the guest verses are pretty incredible.
Ox was able to get MF DOOM, U-God and Elzhi to contribute verses along with underground artists. All of these different voices prevent the album from becoming monotonous. For instance, DOOM has a line where he raps: “Couldn’t hold him from rolling the Western war like a golden golem.” The image isn’t exactly clear, but the classic DOOM assonance keeps the track interesting. It’s a testament to the respect the underground hip hop community has for Cannibal Ox that they could get all these artists together to deliver quality verses.
Bill Cosmiq handles the production on all the tracks except for “Blade: The Art of Ox,” which is produced by Black Milk. Throughout the album, the production is very grand. It has a slight feel of an up-and-coming producer asserting his existence. While the tracks are nice and, sometimes, quite beautiful, they overpower the rap. Those looking for El-P’s borderline experimental beats will be disappointed. Also, all of the opening vocal samples are cliché lines from blockbusters like Star Wars and Batman. With a name like Blade of the Ronin, you’d think there would be more samples from samurai movies.
While Blade of the Ronin is disappointing in many aspects, it still overall is an entertaining and worthwhile listen. Although they have not created completely original, groundbreaking work, Cannibal Ox reaffirmed that they exist while also bringing together exceptional rappers and producers to help celebrate underground hip hop.
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