Start the Day off Right w/Vast Aire

Vast Aire (the not-so-gentle-but-very-giant half of new york rap duo Canibal Ox) is one of those emcees that I find myself defending a lot. People say, "Vast is no good without El-P" the label boss who did the beats on CanOx's debut smash The Cold Vein... and all I can do is shrug my shoulders and put my headphones back on. I just don't agree with that! One of the best compliments I can give a movie is that it makes me want to go home and draw, and when Vast grabs the mic, I get that same sensation. It's like, Vast is not a storyteller type rapper, but when he rhymes, I see pictures in my head...

I think most people just attribute it to the cinematic quality of El-P's production. The production on Real Earth (above) and Scream Phoenix definitely open the mind's eyelids. But I can assure you, I wouldn't have given a second listen to either if not for the mighty Vast Aire. So for this post I will only post one joint from The Cold Vein, the aforementioned Real Earth, which I erroneously called Aire in Space for years, so I never could find it on YouTube.

This one's called Handle That, and was on Vordul Mega's solo album The Revolution of Yung Havoks. For the record, Vordul's the not-Vast half of Can Ox, and a pretty undervalued rapper himself,  But this post's about Vast. I went crazy when Vast said "Who you know who can hover over ground Zero, without Namor's feet, son? Gotta be the Aire Force One" cuz I'm a dork like that...

had to include Supafriendz, even though you might miss Vast's dopeness getting overshadowed by mothereffin' MF DOOM, but I promise, it's in there...
-samax.
@

4 comments:

  1. B_Steelo10:46 AM CDT

    Really? They say he's no good without El-P?

    That makes so sense. Cann Ox took me a little time to get honestly. The beats helped keep me there and then I focused on the lyrics. I really dig that flow.

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  2. Samax12:05 PM CDT

    yeah, I hear that argument a lot... me personally? I FUX w/Vast! He's kooky, but when he's on, he's ON! even when he's not in TOP form, I still find his rhymes amusing. He's almost nerdcore sometimes with the references, but super grimy at the same time! And when he disses somebody, it's effing PRICELESS!

    speaking of which, peep that BATTLE OF THE PLANETS: Scream Phoenix 2010 ---> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLRzFncdPKc

    (you pro'lly seen it already)

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  3. Mr. Caluya6:07 PM CDT

    Man Vast Aire is one of the dopest mc's out of NY. People just jock EL-P's production which is dope but i liked Vast Aire since i first heard him. I did want them to do a another Cannibal Ox record. Listen to what he says and not just the beat.

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  4. Samax8:15 PM CDT

    Word.

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