On “Back 2 Basics”, a song from Vast Aire’s second solo album, he casually repeats “I’m not a rapper, I just talk a lot” during its chorus. Yeah, right. The man who once floored the universe as one-half of Cannibal Ox sports a rhyme scheme that orbits closer to Earth these days, but that doesn’t mean he won’t chew your ass up if he needs to.
“T.V. Land” finds him in storyteller mode, weaving titles of movies and television shows together in his typically humorous fashion. Melodius Monk provides an action/adventure-inspired beat that’s both punchy and slightly suspenseful. A love jones devolves into lust on “The Crush” as Vast dotes on a string of partners.
Guest MCs Karniege, Copywrite, Camp Lo’s Gecchi Suede and others provide further verbal ammunition, but it’s Aire who calls the shots. The Pete Rock-produced “Mecca And The Ox” rejoins Cannibal Ox as Vordul Mega trades verses with Vast. Its chorus sums up the lyrical ferocity of the album: “I tap dance on fingers, so if you knew the ledge, you wouldn’t be holdin’ on.”
