Once upon a time, there existed a brutal gang known as Cannibal Ox (Can Ox). Vordul Megilah was one of the Yung Havoks who fronted the vicious group. When they weren’t destroying “one-dimensional emcees,” Cannibal Ox played in the luscious landscapes of its rap wonderland. All was well until Vordul and his partner-in-crime, Vast Aire, began to battle each other. They soon parted ways, and Vordul left town in search of greater things.
- Eston Bond
On his journey, Vordul passed through Nas’s kingdom of Illmatic where he learned several beats and choruses. He entered several of the 36 Chambers where the Wu-Tang ruled, and finally finding a place to settle — somewhere between the cave of Jay-Z’s Reasonable Doubt and the intellectual flow of the Quality river guarded by the Talib Kweli — he began writing raps of his own. However, he soon realized he needed a posse to remedy his monotonous style. This is where Vordul’s deception began …
Vordul shortened his last name from Megilah to Mega and boasted of his involvement in the legendary Cannibal Ox, touting himself as the leader of the group. Vordul recruited C Rayz Walz for a job called “Spitamatic.” Its organic beat and soul samples gave Mega’s new neighbor, Kanye, chills. Also, Mega recruited the notoriously smooth Jean Grae, whom he easily outshone. Her mediocre vocals intertwined with several samples and simply disappointed the villagers.
One day, Vordul was lazing around when he heard a familiar voice. “I am Cannibal Ox / I wear many hats,” it echoed. Vordul’s heart sank. He ran into the streets to see Vast Aire surrounded by the villagers. Aire stared at Vordul before jumping into “Handle That.” Aire proceeded to put Vordul to shame. His superior flow and lines like, “he gets no love like John McEnroe,” destroyed Vordul’s credibility and respect amongst his peers and the villagers.
As Aire crooned, “I give you 45-seconds to run,” Vordal left town screaming “Megallah” — a name reminiscent of his former, but presumably the beginning of a new transformation — and recounting his struggles. With this downtrodden cadence, Vordul’s choruses seemed tedious without the assistance of his crew or an untouchable beat. As he walked with Kweli’s Beautiful Struggle into the sunset, all knew Mega wasn’t finished and that he would travel until he found more gorgeous lands on which to romp.
Rating: 2.5 / 5 stars