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I knew Def Jux was underground, low-budge shit, but I had no idea they'd be this un-jiggy. Forget Bentleys and groupies, Def Jux was representing in a run down, abandoned Mother's Cookie warehouse, capacity 200 at most. The venue was definitely more Black Flag than Jay-Z.

This was independent hip hop label Def Jux's "showcase," presenting most of their roster of MC's and producers. Unfortunately, two of the people I came to see didn't show. El-P, the producer/MC behind the label, was absent but his presence could be felt in the eerie soundscapes that provided the backdrop for most of the MC's to flow over. Secondly, Vordul, half of headliner Cannibal Ox, was also unfortunately absent.

Despite these two absentees, the show was still worth it for a couple of reasons:

VAST AIRE

The other half of Cannibal Ox is one of the most amazing MC's I've heard. Like early Nas and Wu Tang, Vast is able to flow truthfully about gritty NY street life without the any over-the-top thug posturing that sometimes reduces other MC's to cartoons. Furthermore, he is able to rap about important social issues without sounding preachy or corny like many "conscious" MC's. Vast's imagination, fed with hip-hop mix tapes, 70’s sci-fi flicks, and X-Men comics, is dark and gritty enough to paint a disturbing picture of urban life, but conscious enough not to glorify it.

Physically, Vast is a big fella. At times it seemed that too many Whoppers had caught up to him as he struggled to get his breath after songs, but his desire to spit kept him going for the duration. Unfortunately, because his partner in rhyme was absent, many Can Ox songs were left out. But Vast easily held his own as a top caliber MC.

AESOP ROCK

I bought this guy's CD a couple of weeks before this show and was kind of disappointed. Aesop could definitely flow, but some songs were so packed with lyrics that they felt claustrophobic. I wasn't too into his style until I saw him live. This guy is nuts. The two biggest highlights of the Def Jux show came in his set. First, Aesop went off on a minute long a cappella tirade that gave his opinions on every video game system from Commodore 64 to Playstation 2 and packed in more words than a short novel. Second, Vast joined Aesop for the song "Attention Span" off Aesop's CD Float. If you get a chance, check this song out. Vast's segment is wickedly funny and Aesop sounds even more excited than usual.

So anyway, the show was really good despite the no shows. Get Can Ox's The Cold Vein if you're into intelligent lyrics and RZA-feeling-extra-experimental beats. The CD takes patience to listen to, but after a while you'll come to appreciate it, if for no other reason than Vast Aire's flows.