uncollected.co.uk

Cannibal Ox members Vast Aire and Vordul have parted ways and cancelled their planned 30 city tour with Jean Grae which was to begin today.

"People kept telling me it wouldn't happen, due to the history of the group's [Cannibal Ox] situation [with concert promoters world-wide]. Friday when Can Ox decided to pull out of the tour at the last second, as well as...break up their group officially...we were pretty much left with nothing, except the pieces to try and pick up," says Jean Grae.

"This is the second tour we cancelled this year...since leaving Def Jux Vast and Vordul rarely speak to each other any more...Vast just wants to focus on his solo career," says Cannibal Ox's former DJ, Anthony "Cip One" Cipriani.

Jean Grae's representatives have already started planning a new tour to support her newest release, "The Bootleg of the Bootleg EP" which is in stores now. For future updates on the tour and Jean Grae check out www.jean-grae.com

I think Can Ox breaking up is a terrible move for both of them. Each of Vast and Vordul has his own shit, but the contrast between them provides a lot of much needed dynamic in their songs. I've heard Vast solos that were pretty dope, but I don't like to relisten to them as much as Can Ox tracks. Each of them has a pretty monotonous style, basically, and they nead eachother to be duotonous.

Cannibal Ox have cancelled their fall tour due to "internal difficulties," according to a post on Definitive Jux's official website. "We have just spoken to Vast [Aire, one of the duo's principals]," the statement read. "He confirms that they have cancelled the tour due to internal difficulties but denies rumors that they have split. They are both focusing on solo records at the moment. As we have been told, the official status is that they are on hiatus."

The post was apparently meant to squash rumors and e-mails that circulated last weekend on the Hip Hop Infinity bulletin board and would-be Cannibal Ox tourmate Jean Grae's e-mail list, announcing the cancellation of the tour and speculating as to whether the underground rappers had parted ways permanently. A publicist for Def Jux, Damon Locke, assured Pitchfork this isn't so, holding tight to the official line: "[Cannibal Ox] just can't tour and they are focusing on solo records."

The e-mail circulated on Jean Grae's official list had quoted Grae as saying, "People kept telling me it wouldn't happen, due to the history of [Cannibal Ox's] situation [with concert promoters worldwide]. Friday when Can Ox decided to pull out of the tour at the last second, as well as...break up their group officially...we were pretty much left with nothing, except the pieces to try and pick up." The e-mail also quotes Cannibal Ox DJ Anthony "Cip One" Cipriani as saying that "Vast and Vordul rarely speak to each other any more" and that the group have left Def Jux. Pitchfork was unable to verify the authenticity of the e-mail, which came from an AOL address purporting to be press reps for the group. Def Jux's site characterizes the post as "bogus."

The e-mail also promised that the Jean Grae tour would be rescheduled without Cannibal Ox. At press time, neither the rapper's official website nor her booking agency had reported any rescheduled dates.