Ty Farris – “Run Toward the Monster” review

Detroit veteran Ty Farris teaming up with Apollo Brown to produce his 12th LP. Emerging up up under the name T-Flame being featuring on a lot of projects throughout the mid-2000’s until the very end of the decade, it was at that point where he started to put out solo stuff at a prolific rate by dropping 11 mixtapes, all 11 of his previous albums & 4 EPs. Standouts include the Room 39 duology & the No Cosign Just Cocaine series, the Machacha-produced Malice at the Palace & the Graymatter produced Sounds That Never Left My Soul. Coming off Enigma with an Attitude & Timing of a Tarantula, we have 2 of the Motor City’s finest joining forces suggesting you Run Toward the Monster.

After the “Run” intro, the first song “Follow My Soul” makes for a passionate boom bap intro talking about listening to his intuitions in this cold game whereas the 2nd & final single “No Celebrations” speaks of the relentless grind it takes to reach the top. “Details” disses wankstas who portray fictitious crime they’ve committed in their music while “Authenticity” featuring Mickey Diamond finds 2 talking about their legitimacies.

“Ctrl Alt Delete” brings a bit of a psychedelic, boom, bad vibe instrumentally proclaiming his 3rd eye doesn’t ever sleep leading into “Beautiful Struggle” talks about the journey to where he is now wasn’t an easy one, but he wouldn’t have changed shit. “Sacred” works in some sampling for Ty to explain the way he feels every time he’s in front of a microphone just before “Cold is the Gun” talks about never buckling under pressure.

Kicking off the final leg, “Street Patriots” speaks of another day in the battlefield for his kind of people chopping up a vocal sample while “Traffic” talks about still going although most who were hustling beside him have fallen off. The lead single “Flawless Victory” featuring Top Hooter teams up over a flute warning of what their results will be in any beef until finishing up by asking God to have mercy for the “Young Rebels” trying to survive the fight.

A fitting soundtrack for the cold months & colder realities, Run Toward the Monster reserves the arguable right of possibly becoming the greatest musical statement of Ty Farris’ entire career for it’s grittily emotional & unapologetically honest. Apollo Brown’s production has a heavily grimy, soul-drenched grit to it compared to Funeral for a Dream earlier this summer & T-Flame’s lyrics are amongst the most mature he’s ever penned, tackling issues like survival or self-awareness & standing your ground.

Score: 4.5/5

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Bronze Nazareth – “Funeral for a Dream” review

Detroit, Michigan emcee/producer Bronze Nazareth enlisting local veteran Apollo Brown to produce his 6th solo album. Known for being a member of the group Wisemen alongside his late brother Kevlaar 7 & eventually the Wu-Tang Clan’s in-house production team the Wu-Elements, he would also go on to build a solo career for himself beginning with The Great Migration almost 2 decades ago & School for the Blindman only 5 years later. Bundle Raps & Ekphrasis produced entirely by Leaf Dog & Roc Marciano respectively became his strongest output since his debut, coming off producing Things I Seen for Termanology a few months ago to deliver Funeral for a Dream.

“Banshee Walk” after the “Next Dream” intro chops up a vocal sample for a boom bap instrumental with synthesizers talking about the streets being alive & keeping the cannon sharp prior to “Enough Lord” sampling gospel music asking God to chill in the same week Malcolm-Jamal Warner predeceased WWE Hall of Famer Ozzy Osbourne of Black Sabbath and the inaugural IWGPヘビー級王座, former 12-time WWE world champion, WWE tag team champion, 2-time WWE Hall of Famer, Real American Beer founder, Real American Freestyle Wrestling (RAF) co-founder & known racist Hulk Hogan.

Apollo removes the drums completely on “Right There” talking about a person he knows having it all in front of him & fucking it up somehow while “Blue Albacore” gets back on the boom bap vibes slowing down the pitch of the sample used comparing success to a diamond suggesting that you gotta be moving mountains sometimes. “Lavender” goes for a heavier chipmunk soul direction tapping in with Love Jones on the outro hoping for critics to withdraw once he pivots the law while “Wheels of Misfortune” flexes about no one having bars like him.

“Meeting in the Clouds” combines chipmunk soul & boom bap together for a crushing tribute to his late brother Kevlaar 7 until “Faded Pictures” talks about envious individuals watching him shine wanting to turn him into a distant memory. “Smorgasbord” continues the distinct sampling to get on his luxurious fly shit & after the chipmunk soul collab “Lemon Glue” featuring Eddie Kaine talking about teaching you unexpected lessons, “The Quiet Years” drumlessly ends the LP by talking about being unbreakable.

Marking the longtime Mello Music Group in-house producer’s debut under his own label Escapism Recordings after leaving MMG this past winter, Apollo Brown & a close friend since his childhood Bronze Nazareth have caught up with one another for an obituary regarding the bond they’ve had for 4 decades strong beginning their individual careers simultaneously as teenagers saying goodbye to the dream itself because of them realizing the goals they had have been achieved by now.

Score: 4.5/5

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Crimeapple – “This, Is Not That” review

New Jersey lyricist Crimeapple enlisting Apollo Brown to produce 15th full-length album. Becoming a fan of his in the fall of 2017 with his 4th EP Sweet Dreamsalong with the Big Ghost Ltd. produced full-length debut Aguardiente that following spring, his profile in the underground grew exponentially from there. Discography standouts include the DJ Skizz-produced Wet Dirt, the DJ Muggs-produced Medallo, Cartagena, Breakfast in Hradec & Sin Cortar. El León produced by Preservation from the beginning of this year became the most I’ve enjoyed Crime’s music in a while & the official Aguardiente sequel Bazuko was a tad bit better, which raised the stakes for the Mello Music Group-backed This, Is Not That.

After the titular intro, the first song “Mercy” is this rap rock opener telling everyone who wants to take a portion to take precaution & to press your luck since you wanna press buttons whereas “Superstitious” takes the boom bap route instrumentally talking his passport lookin’ like a part of a prison gang. “Wonderful Feelin’” featuring Willie the Kid works in some strings detailing the mafioso life while “Know No Better” soulfully talks about a select few needing to stay inside.

“The Problem” goes for a drumless yet crooning vibe to the beat enjoying the fruits of his labor when he started & being in the tropics these days just before “Pitiful” ominously talks from a distressing place for roughly 3 minutes. “Almanacs” featuring Sonnyjim brings the pair together over pianos with some kicks & snares addressing those who need more than help, but then “Coke with Ice” strips the drums & keeps the keys in tact to talk about the way it be crackin’.

To begin the final leg, “My Own Good” has this atmospheric boom bap approach admitting that he still rides through his old hood time to time when he really shouldn’t be while the drumless “Favoritism” talks about being around the world & not seeing any other fix like his babies. “Mis Amigos” nears the conclusion of the LP clarifying that he’s the biggest in the county & “New Dreams” ends it with a guitar comparing it to the blind leading the blind.

This, Is Not That marks the rebirth of smoke-stained bars with Crimeapple playing both poet & philosopher by flipping bilingual manteca rhymes with a chef’s precision as well as stirring up the street grime & serving it with a side of sharp wit to remind the audience that there’s still beauty to be found in the decay over Apollo Brown’s dusty yet soulful sound built as if it’s ancient architecture.

Score: 4.5/5

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Planet Asia – “Sardines” review

This is the 24th full-length album from Fresno veteran Planet Asia. Emerging as 1/2 of the duo Cali Agents, he would also go on to have a very successful solo career & has made a lengthy yet consistent discography for himself. This includes The Grand Opening, The Medicine, the DJ Muggs-produced Pain Language, Abrasions, the Apollo Brown-produced Anchovies backed by Mello Music Group, the 38 Spesh-produced Trust the Chain, the Evidence-produced Rule of 3rds & more recently the Snowgoons-produced U.Z.I. (Universal Zeitgeist Intelligence) only last fall. So when it was announced that Apollo Brown was returning so he & Planet Asia could drop a sequel to Anchovies, that was more enough to go into Sardines with high anticipation.

After the “Bird Food” intro, the first song “Get the Dough Off” really opens the album with a drumless beat likening himself to a product pusher whereas “Panama Sun” featuring Detroit battle rap veteran Marv Won finds both MCs joining forces over a more sample-based instrumental admitting that their grind is deep rooted to the point where they can’t turn away. “Stones” continues to strip the drums once more in favor of strings making it clear he’s still in office like Castro that is until “Fly Anomalies” shoots for a darker approach cautioning not to be confused by the monsters.

The General Monks link up on “Wizardry” jumping on top of a flute so that both members Planet Asia & TriState of the Durag Dynasty can compare themselves to wizards with both of their pens just before “Jungle Juice” brings back the soul dropping some late night rugged shit. “Wide Awake” cooks up a more smoother beat painting exotic portraits of the 3rd dimension leading into the organ-laced “Acid Rain” featuring Sick Jacken asking who else is bringing they type of pain that they do.

“Peas & Onions” weaves a bare sample into time fold reminding that it’s self explanatory & that we all know what does while “Broad Dayin’” talks about how the game is fake like these Hollywood bitches’ upper-lips ties into more heavy sampling within the production. “’88 S-Curl” featuring another Detroit vet Ty Farris brings back the drumless vibes displaying a back-&-forth chemistry with each other while “Bazookas” shoots for a creepier atmosphere boasting that he’s firing missiles in the studio. “Can You Believe It?” ends the album with some jazzy undertones pledging allegiance to his region of humble beginnings.

If Planet Asia & Apollo Brown were looking to do Sardines better than when they put out Anchovies together 6 years ago, they could very well have just done that here. Apollo expands on the drumless/chipmunk soul sounds of the predecessor with some jazzier undertones this time around & the lyricism from not just King Medallions but even the 4 features all go harder than galvanized steel.

Score: 4.5/5

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Stalley – “Blacklight” review

Stalley is a 39 year old MC from Massillon, Ohio who came up in 2008 off his debut mixtape Goin’ Ape. This was followed up with MadStalley: The Autobiography & Lincoln Way Nights, which led Rick Ross signing him to Maybach Music Group. However, he would only put out 4 tapes & the full-length debut Ohio under Rozay’s wing before leaving in 2017. New Wave & Another Level both came out through Real Talk Entertainment which were kinda mediocre honestly, but the Nature Sounds-backed sophomore effort Reflection of Self: The Head Trip wound up being his best since Saving Yusuf. But now in light of his deal with Mello Music Group, it’s only right for Detroit’s very own Apollo Brown to produce Stalley’s 4th album from front to back.

After the “Hidden” intro, the title track is a rich opener about everything you’re hiding behind coming to light whereas “Love Me, Love Me Not” with Skyzoo joyously follows it up by calling out those who pray on their downfall. “No Monsters” works in some piano melodies to speak on those who don’t understand where the hunger comes from leading into the psychedelic boom bap banger “We Outside” encouraging to stay on your grind.

Meanwhile on “Humble Wins”, we have Stalley taking a more orchestral turn talking about catching the Ws in silence just before the synth-heavy “Breathe” finds him not letting the pressure fuck with his focus. “Lost Angels” almost has a bit of a gospel influence to it admitting a spiritual connection with the block, but then “Catch Up” incorporates some choir vocals getting on some grown man shit.

Joell Ortiz tags along for the whimsical “Bobby Bonilla” to chase that bag while “The Realest” declares himself as such over a jazz/trap fusion. “Broad Spectrum” has a more nocturnal sound to it talking about victories coming with a price-tag while the vulnerable “Stay Low” gets on some introspective life shit. The final song “What the Hook Gon’ Be?” brings in a woodwind & live drums talking about bringing pressure to the streets, but then “Omari’s Lament” ends the album with a spoken word piece.

Even though I enjoyed Stalley’s output back in the Maybach days, I think Blacklight has surpassed all of those projects in terms of quality. He’s always shown his potential as lyricist, but it all comes full circle here & Apollo Brown’s production is top notch as to be expected.

Score: 4.5/5

Che Noir – “As God Intended” review

Che Noir is a 26 year old MC from Buffalo, New York that I’ve been keeping up with for the past couple years now. I first caught wind of her through here extensive collaborations with 38 Spesh whether it be Che featured on his projects or Spesh producing a couple of her EPs. But to change things up, she’s enlisting Detroit veteran Apollo Brown for her full-length debut.

The album kicks off with “Anti-Social”, where Che talks about being a star since she was a kid over a boom bap beat with a luxurious piano-lead. The next song “Blood’s Thicker” paints a picture of what it was like for her growing up in Buffalo over a vintage soul sample while the track “Hustle Don’t Give” with Black Thought finds the 2 spitters being money hungry over an upbeat instrumental. The song “Money Orientated” lyrically needs no further explanation over a mystical beat while the track “12 Hours” tells the story of Che killing her man after catching him cheating on her with her friend Lisa over a desponding instrumental.

The song “Hold It Down” with Ty Farris sees the 2 talking about fighting until they die over an orchestral beat while the track “Daddy’s Girl” talks about her father being absent in her life on top of a spacious instrumental. The song “Worth Gold” talks bout being an adolescent over a somber boom bap beat while “The Apple” with Planet Asia finds the 2 making a dedication to black women worldwide over over a peaceful instrumental.

The song “Freedom” tackles racism in the United States over a woozy boom bap beat while the track “Follow the Wisdom” with Skyzoo displays a churchy beat & the way Apollo flips Scarface’s “My Block” on the hook is just incredible. The song “Winter” talks about how this man loves the streets more than her over a jazzy beat while the penultimate track “Live By the Code” over a tempting instrumental. The album then finishes with “’94”, which is a tribute to some of Che’s influences from Biggie to G-Unit over a meditative boom bap beat.

Buffalo has really been taking over the hip hop scene in recent years thanks to Griselda & this album only proves that Che Noir is on her way to becoming one of the illest female spitters out today. Throughout its 51 minute runtime, you’ll find some of her best songwriting to date accompanied by Apollo Brown‘s ever-so-phenomenal set of production.

Score: 4.5/5

Joell Ortiz – “Mona Lisa” review

Joell Ortiz is a 38 year old rapper from Brooklyn, New York who rose to prominence after being featured in the Unsigned Hype column of The Source in 2004. He then signed to Aftermath Entertainment in 2006 & they allowed him to release his debut album The Brick: Bodega Chronicles with E1 Music in the next year. Then in 2008, he left Aftermath & formed Slaughterhouse with Royce da 5’9”, KXNG CROOKED & Joe Budden. They saw a lot of success together with their self-titled debut the next year, landing a contract with Eminem’s Interscope Records imprint Shady Records in 2011 (the same year Joell put out his sophomore album Free Agent. However, the supergroup’s only album on the label welcome to: OUR HOUSE in the following year would unfortunately end up being their last. He’s been focusing on his solo career ever since then & now for his 6th full-length album, he has enlisted Detroit’s very own Apollo Brown to produce it in it’s entirety.

After the “Brushstrokes” intro, we go into the first song “Reflection”. Here, Yaowa putting his 2 cents in on the demise of Slaughterhouse over a mellow beat with some strings. The track “‘My Block” is a vivid tribute to the Cooper Park Houses over a soulful beat while the song “Cocaine Fingertips” is filled with hilarious battle bars over a settle bass-line. The track “Grace of God” is about making it out of the projects with an orchestral boom bap beat while the song “That Place” recalls a friend of his being shot over a somber beat.

The track “Word…” talks about his main squeeze over some bass guitar while the song ““Decisions” contemplates whether to keep rapping or selling cocaine over a gloomy instrumental. The track “Timberlan’d Up” sees Joell linking up with Royce to talk about fighting people over a gritty boom bap beat but if you were a huge Slaughterhouse fan like I was, then you’ll definitely like the remix with KXNG CROOKED a lot more. The penultimate track “Come Back Home” reflects on the good times in his block over a soulful boom bap beat & then the titular song is a 3 minute epic that finishes the album.

As expected, this is Joell’s best work yet. His lyricism is sharper over time & the organic Apollo Brown production suits his stories near perfectly. If you wanna hear an underrated vet at his most mature moments, then give this a listen.

Score: 4.5/5