ApolloRed1 – “ApolloRed1 vs. the World” review

Atlanta, Georgia rapper ApolloRed1 preluding his debut mixtape with his 3rd EP. Starting out a year ago off his full-length debut The Summer I Turned Red along with his first couple EPs Villain & Vamp Diary, his last EP Tantrum in March was enough to have his cousin Playboi Carti make him the newest member of the Opium Records roster & dropping a Midnight Blassic this spring. In preparation for his debut mixtape Demon Heart Radio, he’s preluding it with ApolloRed1 vs. the World.

“No Running” is a rage-inducing opener produced by Clayco talking about having whole rounds for their opps whereas “Benz Muhfucka” featuring Protect with co-production from OPM BABI & n9ck finds the pair assuring you won’t catch them leaving the house strapped. “Riot” continues to rep the hypertrap influences thanks to Goxan for an ode to the New York stop of Opium’s upcoming Antagonist Tour while “Contraband” talks about putting it this shit on command over a 16yrold, Bakkwoods & Rafmade instrumental.

Meanwhile on “Loaded Diper”, we have ApolloRed1 over more rage beats to discuss him still poppin’ pills & hopping out the van leading into “ARP” talks about the rifle doing exactly what he tells it to do over an Ayelavish! beat. “Profit” uses a flow reminiscent to Future’s confessing to fucking up the financial gain just before “Bad Bitch Fetish” featuring 9 Vicious teases their upcoming collab tape YVLFN.

“10:03” starts the final leg of ApolloRed1 vs. the World by talking about not wasting his money at the Magic City strip club Jermaine Dupri named his comeback album from last month after prior to “headed2thesky” promising to put the world in his girl’s hands over a Trgc instrumental. “Vamp Language” featuring Destroy Lonely was the perfect choice of a last minute guest appearance as they get on top this Bugz Ronin beat to talk about speaking in vampire.

Putting a bigger emphasis on the Chicago drill & plugg styles than Midnight Blassic did earlier this spring, ApolloRed1 vs. the World might seem like a homage of Lil Uzi Vert’s greatest tape on the surface only to get a collection of trap & rage tracks that rival ApolloRed1’s inaugural release under Opium several months ago. The production expands on the artistic potential that began flourishing post-Tantrum giving more reasons to validate his signing.

Score: 4/5

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ApolloRed1 – “Midnight Blassic” review

This is the sophomore effort & Opium Records debut from Atlanta, Georgia rapper ApolloRed1. Starting out a year ago off his full-length debut The Summer I Turned Red along with his first couple EPs Villain & Vamp Diary, his last EP Tantrum a couple months ago was enough to have his blood cousin Playboi Carti make him the newest member of the Opium roster by putting out a Midnight Blassic ahead of his upcoming collaborative project YVLFN with one of the newest YSL Records artists 9 Vicious at some point.

“PBrazy” produced by Clayco & OPM BABI felt like a promising start talking about the whole squad getting brazy with it now that he got a label deal whereas “Beauty Pageant” links up with Ayelavish!to rejects the news for an accountant since he’s been stacking bread since he was young. “Georgia Boy” turns up the rage a bit courtesy of none other than F1LTHY from Working on Dying getting on his bullshit since he’s from the ATL, but then “Ready2Purge” gives off a plugg vibe suggesting people listen & learn from him.

We get back on the hypertrap vibes a bit on “Hallucinating” putting money over everything & handing out bounties by throwing out prices on muhfuckas’ heads just before “Face Tattoos” reunites with F1LTHY to continue the rage beats talking about his girl wanting Chanel when she’s flat out broke. “Gotta B” breaks down the way he feels like he has to be for 2 & a half minutes leading into “XO Tourlyfe” responds to his chick hitting his phone in the midst of him being on the road.

“Rick Addiction” kicks off the 2nd half of Midnight Blassic with him, BryceUnknwn & Clayco linking up again to publicly address his fascination for Rick Owens while “Delta” cloudily talks about his chick promising that she’ll ride with him until the very end even if she drives him crazy & Clayco sticking around. “Tom Holland” makes a witty reference to the actor who plays Spider-Man in The Walt Disney Company-owned Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) over a Rafmade/Trgc instrumental while “Halo” skeletally calls out people who ain’t really saying shit.

To get the encore of Apollo’s debut with Opium going, “Honest” brings a bit of a robotic trap flare to the table coming clean with having too many close calls while “Chanel Shooter” talks about not needing to call any backup because of him being his own person. “Drug Love Demo 2” serves as a spiritual successor to a loosie single he put out at the beginning of February leveling up compared to the original & the closer “Back to That” finds him unwilling to be a nobody again.

Looking at all 4 of the other artists Opium has to offer, it’s not too hard for me or really anyone else familiar with them to see why they would want to bring ApolloRed1 on board as the most recent addition to the label roster since it takes the potential displayed on Tantrum & turns it up a few volumes. The trap, rage & plugg production in only 35 minutes feels more cultivated than what I’ve heard from him previously & holds the fort down by himself in an effort to elevate himself.

Score: 3.5/5

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