Blasphemy, the collaborative album from Detroit producer Apollo Brown and West Coast legend Ras Kass, is a thought-provoking and highly personal treatise on the unspoken. No “ism” is out of bounds, no topic too untoward. Whatever you hold sacred isn’t above aggressive inquiry.
Behind the boards, Apollo Brown orchestrates with divine aural vision. Though Blasphemy is his first album with a west coast rapper, he doesn’t retread g-funk synth grooves. He also forgoes the minimal, rubbery bounce popular with the current crop of west coast talent. Amidst a sea of production crafted for the drug-addled turn up, his work is a life preserver, serving ardent hip-hop fans with hard-hitting beats made buoyant by donuts of soul and blues. On his deftly layered suites, drums hit with the force of an unabridged Bible to the dome, the samples masterfully selected and utilized. With Blasphemy, Brown has created MPC gospel, sonic scripture. Features on the LP include Pharoahe Monch, Rakaa (of Dilated Peoples) Xzibit, Bishop Lamont, Sean Price and more.
The Blasphemy L.A. listening party will be on Friday, October 24th at Escala in Korea Town. Cop the LP, available now on iTunes.
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