Apollo Brown & Ras Kass - Blasphemy (2014) - First Impressions & Album Stream

I've been looking forward to this one dropping ever since it was announced since I'm a big fan of both artists.  Ras Kass has been floundering for probably the last ten years, but if anyone could get him back in his groove it would be Apollo.  On Trophies and Dice Game he showed that he can inject something amazing into veterans that have lost their way a little.  Anyone that's heard Soul On Ice - an album I consider to be like a West Coast Illmatic - and Rasassination knows what an inspired Ras Kass can do on the mic.

When the lead single H2O dropped my anticipation went from about an 8 to way off the scale.  This song is probably my favourite I've heard all year - the perfect sample from Apollo, the best verse I've heard from Rassy in years and a brilliant feature from Pharoahe Monch who sounds like he's still in his PTSD mind state mesh together so well.

Humble Pi was the first video released for Blasphemy and I was amazed that it was nearly on the same level as H2O, but could the rest of the album stack up?  It's now been released digitally and you can stream it in full below to find out for yourself.

I've only listened to it once, but first impressions tell me that this has definitely lived up to the hype.  I've never heard a bad beat from Apollo Brown, but I have to admit I was a little underwhelmed by his production last year on Ugly Heroes and The Brown Tape - they were still incredible but I didn't think they reached the heights of his previous work.  This year however with his instumental album .38 and now on Blasphemy he has definitely reached the high standards that his back catalogue set for him.  He reminds me a lot of DJ Premier, in that although his beats are amazingly varied you can tell it's an Apollo beat as soon as you hear it.  He's got a signature sound that no one else in the game is doing right now and he has a special talent for finding chemistry with the rappers he works with.

As I said, the album is available to buy digitally right now and physical copies are available for pre-order.  I strongly suggest you invest, because you'll grab yourself one of the strongest releases of the year.  Spread the word so that this doesn't also become one of the most slept on.

First listen standouts (other than the singles): How To Kill God, Roses, Animal Sacrifice, Francine, Bon Voyage