Album Review: Apathy – Wanna Snuggle?

14 years ago view-show 1,942,974

apathy

Connecticut’s Apathy may never get the recognition he deserves; sadly the mainstream will only allow one rapper with pale skin to control the airwaves.  Ap’s story in the rap game is flooded with disappointment; Atlantic Records signed the Demigod in the mid-2000s, but insisting that integrity means more than money, Ap left Atlantic on his own terms, citing they wanted him to rap over pop beats and change his style.  For years, Apathy self-released mix-albums (Where’s Your Album?, It’s Bootleg, Motherf*ckas, Baptism By Fire) that were on par with official releases, and in 2006, his first official LP, Eastern Philosophy dropped to critical praise; but even with great reception and help from big names (Mike Shinoda and B-Real) Apathy has remained out of the spotlight.    Wanna Snuggle? won’t cement Apathy’s status as a commercial success, nor does it attempt to.

Apathy boast as much, if not more than most, he always backs up his claim with cleverly contrived delivery and mind-blowing lyricism.  What may catch Apathy loyalists off-guard is that a majority of the album relies on soul-sample beats produced by Apathy himself.  However, this isn’t your typical Kanye release; Apathy maintains his integrity by rapidly flowing through verses of braggadocio, deep thought and misogyny.  Such is evident from the lead single “True Love” featuring Phonte of Little Brother, which is an absolute banger.  “Guys and Girls” featuring Blue Raspberry is another example of Ap’s ability to get deep and talk about relationships although he stays in tune to his usual self. 

Ap beasts through lyrics on tracks such as “On and Off the Mic” featuring Blacastan stating, “I’m gonna teach you how to do this, point blank period/like aliens taught Egyptians how to build pyramids/unoriginal f*ggot, biting imitator/you ain’t even fly, you’re a flight simulator.” “I’m a Demigod” is without a doubt one of Apathy’s greatest lyrical feats as he utters, “You talk about llamas and you strapped with the gat cocked/the only time you’ve ever held a mac was laptop/I stay around weed heads that constantly hit blunts/and burn it down than b*tches during the witch hunts.”  This album has far too many quotables such as “f*ck knuckling up/there’s a reason my niece calls me ‘Uncle Buck’” from the lyrically immaculate “Shoot First” featuring B-Real and Celph Titled, although the beat leaves something to be desired.  At the conclusion of “This is the Formula” featuring J-live, Ap proclaims that he “considers this a classic” and I’ll be hard-pressed to disagree.  “Hard Times on Planet Earth” is another fantastic song where Ap reflects on his struggles as a Caucasian rapper an insists, “I split when Atlantic tried to make me their b*tch.”

The album also features a handful of songs that are conceptual.  “Candy” featuring Dose is extremely well done with the duo name checking their favorite sweets in intricate ways (“I met her on 5TH AVENUE, not no hood bar/I bet 100 GRAND I’d be her MR. GOODBAR/BUTTERFINGERS grip to ridiculous hips/while she gives me GOOD N PLENTY with her LICORICE LIPS” –Dose ).  “Rhode Island” featuring Emilo Lopez pays homage to America’s smallest state.  The production sounds like DJ Premier although it’s actually produced by Teddy Roxpin with DJ Mekalek on the wheels of steel.  “Slave” featuring Motive of the Demigodz is another conceptual jam linking the impoverished to African American slaves, while the album’s closer, “Victim” featuring Holly Brook tells the tale of an unsuspecting  female that snap and becomes a killer; trust me it’s sick.  However the standout concept track is “What Goes Up.” I won’t even quote it – just click the link and listen to it because it’s undoubtedly one of the best story tracks I have ever heard.

With all these groundbreaking tracks, the album does have its low points.  “Run, Run Away” sounds like a musical atrocity; the sample sounds like a mockery and even Ap’s lyricism cannot save it.  “Mind Ya Business” featuring Chip-Fu aims to be a radio-friendly, Jamaican dancehall style track, but overall is passable.  Nonetheless, Apathy’s Wanna Snuggle? Is a well crafted album, and it’s even more impressive to know Ap produced 95% of the tracks and mixed the entire album.  While the album might lack consistency at times, it’s a lyrical relic with a futuristic vibe and is definitely worth checking out.

Available On iTunes

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4.5/5