Review: Ras Kass & Apollo Brown - Blasphemy
By Christopher Reinbold, Contributor
[Mello Music Group; 2014]
Rating: 1/10
Key Track: “How to Kill God”
Underground hip-hop has always been used as a vehicle for social and political change. On the opposite end of the spectrum, modern commercial hip-hop seems to be about being a hyper-masculine thug displaying sexual prowess and showcasing how much money they have. Detroit-based producer Apollo Brown and California rapper Ras Kass look to bring this extraordinary ignorance to the underground with Blasphemy.
At first, Blasphemy seems to be an album that is going to take a monstrous stab at religion with the introductory track being a near skit, using samples of phone conversations touching on religious subjects. The second track, “How to Kill God,” dissects religion through the use of historical events.
Ras Kass namedrops the crusades, Holocaust and jihad right out of the gates. He proclaims religion is used for nothing except “justifying” sexism, racism and ignorance. The song ends up being a well thought-out attack on religious fundamentals. Unfortunately, the intelligence ends here.
The duo tears down religion, yet goes on to do just what they disgraced--they begin to puke ill-conceived statements left and right. Ras Kass starts flapping his lips about how thug he is and how intense his lifestyle is. In “Please Don’t Let Me,” he raps about how he is the best there ever was and how you can, “Catch me at some Grammy party / Next to Jamie Foxx.”
He goes on to shame transsexual people and those suffering from gender dysphoria, calling them sick. When you think he can’t hit the ball out of the park, he goes on to say, “I be frisking hoes in the club / I’m paranoid.” He’s pretty much saying grope whoever you want if you’re paranoid. That’s not okay, dude! Never!
Ras Kass continues spewing stupidity, rapping about how it doesn’t matter who it is, all women are the same and are just sexual objects.
“Chocolate on the outside / Strawberry on the inside / Vanilla on the outside / Strawberry on the inside.” You know what he’s talking about and it is shudder inducing.
This is the entire album. Blasphemy starts so strong, but it very quickly pulls a 180. You can’t help but shake your head as Apollo Brown and Ras Kass use vague and sparse religious mentions to try and pull together this unbelievably incoherent work. One of the greatest examples of this lack of coherence comes in the form of the track “Giraffe Pussy” (yes, that is actually the song’s name and sadly, it is not surprising).
Xzibit, the former face of MTV’s Pimp My Ride, delivers this absolutely superb hook: “I feel so inspired / Never kneel to a false messiah / Gettin’ higher than giraffe pussy…” Yes, he did just say that. Why or how is he getting that high? No idea. Also, how does this tie into spirituality at all?
Please, do not subject yourself to the horrors of Blasphemy. It may be one of the most ignorant underground releases of the year, easily. You would rather watch paint dry--at least you won’t lose brain cells.
