It’s already been quite a year for this man. After an incredible run in 2024 with many albums considered ‘Album Of The Year’, he’s back with his third offering of 2025 and no doubt a record many will speculate will be this year’s ‘Album Of The Year’, so let’s talk about it!
This is the latest collaboration album by underground legend CRIMEAPPLE and notorious producer DJ Skizz, and together they drop 12 songs with just under 40 minutes of content, with the likes of
-Estee Nack and -Lil Eto as the features!
Earlier this year, they did drop the single ‘Oro Rosa’, which had the culture buzzing, and now with the full course available, how does it fare? Well, in my opinion, this is CRIMEAPPLE’S strongest album of the year.
Starting with the production, DJ Skizz, who hasn’t been quiet himself, as I remember him dropping that collaboration project with Musalini in that dope record ‘The Pierre Hotel’, and now with this, he’s bringing his trademark organic instrumentation and theatrical production/execution that makes this record sound like the sonic equivalent of a holiday on a tropical island where the ocean is clear and the coconut trees plentiful, and the skies beautiful.
The biggest factor of this record is how gorgeous and authentic the instruments sound across this album. Doesn’t matter if we talk about the luscious strings, the subtle keys, those loud and powerful horns, or the traditional/crisp and well-executed Hip Hop Beats. Every aspect from the grand instrumentation to the skeletal rap production feels larger than life. It feels ‘luxury’ with a fresh atmospheric aura that sounds like paradise.
I had to listen to this album three times before I could review it specifically due to the fact I kept getting lost in the beauty and elegance of the production. My body and mind felt relaxed, and I was just soaking in the pure divine vibe of the record. That’s how powerful and beautiful this album sounds!
Now, onto the man himself. The man who has broken every expectation on him for the past few years now and across this album, paired with that lavish instrumentation, he’s determined to break new ground and show the culture why he really is ‘that guy’.
What’s interesting is, although the production is as gorgeous as it is, Crime hasn’t toned down his lyricism at all. It’s still street, drug bars with his trademark charismatic spin that only he can pull off.
He brings with him that untouchable flow where he can manipulate the beats for him to spit however and wherever he wants on the beat in his own ‘free form’ style and still come out perfect. It’s actually fitting he features Estee Nack on this album as he’s the king of that style and Crime shows his ability in that as well, and hearing them on the same track is heaven-sent!
His raw, natural aura and cadence on these tracks is infectious. He’s in no rush, he ain’t rapping on anyone’s time but his own. Always the one to be calm and collected on the songs, building his rhythm combined with his lethal yet surreal pacing and sharp penmanship, he’s showcasing his ‘all-rounder’ talents and, as I said above, I feel this is the best he’s sounded all year!
I could listen to this album for weeks on end and never get sick of it. The chemistry between these two is undeniable and, although we did get a record with them back in 2019, I hope we can get one more to finish off the trilogy!
https://open.spotify.com/album/1Dm3HzPFITF0rXyHilNeFl?si=CAP1RimUTQmiNbMeh7kEPw
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