Crimeapple & DJ Muggs – “Cartagena” (Album Review)
Crimeapple is a 35 year old MC from Hackensack, New Jersey who came onto my radar in the fall of 2017 with his 4th EP Sweet Dreams along with his Big Ghost Ltd. produced full-length debut Aguardiente that following spring. His profile began to grow after dropping the DJ Skizz-produced Wet Dirt & the DJ Muggs-produced Medallo the next year, but his output since then has been either hit or miss with me personally. However, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t excited to hear that he was re-enlisting Muggs for his 7th album right here.
“Grey Skies” is a glorious opener about him waking up feeling unstoppable whereas “Bathtubs Full of Veuve” takes things into boom bap turf spitting that fly shit. “Tony 2C” goes into a drearier direction reminding us he got that dope on demand leading into Stove God Cook$ tagging along for the battle rap piano ballad “Mermaids”.
Meanwhile on “Papas”, we have Crimeapple jumping on top of a Daringer-inspired boom bap instrumental talking about getting a bag just before “Cheap Work” has a bit of a dark industrial sound letting us know he’s in that getting money stage. “Designer Label” has an unsettling atmosphere in the production detailing how it is from the cradle to the grave back to the cradle, but then “Reputation” has a more celebratory vibe saying he don’t care about the bullshit.
“Some More Paper” has some chilling organ harmonies confessing that’s all he really needs at this point whereas “Kleenex” brings in a guitar saying he’s been to shit since seeing TGIF on Fridays. The song “Swish” continues the rock vibes proclaiming the throne to the rap game while the penultimate track “Peligrosisimo” grimily flexes his Spanish. “Fly Shit” with RLX then ends the album by going at those who envy them.
From the moment Muggs initially announced Cartagena, I knew he was gonna give Crime what his last couple projects have been lacking & am more than satisfied with the end results. He’s been one of the nicest lyricists to come out of New Jersey in recent memory & that hasn’t changed at all, but the production on here in comparison is like night & day.
Score: 9/10
