CRIMEAPPLE Becomes "El Cantante" On New Album

The Hackensack, NJ rapper is bubbling up with abstract flows and bilingual skill.

BYGabriel Bras Nevares
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CRIMEAPPLE just released his latest album, El Cantante, following an incredibly prolific 2022. Moreover, the last full-length we heard from the Jersey rapper was the 9-track Sin Cortar in collaboration with DJ Muggs. While APPLE has some help on El Cantante, he mostly takes full control of what he's putting on wax.

PARIS, FRANCE - MARCH 27: CrimeApple opens for Conway the machine at Le Trabendo on March 27, 2022 in Paris, France. (Photo by David Wolff-Patrick/Redferns)

Furthermore, features include RLX and BoriRock on the track "Together." Also, collaboration is a key part of his artistry, because it's a key part of hip-hop. CRIMEAPPLE focuses on sharp and boastful East Coast lyricism, atmospheric instrumentals, and abstract beats. You might've caught a feature of his on projects like Westside Gunn's Supreme Blientele.

Also, he frequently works with the likes of DJ Muggs, with whom he dropped Cartagena in 2021. Moreover, they've done more than a few songs and projects together at this point. Still, CRIMEAPPLE also works with a lot of other producers associated with the likes of Boldy James, Rome Streetz, and the rest of the current drumless wave.

“Doing another album was a no-brainer" Muggs and CRIMEAPPLE told Complex. "The chemistry was there from jump. Outside of that, it’s a family affair at this point. When we link it’s a movie, quite literally. We give listeners an experience more so than just another album. We take you places you probably won’t ever go on your own." 

Overall, this album is a concise and quality collection of chill, dense beats, impressive writing, and as always, touching homages and references to CRIMEAPPLE's Colombian descent. Furthermore, sometimes it's in the form of samples, and sometimes the project will switch to Spanish passages. However, the roots run quite deep. The title "El Cantante" is most likely a reference to Héctor Lavoe, the legendary Puerto Rican salsa singer. Moreover, he was on the label Fania Records, the leading salsa label whose logo is imitated on CRIMEAPPLE's album cover.

Still, what did you think of CRIMEAPPLE's latest album, El Cantante? Whatever the case, let us know in the comments and check out the tape's tracklist down below. Also, if you haven't heard the project yet, you can find it on your preferred streaming service. As always, come back to HNHH for the best new music released each week.

Tracklist

  1. My Song
  2. Tuesday
  3. Out The Way
  4. Cosos
  5. Together
  6. 719
  7. Hellman's
  8. Encore
  9. Precious

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About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a music and pop culture news writer for HotNewHipHop. He started in 2022 as a weekend writer and, since joining the team full-time, has developed a strong knowledge in hip-hop news and releases. Whether it’s regular coverage or occasional interviews and album reviews, he continues to search for the most relevant news for his audience and find the best new releases in the genre. What excites him the most is finding pop culture stories of interest, as well as a deeper passion for the art form of hip-hop and its contemporary output. Specifically, Gabriel enjoys the fringes of rap music: the experimental, boundary-pushing, and raw alternatives to the mainstream sound. As a proud native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, he also stays up-to-date with the archipelago’s local scene and its biggest musical exponents in reggaetón, salsa, indie, and beyond. Before working at HotNewHipHop, Gabriel produced multiple short documentaries, artist interviews, venue spotlights, and audio podcasts on a variety of genres and musical figures. Hardcore punk and Go-go music defined much of his coverage during his time at the George Washington University in D.C. His favorite hip-hop artists working today are Tyler, The Creator, Boldy James, JPEGMAFIA, and Earl Sweatshirt.