Apathy: Wanna Snuggle?

When Eastern Philosophy dropped, heads began to turn in the direction of Apathy. For Ap, this must’ve been bittersweet considering that EP was seven years into his career and really his first official release. Moreover, Apathy was once a major label artist, inking with Atlantic, but then moving to the indie hip hop label, Babygrande. Starving for three years, Ap fans get what they’ve been waiting for in Wanna Snuggle? Producing all but 4 tracks on the long 21 track LP and bringing his lyrical A-game for most of the project, Apathy has certainly given listeners an album worth wrapping their eardrums around.

We may question the title all we want, but I have to admit, it ingrains meaning in itself throughout an entire listen. What could it refer to? Could it refer to Apathy’s lyrics on “Hell’s Angel,” where he goes “This is for my mother and my father, my aunts and my uncles/ who taught me to be humble and that life’s always a struggle/Raps? I know a couple/ I catch you in the jungle and I’m a boa constrictor motherf*cker/ Wanna Snuggle?” Of course, it could be as simple as that, and Ap evidently gives the listeners no foreplay to intake. Listen to the remarkably timed production of “Money Orientated,” borrowing the popular AZ verse from “Life’s A Bitch,” alongside the hard hitting rhymes of Emilio Lopez. Move on to quick, witty, and Tarentino-esque “Gov’t Cheese” to experience another swift lyrical uppercut. Or visit the slamming Teddy Roxpin production on “I’m a Demigod,” a beat which allows for Apathy to flow effortlessly from bar-to-bar.

Guest appearances are not uncommon on this project, as Ap welcomes his Demigod family on board for a few tracks. But, it’s the unpredictable collaborations that make for some of the album’s best work. Undoubtedly, “True Love” featuring Phonte, is a contender for track of the year. The song speaks of the common topic most hip hop lovers face: dating a girl who doesn’t understand hip hop. Ap waxes philosophically: “I wanna find a perfect mate who know about The Purple Tape / A lot of bitches perpetrate, impe-pe-pe-pe-personating”… “I want a ‘Gangsta Bitch’ like Apache says / Who raps like Lauryn Hill did on ‘Nappy Heads.’” Still, Phonte steals the show with great storytelling and his Marvin Gaye and Fedro Starr references towards the end of his verse. Another show stealer is also one of the most underrated emcees in the genre, J Live, who bodies his part on “This is the Formula.” The Mike Shinoda production on “Shoot First” compliments the welcomed B-Real and Celph Titled guest spots, while Holly Brook sings a spine-chilling chorus on the album’s closer, “Victim.”

Wanna Snuggle? is track after track of gothic romanticism in a most unique sense. Tracks like “Back in LA” and “Rhode Island” sadly take away from this verbal-literary experience. Similar to how one would “snuggle” up with a book and want to experience consistent flow and fluidity of the text, these tracks, even though displaying solid production, don’t belong here conceptually. Regardless, there is a lot of great stuff in this piece of work, most notably, the chemistry between Apathy and newcomer producer, Teddy Roxpin. Teddy, who produced three tracks on the album brings a powerful soul element to the table, interpolates an equally powerful Jazz tone with and early 90’s boom bap style. It’s beautiful, especially on “Hard Times on Planet Earth.”

The track listing may run long, but really, the last tracks certainly define how much better this album could’ve been if executed a little more cohesively. “Slave” and “Victim” delve into a dark place in Ap’s mind and with it, show the development of a wonderful pen game that this emcee obviously has. Not only are these tracks so specific, detailed, and vivid, they are well crafted and marvelously crafted. It is with this same frame that could’ve made Wanna Snuggle? that much better.

81/100

“Victim”

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

“True Love”

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

“I’m A Demigod”

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

“Shoot First”

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.