Ray West Recruits Zilla Rocca for Quarantine-recorded Rowhouse Whispers EP Featuring ALASKA & Shane Great (RED APPLES 45)

Since the start of Nation-wide self-quarantines about a month ago, Bronx, New York producer and multi-instrumentalist Ray West has been steadily recording and self-releasing projects on his imprint, RED APPLES 45. For Week #1, RED APPLES treated terribly unsuspecting fans/onlookers to West's WALTER PPK EP, an Instrumental Hip-Hop split with fellow producer Giallo Point. A week later, saw the release of STRESS RELIEF, which features Dynamix emcee Junclassic alongside Ray West across a Name-Your-Price 5-track EP. Week #3 marked the surprise-release of Ray West & Eloh Kush's IMPETUS EP featuring guest emcees Glorious, John Robinson, ID4Windz, and Jahbaton. We've been playing close attention and intently listening to April's RED APPLES 45 releases... although, we have to admit, Week #4's teased drop definitely intrigued us the most: this past Friday, April 16, 2020, saw the release of West's Rowhouse Whispers. For this latest release, Ray West recruited his frequent collaborator and fellow dad Zilla Rocca for a sprawling 7-track EP. Prior to Rowhouse Whispers, Ray West previously produced "Spy vs. Spy" from Zilla Rocca's '96 MENTALITY. (2019) as well as "Drunk History" from Future Former Rapper (2018.)

"We have been building and had mutual respect for years now. Since I have been in the house with this pandemic and have so much time, I reached out to Zilla to do an to and he was ready," Ray West told The Witzard, via email. "This came together real naturally. It was effortless on my part. Everything went down so smooth... mixes, beats, art... Zilla [was a] super-pro, knocking out, like, a song a day. We knocked this whole thing out in under two weeks," West continued. However, Ray West & Zilla Rocca aren't exactly alone on their Rowhouse Whispers EP; they've recruited Zilla's Cargo Cults partner-in-rhyme ALASKA for "Doobie Brothers" and Shane Great offers up an EP-closing remix of "88 Style." One of our personal favorites from the EP is "Revolution #36," AKA "Wu-Tang Is My Beatles" wherein Zilla compares his own admiration for RZA, GZA, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa & Cappadonna for his dad's love for John, Paul, George & Ringo. Zilla Rocca, ALASKA & Curly Castro recently recorded a Live from The Liner Notes-themed episode of their Call Out Culture podcast centered around the making-of this EP. Ray West & Zilla Rocca's Rowhouse Whispers is currently available on a Name-Your-Price basis, via RED APPLES 45's Bandcamp page. Zilla Rocca's first proper beat tape, fittingly titled Don't Drop A Beat Tape, Zilla, is now available on Three Dollar Pistol's Bandcamp, as well.

"Let Me Shine for You:" Lindsay Lohan for Playboy (Winter 2011-12 Leak)

Lindsay Lohan essentially embodies exactly "What NOT to Do In Hollywood :" Fame, fortune, success... sex, drugs & Rock "N" Roll . Within a fairly short period of time, Lohan somehow managed to obtain a plentiful helping of POWER @ a very young age. This gradual rise-downfall was captured on film; Between 1998-2010, she portrayed a wide array of roles across the silver screen in movies including: Mean Girls, Bobby , Herbie Fully Loaded , Georgia Rule, Machete , and Freaky Friday . Between rapid-paced film shoots, Lindsay Lohan also found time to record 2 Pop Rock albums for Casablanca , Speak (2004) and A Litter More Personal-Raw (2005). Needless to say, Lindsay Lohan has gotten roped up in a lot of troubles and woes with the law over the last 3-5 years... a vicious cycle of drugs, arrest, court, rehab, "daddy issues," jail time [Repeat]. That's the pure basics of it - But Google that shit for additional info, if necessary. Towards the end of

[W]reckless, Topless American Youth: Lana del Rey - "Born 2 Die" (Britney Spears Birthday 30)

Lana del Rey [Lizzy Grant] effectively became 2011's "It Girl" with the release of her phenomenal debut single, "Video Games" (Stranger) . Like many struggling singer-songwriters, Grant has been signed, dropped, and significantly changed her public image since bursting onto the scene (2009). With that said, it can be assumed that Lana del Rey has collected just as many "haters" as she has avid supporters. To be perfectly honest, the only other artist I can think of that made this much commotion... garnered so much wide-spread buzz/hate and critical acclaim -- right out of the gates -- with just one track is Britney Spears . And maybe in this post- Mike musical era, that's the true synthesis of Pop Culture: Britney Lynn Spears . After months of repeated teasing and speculation, Lana del Rey 's major label debut, Born 2 Die will [finally] be released this coming Jan. 30-31, 2012. Pitchfork reports that it will feature "Off to The Ra

Liberty Bell Cracked In 1/2: Ween - "Freedom of '76" (Gene Ween's Final Send-Off)

Chocolate & Cheese (1994) was one of the first albums I bought with my own money. I was in some sort of BMG Music Club , where you'd buy 5 CD's and then get 10 for "FREE." It was all sent through mail order and you picked the titles from some special booklet. I'm almost positive that Chocolate & Cheese's side boob-baring album cover was what initially drew me in... mind you, I was 12-15 and the zany Ween logo/middle finger CD graphic really didn't hurt either. Honestly, I forget how I really felt about it @ the time, but a few years later, my older cousin Josh told me that Ween were this BIG college "jam band." CKY did some sort pf 93.3 radio takeover to promote their new album and played "Freedom of '76" late that night on air. Needless to say, I re-visited Chocolate & Cheese @ about 20-something this go 'round and I fucking loved it! Ween were really weird, yet talented... almost too talented. I can vaguel

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