Grand Rapids, MI, rapper and producer AfterPxrty is back with another release. We initially walked through his release of May The Saints Say Amen — a ten song LP full of gritty, soulful, new school hip-hop — this past April. We gave it great praise after our pre-release listen and ended up being quite accurate with our review, as the release went on to chart on iTunes in 16 countries; ultimately, it’s a testament to the young rapper’s hustle and strength of his growing fan base.
Not one to sit idle, he’s decided to drop a new project; an LP by name but EP in size, East Grand Rapids Yacht Club is that same ambient, gritty delivery we praised early on, with some varied production that hugs his punchy, pseudo-aggressive flow. Sonically, he sounds like a blend of Ras Kass, Saafir, and LA The Darkman — which seems random, but makes for an entertaining listening experience. He starts off with the bar heavy “Super Pxrty Season.” Amidst the chorus of angelic chants, he drops gems like, “painting canvas in you niggas, it’s the art of war.” He rode a more contemporary [slightly trappish] instrumental on “YNCFWM,” and [frankly] impressed us with the ultra grimey 2009/1101 Noble. Our favourite track, though, was “Flight To Tennessee,” with it’s numerous lyrical allusions, references, and subtle nods to everything from EPMD to the hip-hop film, “Juice.”
Influenced by a slew of successful 90’s acts like ATCQ, Jay-Z, Nas, and Wu-Tang, he seems to have a solid foundation of hip-hop culture beneath his carefully crafted, contemporary take on the genre. East Grand Rapids Yacht Club, which borrows it’s name from a fancy exclusive club in his hometown, is a solid follow-up to keep his fans satisfied as he prepares his next follow-up. Time will tell if he can repeat his charting success.
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