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.