Over at Cuepoint today, Ras Kass gives an in-depth explanation as to why he wrote the song “How To Kill God,” from his Blasphemy LP with Apollo Brown.

Why I Wrote “How to Kill God,” by Ras Kass

Following our reveal of the best major label hip-hop albums of 2014 earlier in the week, we now present our favorite indie LP’s of the year. As per usual, it was hard to find 10 inclusions for the major label list, and hard to narrow it down to only 10 on the indie list.

10. Step Brothers (Evidence + Alchemist) – Lord Steppington – Rhymesayers - Lord Steppington is unlike anything either Al or Ev have done thus far, which is testament to their versatility. It doesn’t sound like a Dilated album without Rakka, nor does it sound like, say, Albert Einstein from a production standpoint. Evidence and Alchemist have challenged themselves here, and ended up producing a dope, unconventional underground rap album, most likely dreamed up in the smokiest of atmospheres. Here come the lords.

9. Bishop Nehru + MF Doom – NehruvianDOOM – Lex Records – MF Doom teamed up with rising star Bishop Nehru for NehruvianDOOM, a solid collaborative album that found him laying down tracks for the young emcee. While some complained about re-used beats, we didn’t mind, as we don’t really listen to Doom’s beat tapes anyway. Sewn together brilliantly with Doom’s off kilter samples from various different sources, it’s rare we find Doom producing a whole album for someone, which made this a real treat.

8. Your Old Droog – Your Old Droog LP – Droog Recordings – It started off as some kid on Reddit proposing the idea that Droog was actually Nas in disguise, leading to a whole bunch of people accidentally checking for the Coney Island, NY rapper. What we found was an incredibly solid LP from a budding emcee with an airtight flow and classic, sample based production. Released on “Droog Recordings” this is the definition of an indie success story.

7. Apathy – Connecticut Casual – Demigodz Recordings – Connecticut Casual is a concept album, but isn’t as heavy as say, The Roots …And Then You Shoot Your Cousin, for example. It’s a pretty straight-shooting, classically styled hip-hop record, but Ap ties the entire thing together by using his home state as a backdrop. Using the New England area’s rich history as a blueprint, he examines the state’s dichotomy of its Yacht-owning upper class, and it’s seedier crime ridden underbelly. Another well put together album, with very interesting, unexplored territory in hip-hop music.

6. Ras Kass + Apollo Brown – Blasphemy – MelloMusicGroup - Ras Kass and Apollo Brown’s, Blasphemy, is a concept LP that is more or less a crusade against organized religion. It’s also one of the best albums of the year, and quite possibly the most concise album that Ras has ever recorded. Ras has finally been given an equally yoked producer to match his sharp lyrical prowess.

5. Ghostface Killah – 36 Seasons – Tommy Boy – Where the Wu failed with A Better Tomorrow, Ghostface delivered with a literal “better tomorrow” releasing his excellent 36 Seasons LP just a week later. An incredibly tight-knit concept album with fresh, original live production from The Revelations, Ghostface Killah has long proven to be the Wu-Tang Clan’s most consistant member.

4. DJ Premier + Royce Da 5’9 – PRhyme – PRhyme Records – American dream team of DJ Premier and Royce Da 5’9 reunited after the success of their classic single “Boom,” for Preem’s first group project since the dissolution of Gang Starr. While the album showed both artists doing what they do best, we’d love to see how they mature as a group with consecutive albums as time goes on.

3. Statik Selektah – What Goes Around – Showoff - While not as high-profile as some of the other releases on this list, Statik Selektah’s What Goes Around was easily one of the most consistent LPs of 2014, especially considering its length. Stat has matured into one of the best producers in the game, able to zero in on that “golden age” sound, with an extensive guest list to help drive it home.

Pharoahe Monch – PTSD – W.A.R. Media – In his most focused and consistent LP since Internal Affairs, Pharaohe Monch has taken a real-life bout with depression and turned into one of the strongest independent LP of the year. He doesn’t try to recapture the success of “Simon Says”, nor does he try to crossover with Cee-Lo-esque gospel/soul tracks, despite his obvious singing chops. This is an unapologetically dark, incredibly well-written, musically sound LP that finds the emcee returning to greatness. Pharoahe Fucking Monch, ain’t a damn thing changed.

1. Run The Jewels (Killer Mike + El-P) – RTJ2 – Productomart / Mass Appeal – RTJ2 is a worthy sequel to the original that gets consecutively better with each listen, topping many of the industry’s year end lists across all music genres. It’s so far removed from what major labels have been pushing on us for the last few years, yet it sons them all with a smart, progressive, politically minded, and musically dope album that challenges the status quo, and reminds us why we still love hip-hop after all these years. It is possible that this album could mark a turning point for hip-hop music, so bump this shit like they do in the future.

Legendary lyricist Ras Kass breaks it down over soul stirring, head nodding production from Detroit producer Apollo Brown on this eye opener of a track. “Deliver Us From Evil” continues Ras’ demolition of the status quo with line after line of sharp minded political observations and clever word play. From the critically acclaimed new album Blasphemy.

Produced by Apollo Brown. Directed by Jay Brown.

While West Coast legend Ras Kass was recently in Detroit with Apollo Brown they called together some low key D legends – MarvWon, Noveliss of Clear Soul Forces, Miz Korona, and MMG’s own Red Pill of Ugly Heroes. Director Jay Brown captured the whole thing, and put together this 6 minute highlight of the late night session.

Razzy follows up his Blasphemy LP with the Christmess mixtape.

“‘ChristMESS’ is a cohesive compilation of tracks featuring Felony Muzik, Doc Hollywood and Vooodu spanning Ras Kass extensive catalogue from the resurgence of “Nature Of The Threat” off debut LP ‘Soul On Ice’ to “Yellow Snow” off his 2011 release ‘The Yellow Snow EP’. Brand new track “Frozen” is an unapologetic shock to the system tying the project together in a package that will surely power you through the ensuing seasonal madness.”

Certainly to be one of the most controversial hip-hop albums of the year, Ras Kass and Apollo Brown’s, Blasphemy, is a concept LP that is more or less a crusade against organized religion. It’s also one of the best albums of the year, and quite possibly the most concise album that Ras has ever recorded.

Ras Kass released an underground favorite with his 1996 debut, Soul On Ice, but was never able to match it with subsequent follow-ups. Both Van Gogh and Goldyn Chyld were hotly anticipated albums amongst heads, boasting production from DJ Premier, Dr. Dre, Hi-Tek, and others. However a corporate takeover of Priority Records and an arrest and jailtime for a DUI found both albums shelved, derailing the career of an otherwise promising emcee. Since then, Ras has released a series of independent projects, but has always experimented with several sounds and producers.

Blasphemy teams him with the bubbling hot Detroit producer Apollo Brown, who has made a career of lending his beats to great emcees that have lacked an A-list producer to cut an entire album with. Apollo’s albums with O.C. (Trophies) and Guilty Simpson (Dice Game) ruled in 2012, while he teamed with midwest emcees Verbal Kent and Redpill to form Ugly Heroes in 2013.

Much like the Trophies project, the two artists coming together for Blasphemy is just what they both needed to achieve greatness. Ras is an incredible emcee that hasn’t always had incredible production, while Apollo Brown is still a relatively unknown producer that needs strong artists to flesh out his classically produced, sample driven beats.

Surely designed to poke the hornet’s nest, Blasphemy is a series of tracks that question the existence of God and organized religion. The album opens with the “Next Caller,” sketch, built around that viral public access video of a swearing, drunken contradictory televangelist that’s been floating around the internet for the last decade or so. They then launch into the incredible “How To Kill God,” which finds Apollo producing The Blueprint era Kanye chipmunk soul, before Ras launches into his sermon. Mormonism is just one of the targets, as he spits:

“Mormons believe prophet Joe Smith / Say Christ appeared in America 1820 and shit / Said black people is cursed / Preach polygamy and told the white man to rule the Earth / Utah still racist as can be / So mothafuck Donny and Marie”

No religion is safe, even Christianity is put to the test, as Ras pens easily his most controversial song since “Nature Of The Threat,” but suggesting “I’m not anti-Christ.” One would think he would stop there, but he takes more shots on “Deliver Us From Evil,” yet turns to prayer on “Please Don’t Let Me,” listing his vices and hoping to avoid repeating past mistakes. Yet “Animal Sacrifice” is titled as such just to raise eyebrows. The “animals” he speaks of are only competing emcees, as brands himself the “G.O.A.T. killa!”

Apollo Brown and Ras Kass are equally yoked although each have their moments to shine. “Strawberry” is what Ras dubs “Ice Cream Part 2,” as Apollo crafts a beat that mirrors the Only Built For Cuban Links classic. Soul samples are utilized perfectly on songs like “H20″ and “Roses, as Brown steals the spotlight.

Blasphemy is a packed, dense LP in its fifteen tracks, which begins to weigh a bit heavy towards the end. However that’s more due to its length than a dip in quality from either artist. The two work wonderfully together, creating the cohesive LP we’ve been waiting for from Ras, as he has finally been given the production he’s deserved. One might call it a blessing.

Blasphemy, the collaborative album from Detroit producer Apollo Brown and West Coast legend Ras Kass, is a thought-provoking and highly personal treatise on the unspoken. No “ism” is out of bounds, no topic too untoward. Whatever you hold sacred isn’t above aggressive inquiry.

Above all, this album displays Apollo Brown & Ras Kass’ undeniable synergy. Their sacred writ is the same, their blasphemy for those who want to think as they nod to the rhythm. When Ras Kass crucifies supposed facts over Apollo’s beats, it’s clear he is the West Coast’s preeminent philosopher. When Apollo’s blaring suites soothe your soul and his sonic scripture takes you to church, it’s an ontological fact that he ranks among the best producers in the game. With Blasphemy, the duo has delivered the truth.

Today, Apollo and Ras Kass release a free download of a non-album bonus track, “Impossible Dream,” f/ Sean Price.

Mello Music Group: “Directed by Jay Brown and shot in Detroit, “How To Kill God” captures some of the fallen bastions of America, while Ras & Apollo roam historic sites that have long since been abandoned (the original Model-T assembly line, the outside of a foreclosed Detroit Masonic Temple, and inside a since closed cathedral).

From the album Apollo Brown & Ras Kass “Blasphemy” out now on Mello Music Group.”

Tony Touch: “Ras Kass dropped by Toca Tuesdays last week and Tony had to put the artist who was named “One of the best rapper’s of all time” by Pitchfork to the real test. Tune in to Toca Tuesdays each and every Tuesday from 8 pm till 12 am on Shade 45 and for more freestyle videos subscribe to the Al Lindstrom channel.”

Apollo Brown and Ras Kass’ Blasphemy is available now. Stream the album in it’s entirety below, courtesy of Bandcamp.

From the October 28th release, Blasphemy. This could be called “Nature Of The Threat Part 2…”

Detroit and Cali connect on this cut from Apollo Brown and Ras Kass’ Blasphemy LP, due October 28th.

Originally aired on BET 9/17/2014. Watch for their album, Blasphemy, due Oct. 28th.

Produced by Apollo Brown. Directed by Jay Brown. From the album Apollo Brown & Ras Kass Blasphemy.

The West Coast’s premiere political poet is back, Ras Kass spits razor sharp reflections over fast rising Detroit producer Apollo Brown’s most buttery beats. Special guest Pharoahe Monch grabs the mic and digs into his memory to extract the catastrophic chatter of his inner digital domain – laying waste to lesser emcees. Add to that Dilated Peoples’ Rakaa Iriscience on the hook and we’ve got blast off. “H20″ is the first single from Apollo Brown & Ras Kass’ upcoming album “Blasphemy.”