BEATS, RHYMES & HYPE: Apathy has quietly become New England’s greatest rapper

Champion underground stalwart Apathy has been extra active this summer, apparently busy crafting ill rhyme after ill rhyme and releasing music at an admirable pace.

Fresh off of what seems to be an overlooked album, Apathy recently dropped another noteworthy, veritable anthemic ode to his native region of New England.

His consistency of bringing rhymes, beats, lyrical concept and content, plus the added bonus of clever wordplay is all seemingly done as one collective shout out to New England, complete with Connecticut-centric references to Martha Moxley that some outside of the region may not quite get.

The next best rapper in the area – and it is close – is Termanology, he of the famed Lawtown, Mass., that was famously put on the hip-hop map back in the cherished 90s golden age era.

He, just like Apathy, has rocked over some of the most classic-sounding DJ Premier tracks.

Apathy, just like Term, has dropped a quality project this summer.

And they’ve both been around since the mid-2000s, coming into the game on their own and making a name and for themselves, each building his own enviable following of diehard fans.

But where Apathy gets the edge is the conceptual, lyrical content that’s sprinkled with poetic punchlines and rhymes absent of the toughtalk without coming across as soft.

Then there’s the music. You can’t forget about the music.

Yes, Term has another New Englander in his camp who is emerging as the go-to man for that classic East Coast hip-hop sound, but he also dabbles in making beats and probably lets some of his homies get some shine on the boards.

But sometimes Term tries just a little too hard. But his varying flows are up there with the best of them, his one edge over Apathy.

And I know you can’t forget about Edo G, who is still admirably making music and touring the world performing. But he fell off for the most part a while back and descended a bit too deep into the underground.

Of course Scientifik had a near classic debut, but his potential never had a chance to be truly realized so it’s tough to claim him as the greatest.

And Esoteric surely can’t be ignored, but the best? He’s good, and he’s stepped up his game considerably as of late, and he definitely was part of that revered golden age, but he’s not better than Apathy. What with Ap’s unique lyrical approach that showcases a wide breadth of knowledge on a number of topics. That said, Esoteric has been a paart of some monster projects as of late that cannot be ignored.

Mr. Lif had his time, but that time has come and gone. Regardless, one thing is for sure: Mr. Lif is one helluva freestyler.

One couldn’t be mad if you said Reks was atop the New England rap totem pole, but the truth something changed for the worse after his incredible album Rhythm Eternal King Supreme.