Albums

Joell Ortiz & Apollo Brown Paint a Masterpiece on ‘Mona Lisa’ Album

blame it on Shake October 26, 2018

Yaowa! From Brooklyn to Detroit, Joell Ortiz and Apollo Brown release their joint album, Mona Lisa.

After deciding between the block and the booth on the project’s lead single back in August, Ortiz and Brown laced up their Timberlands and proceeded to stomp out the competition with help from Royce 5’9″ (and a remix with KXNG Crooked), before reflecting on the past for the final single. And now, with eight more shots in the chamber, the emcee/producer duo unload the rest on what I’m calling a Top 10 album of the year.

“In my ears, this is what the painting Mona Lisa sounds like,” Apollo Brown told Billboard. “The music is straightforward. That’s all I ask for when I’m the listener, so that’s all I give when I’m the creator. No bullshit. None. I provided the canvas, and Joell provided the honest brushstrokes. This album is a relatable body of work that everyone can listen to and appreciate. It’s growth within a gold frame. Open your ears and enjoy.”

Apollo isn’t lying, either. I was luckily enough to get an advance copy a few weeks back, and to be honest, it’s gotten more burn than anything else that’s dropped in the same timeframe. The album really is a masterpiece.

Press play below and be sure to add Mona Lisa on your preferred streaming platform.