hey kids!!….lot going on right now…..been busy….but didnt want you to think i’d forgotten about all y’all…..so heres the update….

first off…..this tuesday august 19th marks the release of The Ritz - The Night of Day……which is the debut album from myself(apoc) and rel as The Ritz…..want to know more???…check out the bio and track listing below…..

In a world sick with greed, lust, self-loathing and a plague of addictions, The Ritz is merely another symptom. With “The Night of Day,” Apoc and Rel fulfill the promise that was heard in their past collaborations on projects like Apoc’s 2005 release “Gods & Ghosts” and their contribution to the 2004 compilation “The Zooey Files.” For their first full-length album as The Ritz, they wanted to showcase their ability to explore a diverse array of styles while still creating a cohesive and affecting hip hop record. For inspiration they looked to the themes and aesthetics of the gritty noir films of the 1940s and 50s. On the production end, Rel, the son of world-renowned karate master Miyuki Miura, creates a collection of beats that demonstrate his range as a producer. Using a palette that includes classic soul chops, staccato synths, and haunting strings, Rel’s tracks bounce from dark and evocative to soulful and melodic; fashioning more than a few bangers in the process. Now on his third full length project, and having hit the road to play shows around the country this past year, Apoc handles the majority of the rapping, jumping seamlessly from one style to the next as the album evolves. Using the language of noir and relying on the genre’s motifs of scorned lovers, disenchanted heros, mysterious pasts and a corrupt and violent world, he spits cinematic tales describing the underbelly of modern American society. Utilizing his vast catalog of styles, Apoc’s nihilistic stories are told with fervor, from the sing songy raps of “Heartless” or “Waiting” to the rapid fire delivery of the title track. He even gives some impressive nods to his native Chicago exhibiting his aptitude for spitting the city’s signature double-time sound on “The Getaway” and “Blown.” To compliment the striking work put in by Apoc and Rel, the album is sprinkled with snippets from some of the film noir movies that influenced them during the creation of the album. They also get some significant contributions from fellow Chicagoans Racecar of Modill, Giraffe Nuts members Moodswangz and Elfamail, and Rhymesayers recording artist Psalm One, as well as cuts by battle veteran DJ Onceamonth. All of this adds up to make “The Night of Day” a defining effort in the emergence of two talented and innovative artists.

1. Gotta Be
2. It’s The…
3. The Night of Day
4. The Getaway
5. She Lived by Night
6. Chiaroscuro
7. Langston Bukowski featuring Racecar of Modill
8. Step featuring Brendan B
9. Heartless
10. The Point of No Return
11. Blown featuring Psalm One
12. Good Times, Girls
13. Too Late for Tears
14. Waiting for the Sun to Set
15. I Said That featuring Moodswangz and Elfamail

…….wanna hear some of the music???……you can hear the whole album streaming right here…. http://www.fanaticpromotion.com/projects/theritz/ecard/ …theres some pretty nifty flash animation on that page as well…

……wanna purchase the album??…..you can order the cd here…. ughh.com or here…. accesshiphop.com …..or you can get it digitally via itunes, hiphopsite.com, and a bunch of other places starting tuesday……

……want more than just music???….how about a video???……hit the link below to watch our new video for the song “Langston Bukowski” which features my homie racecar from modill……

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3InX7AxeAY

….some of you who know me from michigan will definitely recognize some of the locations……

….as i mentioned before this album is coming out on tuesday and we have alot of exciting things going on that i will keep you posted about in the next few weeks…..for starters…..The Ritz was the number 2 most added hip hop record to college radio stations across the country this past week…only behind the new lee “scratch” perry record…..now we just gotta get some airplay….so call up your local hip hop radio shows and request The Ritz!!!….so we can start moving up those charts!!

and finally….and most importantly…..i must ask a favor of all of you….

The Ritz has recently been nominated for URB MAGAZINE’S NEXT 1000……but to get into the magazine we need help from all of you…….

please visit http://www.urb.com/promotions/next1000/profiles/1111-The+Ritz.php …and give us a good rating….leave a comment if you like and tell us what you think…

….if you’re not already a member….you can register by clicking the link right below the comments towards the bottom of the page…..DON’T WORRY they will not send you a bunch of spam or email updates or any other crap like that as long as you don’t click on those options when you’re registering…..

thank you for your help with this…it means alot to us….and for those of you with multiple emails….remember what they say in chicago….VOTE EARLY, VOTE OFTEN!!!

…well…that about covers it for now…..but stay tuned cuz there are alot of other exciting things in the works…..

see ya next reel
apoc
telluride co

p.s….for those of you in telluride….don’t forget about my show thursday night august 21st at the fly me to the moon saloon….i’ll have copies of the new album on hand….and dj essential and joe bags of the society of the invisibles will also be in the house……shit should be tiiiight!!!