The Easy Truth
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox album
| name = The Easy Truth
| type = studio
| artist = Apollo Brown and Skyzoo
| cover = Apollo Brown & Skyzoo - The Easy Truth cover.jpg
| released = {{Start date|2016|9|30}}
| recorded =
| studio = Village Caverns (Lathrup Village, MI)
| genre = Hip hop
| length = {{Duration|m=51|s=59}}
| label = Mello Music Group
| producer = Apollo Brown
| chronology = Apollo Brown
| prev_title = Grandeur
| prev_year = 2015
| next_title = Anchovies
| next_year = 2017
| misc = {{Extra chronology
| artist = Skyzoo
| type = studio
| prev_title = Music for My Friends
| prev_year = 2015
| title = The Easy Truth
| year = 2016
| next_title = In Celebration of Us
| next_year = 2018
}}
}}
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{Cite web |last=Simpson |first=Paul |title=The Easy Truth - Apollo Brown, Skyzoo {{!}} Album {{!}} AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-easy-truth-mw0002972922 |access-date=March 1, 2024 |website=AllMusic |language=en}}
| rev2 = Exclaim!
| rev2score = 7/10{{Cite web |last=Mullin |first=Kyle |date=September 28, 2016 |title=Apollo Brown & Skyzoo {{!}} Exclaim! |url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/apollo_brown_and_skyzoo-the_easy_truth |access-date=March 1, 2024 |website=Exclaim! |language=en}}
| rev3 = HipHopDX
| rev3score = 4.1/5{{Cite web |last=Gretchko |first=Andrew |date=October 4, 2016 |title=Skyzoo & Apollo Achieve Gatekeeper Status With "The Easy Truth" |url=https://hiphopdx.com/reviews/id.2808/title.skyzoo-apollo-achieve-gatekeeper-status-with-the-easy-truth |access-date=March 1, 2024 |website=HipHopDX |language=en}}
| rev4 = laut.de
| rev4score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{Cite web |last=Austel |first=Alexander |title=Das New York der 90er im Hier und Jetzt. |url=https://www.laut.de/Apollo-Brown-Skyzoo/Alben/The-Easy-Truth-105007 |access-date=March 1, 2024 |website=laut.de |language=de}}
| rev5 = RapReviews
| rev6 = Tom Hull
| rev6score = B+({{Rating-Christgau|hm3}}){{Cite web |last=Hull |first=Tom |author-link=Tom Hull (critic) |date=January 28, 2017 |title=Tom Hull: Grade List: Apollo Brown |url=https://tomhull.com/ocston/nm/get_gl.php?n=Apollo+Brown |access-date=March 1, 2024 |website=tomhull.com}}
}}
The Easy Truth is a collaborative studio album by American hip hop record producer Apollo Brown and rapper Skyzoo. It was released on September 30, 2016, via Mello Music Group. Recording sessions took place at the Village Caverns in Michigan. Production was handled entirely by Apollo Brown, who also served as one of executive producers together with Michael Tolle and Skyzoo. It features guest appearances from Conway the Machine, Joell Ortiz, Patty Crash, Stalley and Westside Gunn.
The album did not reach the Billboard 200 chart, however, it peaked at No. 25 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, No. 16 on the Top Rap Albums, No. 45 on the Independent Albums and No. 11 on the Heatseekers Albums in the United States.
The album was met with generally favourable reviews from music critics. ABC News ranked the album at No. 22 on its '50 best albums of 2016' list.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=December 30, 2016 |title=50 Best Albums of 2016 |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/50-best-albums-2016/story?id=44357092 |access-date=March 1, 2024 |website=ABC News |language=en}}
Track listing
{{Track listing
| all_writing =
| extra_column = Producer(s)
| title1 = Soapbox
| writer1 =
| extra1 =
| length1 = 0:49
| title2 = One in the Same
| note2 = featuring Patty Crash
| writer2 =
| extra2 =
| length2 = 3:53
| title3 = Jordans & a Gold Chain
| writer3 =
| extra3 =
| length3 = 2:48
| title4 = A Couple Dollars
| note4 = featuring Joell Ortiz
| writer4 =
| extra4 =
| length4 = 4:44
| title5 = Basquiat on the Draw
| note5 = featuring Conway the Machine and Westside Gunn
| writer5 =
| extra5 =
| length5 = 4:29
| title6 = The Vibes
| writer6 =
| extra6 =
| length6 = 3:11
| title7 = On the Stretch & Bob Show
| writer7 =
| extra7 =
| length7 = 4:09
| title8 = Spoils to the Victor
| writer8 =
| extra8 =
| length8 = 2:51
| title9 = Visionary Riches
| writer9 =
| extra9 =
| length9 = 3:50
| title10 = They Parked a Bentley on the Corner
| writer10 =
| extra10 =
| length10 = 3:35
| title11 = The Flyest Essence
| writer11 =
| extra11 =
| length11 = 2:40
| title12 = Innocent Ambition
| writer12 =
| extra12 =
| length12 = 3:36
| title13 = Care Packages
| writer13 =
| extra13 =
| length13 = 2:59
| title14 = Payout
| note14 = featuring Stalley
| writer14 =
| extra14 =
| length14 = 4:24
| title15 = Nodding Off
| writer15 =
| extra15 =
| length15 = 4:01
| total_length = 51:59
}}
Personnel
- Skyler "Skyzoo" Taylor – vocals, executive producer
- Katrin "Patty Crash" Newman – vocals (track 2)
- Joell Ortiz – vocals (track 4)
- Demond "Conway the Machine" Price – vocals (track 5)
- Alvin Lamar "Westside Gunn" Worthy – vocals (track 5)
- Kyle Alfonso "Stalley" Myricks – vocals (track 14)
- Erik "Apollo Brown" Stephens – producer, executive producer
- Tate McBroom – recording
- Matt "Magnetic" Oleksiak – mixing
- Eric Morgeson – mastering
- Michael Tolle – executive producer
- Kick James – photography
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (2016)
! scope="col"| Peak |
|---|
| {{album chart|BillboardRandBHipHop|25|artist=Apollo Brown|rowheader=true|accessdate=March 1, 2024}} |
| {{album chart|BillboardRap|16|artist=Apollo Brown|rowheader=true|accessdate=March 1, 2024}} |
| {{album chart|BillboardIndependent|45|artist=Apollo Brown|rowheader=true|accessdate=March 1, 2024}} |
| {{album chart|BillboardHeatseekers|11|artist=Apollo Brown|rowheader=true|accessdate=March 1, 2024}} |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Discogs master|1071598|The Easy Truth}}
{{Skyzoo}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Easy Truth}}