Apollo Brown and Skyzoo Recruit Westside Gunn and Conway for New Track “Basquiat on the Draw”

Apollo Brown and Skyzoo are preparing to drop their collaborative album The Easy Truth on Sept. 30. Today, the Detroit producer and NYC rapper team up with Westside Gunn and Conway for a new track called "Basquiat on the Draw."

Brown's grimy, four-and-a-half-minute beat is the perfect platform for Skyzoo, Westside Gunn and Conway to do their respective thangs. The instrumental samples an old interview with Jean-Michel Basquiat as well as some recognizable Jay-Z lyrics.

Lyricism, delivery and wordplay are at a paramount on this record. Westside Gunn uses a Hov lyric to jumpstart his fire verse, spitting, "Who you know fresher than West, riddle me that? / Same nigga put my whole city on the map / Same nigga put a couple bodies on the mat."

Apollo Brown explains the meaning behind the Basquiat title. He tells XXL, "Jean Michel stayed absolutely true to himself. Just like us, he made the type of art he wanted to make, even if it was the less popular choice at the time. Look at the impact of his work now though! There's always a niche audience for what you create, and always a group of people who understand your vision. We, as hip hop artists prove this everyday."

Meanwhile, Skyzoo describes what it was like working with Westside Gunn and Conway. He says, "Working with West and Con is dope because those guys are like family to me. I've been rocking with them since about 2014, and I put West on my single and video for "Luxury" off of my Music For My Friends album last year, so I know what to expect when I work with them, which is why I called them up for this one. When I heard the beat I knew they'd be the perfect match as far as the intensity of the song and the lyrical braggadocio."

You can listen to "Basquiat on the Draw" above via SoundCloud. ICYMI, peep Apollo Brown and Skyzoo's previous collaboration, "A Couple Dollars." The Easy Truth is slated for release at the end of the month, and it'll feature guest verses from Joell Ortiz, Westside Gunn, Stalley, Conway and Patty Crash. You can pre-order the album on iTunes right now.

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