Yaphet

Yaphet is the new album from rapper Curly Castro-alsoknown as one half of the dynamic duo Shrapknel-outSeptember 18, 2026, on Backwoodz Studioz. On Yaphet, Castro draws inspiration from the Blaxploitation film genreof the 1970's; using that era's black heroes and antiheroesas a launching pad for his cinematic lyricism. Flows switchas effortlessly as camera angles, verses are saturated withreferences and entendres, it's an endlessly rewind-worthyrap masterclass. But Yaphet is also Castro's first soloalbum since 2021's Little Robert Hutton, and beneath thefireworks, this album reflects the depth of his experiencesin those intervening years.I didn't set out to be so honest about my life, but that's whatcame out and the album is better for it, Castro explains, from facing the death of my infant daughter, to my father'sdeath, to facing my own impending mortality, these are mymost vulnerable blades, on my deepest cuts.Like Castro, this record marches to the beat of it's drum, andmake no mistake, there are drums a-plenty for the veteranMC to spar with, as only he can. Produced entirely byMilwaukee beat maker Locust, Yaphet is a bouncy, eclectic listen that nods to it's influences, without ever lookingbackwards. Castro is joined by a whirlwind of the genre'sfinest; billy woods, PremRock, Fatboi Sharif, Brian Ennals, SKECH185, Blueprint, AJ Suede, shemar, ALASKA, Sunmundi, blackchai, & Margel the Sophant.