Yaphet

Description

Yaphet is the new album by rapper Curly Castro, also known as half of the duo Shrapknel. It is set to be released on September 18, 2026, under the Backwoodz Studioz label. With Yaphet, Castro draws inspiration from 1970s Blaxploitation cinema. The Black heroes and anti-heroes of that era become the starting point for a cinematic writing style where the flows change as naturally as camera angles. The tracks are filled with references, double meanings, and striking imagery, making this album a true demonstration of virtuosity that reveals more with each listen. But Yaphet is also Curly Castro's first solo album since Little Robert Hutton (2021). Beneath the shine of his technical performances lies a deeply personal work, shaped by the trials he has faced in recent years. "I wasn't trying to be this honest about my life, but that's what came out, and the album is all the better for it. Between the loss of my young daughter, the death of my father, and confronting my own mortality, these are my most vulnerable tears, on my deepest tracks," Castro explains. Like its creator, Yaphet moves at its own pace. And there are plenty of rhythms: the mic veteran navigates them with the ease that characterizes him. The album is entirely produced by Milwaukee beatmaker Locust. Both energetic and eclectic, Yaphet pays homage to its influences without ever succumbing to nostalgia. For this occasion, Curly Castro is joined by an impressive lineup of guests: billy woods, PremRock, Fatboi Sharif, Brian Ennals, SKECH185, Blueprint, AJ Suede, shemar, ALASKA, Sunmundi, blackchai, and Margel the Sophant.