CRIMEAPPLE - HANZAI

This opening track immediately establishes the structure of the HANZAI project, a record that doesn't aim to stretch its duration but to concentrate its energy into 13 tracks for a total running time of 40 minutes and 26 seconds. This album, released on November 28, 2025 under the Manteca Music label, chronologically sits between two major releases of the year: it immediately follows Bulletproof Chicken (2025) and precedes the release of Jaguar on Palisade 3 (2025), without any reference to a future studio album like War Cash.

A productive division: DJ Brown, Loman, and Comma Uno on a short album

Far from a random sequence of beats, the production of HANZAI reveals a structured collaborative approach, where each participant finds their place in a carefully calculated balance. The credit distribution is marked by a dominance of DJ Brown, who signs three contributions (tracks 1 and 12), while Loman contributes four tracks to the album (tracks 5, 6, 11), and Comma Uno adds his touch to two distinct tracks (tracks 7 and 9). This internal organization creates a cohesive sound that transcends the diversity of the invited producers, such as Nickelous F or Buck Dudley, who each bring their classic references to ground the album in the tradition of the genre while allowing CRIMEAPPLE to assert his personal style without getting lost in the background noise.

Technical foundation: Buck Dudley and Nickelous F ensure the project's foundation

This forms the basis for a diverse production, where the average length of each track suggests a controlled pace, potentially less dense than the standards of hardcore rap, but perfectly suited to the introspection sought in this short project.

TALMBOUT with RLX: Maintaining a consistent style in Hanzai

Beyond the diverse productions, the album finds its narrative focus in a unique and strategic collaboration: TALMBOUT, the only track on the album credited to a guest artist, RLX. The presence of RLX is not insignificant; it ensures a proven stylistic continuity at the heart of the project, fitting into a long history of dialogues between the two artists. Here, RLX appears on tracks such as Pistachios (If I Don't See You in Paradise, 2020), Champagne Tiers (Mátalos con más éxitos, 2020), and TEOTIHUACÁN TECHNOLOGY (Kilómetros 2, 2023) and Melana Dorada (El León, 2024). This repetition of the collaboration testifies to a lasting artistic connection, transforming each appearance into a logical step in a shared evolution, rather than a simple occasional addition. RLX's flow brings a conversational dimension that enriches the CRIMEAPPLE's writing without weighing it down.

Framing the boundaries: MASTERY opens, TIPPYTOES closes the album

The production of HANZAI is based on a balanced distribution between regular artists and occasional guests who bring their unique touch to the sonic architecture of the album. While DJ Brown, Loman, and Comma Uno form the core with three, four, and two tracks respectively, the presence of Nickelous F on 14HRFLIGHT and Buck Dudley on TALMBOUT demonstrates a desire to vary the atmospheres while maintaining a consistent overall feel. This diversity is reflected in the selection of various producers, including DJ Skizz for SAYONARA, Kxmajin for METROPCS, and V Don for the final track, creating a rich sound palette that goes beyond the simple framework of recurring collaborations. Each track, whether it's FOREVER, BAJO, or MADAMEWOO, contributes to this mosaic, with each beat carefully selected to support the narrative development of CRIMEAPPLE without ever breaking the continuity established by the main producers. The album also stands out for its strategic position in the artist's discography, serving as a bridge between two distinct but active periods. Released in November 2025, it completes a year of releases with Bulletproof Chicken and is positioned as a direct prelude to the release of Jaguar on Palisade 3, also scheduled for the same year. This temporal proximity between the three studio albums suggests a period of intense creativity where CRIMEAPPLE explores different facets of their universe before considering the next chapter with War Cash in 2026. To conclude this chapter in their discography, the listening experience is framed by two memorable tracks that define the boundaries of the project. After the narrative density and targeted collaborations, the album concludes with TIPPYTOES, produced by V Don, which offers a conclusion to a 40-minute journey. This final track seals an experience where every second counts, without digressions or unnecessary filler.

Technical specifications

- Release date : November 28, 2025 - Label : Manteca Music - Tracks : 13 (40 minutes 26 seconds) - Opening / closing : MASTERY / TIPPYTOES - Guest artists : RLX - Previous album : Bulletproof Chicken (2025)