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Apollo Brown Speaks On His Sound, Who His “Guru” Would Be & Future Plans [Part 2]

Check out the conclusion to my extensive interview with our certified artist for May, Apollo Brown, where he addresses the idea of his beats sounding repetitive, why he prefers to make music like Clouds, his future plans, and his dream supergroup.

Arasia: Let’s take another turn here and talk about your album Clouds. I have to admit, I didn’t expect anything like that from you. What brought on that project and was it a challenge for you?

Apollo Brown: Just what you said right now. You didn’t expect that from me. Clouds is actually the music I like to make. I don’t know if you heard the joint I’m playing in the background.

Arasia: I did. I liked it too.

Apollo Brown: Just real chill. [He plays the track for me again]. That’s the type of music I like and that’s the type of music I prefer…thought provoking music. So it’s funny because everybody was so used to me making really hard stuff. On Gas Mask, it was real hard. I love making grimy hard stuff but what I really enjoy is to sit back and feel my music and listen to it and think. And just kind of let it take me away a little bit so that’s why I made Clouds. I just had to show people that this is what I’m really about and I can also do this. I’m not just gritty and grimy. This is actually what I prefer. It’s just not what people come to me for. People come to me for the grit and grimy stuff. Like Clouds, I can sit and listen to Clouds…. many people have told me that they get through stuff with Clouds and that’s crazy to me. I love that. They just put that on and let it play. It’s just thought provoking. We called it a background for reflection. That was kind of its subtitle. And it’s still that. Just put it on in the background and clean your house or think about your day or if you want to provoke a thought…you put it on and sit back or go riding or whatever. It’s just one of those records and that’s why I made it. And it’s my biggest selling album to this day. And it’s an instrumental album and people give those away for free. But it’s doing really well and still doing well to this day. People still gravitate to it. I did that because I just needed to show them that this is what I’m about and that I’m not just gritty and grimy. But then I went back to Daily Breadand gave them that gritty and grimy. But I like doing both. I like it all. As long as its boom bap and it’s simple.

Arasia: Speaking of that, I read a lot of comments on what people say on social media sites. And the constant debate that I see about you is they love your beats and they know what to expect…they are cohesive. And some people like that. They know what they are going to get. But then on the other side, people say some of the beats are starting to run together and sound the same. So how do you maintain a cohesive sound that you’ve become known for without it sounding repetitive?

Apollo Brown: I just make music that I like and music that I want to make…it’s not even…I guess I have a sound and they know what to expect from me and that’s good to me. I’m in this industry knowing that not everybody is going to like everything I do. So I don’t take offense to anything people say about my music. If they don’t like it, that’s fine with me. I’m not for them. They might like somebody else or whatever but like I said earlier, I’m not trying to reinvent the wheel. I’m just trying to preserve the music that I like and the music I love to listen to and the music I love to make. And you know people say the same ting about Premier and 9^th Wonder. It’s …what can you do? You can’t please everybody. All I can say is, if you don’t like my music, don’t listen to it. You have a choice to listen to something else. You don’t have to listen to it. I appreciate those who do and I appreciate those who enjoy listening to what I make. I put my heart and soul into everything I make and my all into everything I make. It’s the mood I’m in at the time but like I said, if you don’t like it, by all means don’t listen to it. It’s not for you but like I said, the greatest producers get the same criticism. So I’m not worried about it at all.

Arasia: Word. Well the last time we chopped it up, you said you wanted to dabble in the commercial pool but you just wanted to take a dip…you didn’t want to swim. So have you achieved that or are you still working on it?

Apollo Brown: You know it’s funny you say that because I’m going to show you this beat that I just made. I got like a folder for this commercial stuff like yo, I can do this too (he proceeds to play a song for me) Wait until you hear the hi-hat…(he plays the song again). You don’t expect this from me.

Arasia: No, not at all. Especially not that hi-hat.

Apollo Brown: You don’t expect that from me. Not at all. But I do it in a way where it’s not extra down south. It’s real soothing almost kind of like how 40 does for Drake on some of his melodic stuff. I don’t like it all but some of the joints I like because it’s real thought provoking and smooth. But I do it different to where it’s not extra down southish. No big drops and crazy airplane sounds and stuff like that. But I just started doing that about two months ago…I have a commercial folder but it’s still good music. It’s still dope. So I can kind of dabble. Like I said, I like what 9^th Wonder does. He takes a little swim in the commercial pool. Same with Premier…take a little dip just for a second. And then get out, dry off, and go back to the underground. And that’s just what it is. That’s what I want to do. I’d love to have some kind of commercial success but keep my underground notiriety and respect. That’s very important to me. People look at me like a go to producer but if I could get a Mary J. Bilge or an Erykah Badu or a Destiny’s Child reunion joint, you know something…people like S1, from Texas…he was on my level for a long time just making beats doing his thing and now this dude has Grammys and platinum plaques. Just for getting a few joints. He got a Grammy for helping make “Power,” the joint on Kanye and Jay-Z’s album and the joint on the Beyonce album and these are the top three artists in the world. If you get a placement on one of these artists’ albums one, you will get a platinum plaque and nine times out of ten you will get a Grammy. But he still does his thing in the underground. It’s just one of those things I’d love to dabble in both sides but I enjoy the underground.

Arasia: So are you thinking about going into movie scores, commercials and stuff like that?

Apollo Brown: Licensing. That’s’ where the money is. That’s where I want to be. I have a few deals on the table I can’t really talk about but I’d love to score films. Or every time you see a certain commercial, you hear my music or I would love to get my music played on How To Make It In America or an HBO feature or something like that. Or when Floyd Mayweather is coming out. I’d love to do that. Not just Hip Hop and soul. You gotta branch out. You have to have your music in all kinds of venues. You can’t be one sided…you gotta let your music breathe.

Arasia: I know you consider Premier the greatest producer of all time and of course, we’ve seen him produce for damn near everybody but there was nothing like what he did with Guru. That was just lightning in a bottle.  

Apollo Brown: My favorite group of all time.

Arasia: And with today being the two year anniversary of Guru’s passing [the interview was conducted April 19], I wanted to ask you… you’ve worked with some incredible emcees but who would you say is your “Guru” or who has the potential to be your Guru?

Apollo Brown: That’s a good question. Well, see that’s a hard one because what I would do, I’d take an emcee that isn’t already established and make them my Guru. I could easily say Nas or Jay or Phonte’ or Elzhi but these are artists that are established. And in order for me to make a group so to speak, I’d literally start from scratch. An emcee that I’m a big fan of…one that I have a lot of respect for like yo dude right here is crazy! I’d start from scratch with that. I’m still looking for that type of thing because I’d like to do a Little Brother type of situation with two really dope emcees so but you know, if I had to pick someone established, I’d say Jay Electronica. One of my favorite emcees who doesn’t even have an album out.

Arasia: Right.

Apollo Brown: I love Jay Elec.

Arasia: He’s dope…I like the mystique he has.

Apollo Brown: He just doesn’t care. He just does it because he loves it and he doesn’t care. He was getting offers all over the place.

Arasia: He’s going to do it on his terms.

Apollo Brown: Yeah, it’s like whatever. He’ an amazing emcee. I’d love to work with him. I’d shut down the lab and be like yo’ let’s work.

Arasia: You never know. I could see it because he has that approach where he will do what he wants. He wont let anyone control his art.

Apollo Brown: Exactly. Him, Elzhi, Nas, Phonte’, you know.

Arasia: So would you say you have a classic or is that yet to be made?

Apollo Brown: You know I’m so consistent that I don’t know. I couldn’t tell you. I live by that too…being consistent. I’d rather be consistent with every album and every song on the album then have a stand out hit. I’m really all about it. I don’t want any skip-through tracks on an album, I don’t want any filler tracks, and I want every song to hit somebody at a different angle and I want you to love every joint or your favorite joint…I want you to have a favorite joint every day. One day it’s this, next day this is my favorite. So I don’t know if I have a hit or not so I’m not worried about that because consistently…it is more powerful that than…if you look at it, the most consistent artists are the ones still in the game. They may not have made hits or been on the radio. MF Doom is not on the radio, he isn’t on TV, and he is one of if not the greatest underground artist’s ever and he’s been doing this for 20 years. And still doing it strong. Come on. He doesn’t have hits. He’s just consistent.

Arasia: He’s come along way since them KMD days.

Apollo Brown: (Laughing). Yeah.

Arasia: Think about when we first saw him to where he is now and yeah, you bring up a great point, he has been quite consistent and he’s well respected and appreciated.

Apollo Brown: Consistency is key and that’s where I want to stay. If I make a hit cool but that’s not what I’m gong for. I want people to know they get an album all the way though. Not just one dope song and the rest is just wack.

Arasia: I have to admit that I’m shocked with your answer because I just knew you would say Gas Mask. A lot of people loved it. Critics as well including this one.  

Apollo Brown: Well, I think every album I’ve done is a classic. I can see where Gas Mask would fall into that category. It was a very niche album. It’s one of those albums like when Wu Tang came out…it wasn’t for everybody. You either loved it or hated it. When I go to Europe, Gas Mask is that record. The melody is that song. It’s probably…I know overseas, that’s my biggest album. That album took two years to make. It was done out of my pocket, it was done even before the label situation. It had a little more blood, sweat, and tears. I’m not being biased. Stepping out as a fan of Hip Hop, I would buy those albums.

Arasia: While we are somewhat on the topic (not really) but will we ever see what Brown Study was originally intended to be? Boog told me about the origins of that album and she said it was supposed to be you, Kev Brown, and her…the Browns.

Apollo Brown: Yeah, Kev was busy but probably not. We are all pretty busy in our own respective things.

Arasia: Well that sucks.

Apollo Brown: Well Boog is doing her thing and she’s blowing up, Kev is doing his thing, and I’m doing mine. If the people want it, I can’t deny the people but I haven’t really seen any demands out there yet.

Arasia: Word, I dig. So what’s up with Crush Media Group and your photography?

Apollo Brown: Oh wow.

Arasia: I remember.

Apollo Brown: Well Crush is still kicking. We don’t do as much event photography but my partner lives in Chicago and I moved to Cleveland for a little bit. So it was hard to maintain what we were doing in Detroit so things got a little hard. We still have it and we still use it as an umbrella. My partner is working on an e-zine called Progressive Greek. We both are Greeks. I’m a Kappa and he’s a Sigma.

Arasia: Really?

Apollo Brown: Oh you didn’t know that did you?

Arasia: Nope, didn’t know that one.

Apollo Brown: Yes, I am a Nupe all day.

Arasia: Oh boy…the crimson and cream.

Apollo Brown: One of the only Nupes in Hip Hop cause all of my frat brothers are doctors and lawyers and principals and I’m a producer like what is that? They look at me crazy like why aren’t you wearing a suit. I am tatted up and I have a sleeve and I wear my hat backwards. I wear Timbs and a hoodie and they got the suits on and all that. But I had to go my route.

Arasia: Don’t I know it. I’ve dated my share of Nupes and I have a pretty interesting history with the Nupes I must say.

Apollo Brown: Well you have good taste in men.

Arasia: (Laughs)…well, eh. They were the slick talkers and out on the yard with their canes and crimson and cream, all that. Good times though.  

Apollo Brown: (Laughs). But yeah he’s working on ProgressiveGreek.com and we are just doing our thing right now. But it’s still there. I’m still taking photos and he’s still taking photos.

Arasia: So what happened with the book about the producers and people in their elements?

Apollo Brown: I’m still working on that. It’s a natural progression. I do it when I am traveling. And when I’m in NY or wherever, I have to sneak in on folks. I don’t want people to clean up. I want you to keep it nice and dirty. I want crackers and cereal bowls all over the place. I want the natural element in how you work but it’s still in the works. I’m trying to get at least 20 producers. I got about five right now but it’s coming along.

              [We then speak about something that I can’t share with you all yet but stay tuned!]

Arasia: Well, since you already answered my signature question, I have to ask you another one. So build a supergroup for me. Dead or alive—five emcees and you as the producer for the project.

Apollo Brown: I mean, come on. Well, okay, with me producing only?

Arasia: Yup, dead or alive. Just you.

Apollo Brown: I’d probably pick people that are still alive. The usual suspects that come out of my mouth…Jay Elec, Phonte, Elzhi, Nas, and to round it out with a female, I’d say, Jean Grae.

Arasia: GOT DAMN MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

Apollo Brown: That would be a dope ass group right?

Arasia: Fuck yeah.

Apollo Brown: It’s funny cause I’m a big Rapsody fan too. She is such a sweetheart in person. She comes at you so motherly. When I talk to her, she’s really kind-hearted and sweet. Nothing like her lyrics so it draws me in more to listen to her music and the more I listen to her…I’m really a big fan but those are the hottest two females in the game to me right now. Rapsody and Jean Grae but yeah that would be my group.

Arasia: Well I’ve talked you to death but thank you for taking the time to speak to me and participating in the KN Certified. We appreciate it.

Apollo Brown: No, thank you! I appreciate this!

Related posts:

1. Boog Brown & Apollo Brown: Shine
2. Apollo Brown Speaks On The Making Of Trophies, How Detroit Impacted O.C. & His Wack Studio Setup
3. Boog Brown & Apollo Brown: Just Be

Video: Curtis Interview w/ ThisIsBooBoo (Part 2)

Curtis talks about Lil Wayne getting in the ring with him and Floyd Mayweather, hanging out with Mack Maine, SMS Audio headphones, Feeding America and more.

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Unreleased Latee ‘Who Rips The Sound?’ EP Announced

Get in quick if you’re a Flavor Unit fan:

“Latee is one of those rappers with a limited, but impressive back catalogue. These tracks were recorded around 1992-93 for Latee’s debut album but have remained unearthed – until now!This EP contains 4 previously unreleased full-length vocal tracks, as well as 6 interlude beats. All direct DWG orders will receive an exclusive press photo!

There are 275 hand-numbered copies available in total. There are currently only 75 copies left: get in quick!

The price is £30.00 (GBP) + shipping.

To order, visit our custom storefront.

For more info, links to sound clips and all that good stuff, head on over to our forum announcement right now! We’ll close the storefront once all copies have been sold.

Email any other enquiries here.

We’re very proud to have linked up with Latee and got these great lost tracks onto wax where they belong. Thanks to Scott and Naiquan for the assistance on getting this one out.

If everything goes to plan, shipping will be during the week of 23rd April.”

SNEAKER FIENDS UNITE!

New Music: Goodie Mob “Is That You God?”

It’s not Sunday yet, but church is in service as Goodie Mob releases the soulful cut “Is That You God?”. The song appears in the upcoming movie The Obama Effect, which hits theatres in select cities on July 13.

New Music: Goodie Mob – “Is That You God?”

via Rap-Up

Previously: Goodie Mob – “Fight to Win”

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