INTERVIEW WITH ROB APOLLO
Rob Apollo, 17, a Detroit native, is an artist and producer. With everything from chilling, emotional lyrics, to upbeat hip hop vibes, individualizes him from anything on the radio. His unique sound and approach is just the start. I had the chance to sit down with him and ask about his work.
US: What drove you to start making music?
RA: I just loved listening to it and had a passion for writing. So I started recording a couple years ago.
US: What do you think sets you apart from most mainstream artists? Not only your music, but you as an artist.
RA: Them niggas corny as fuck. Half are just deadass trash. They're all starting to sound alike, most are afraid to try wild shit and take risks because it'll affect their pocketbooks. I’ve never been about the money. I wanna affect peoples lives. It sounds cliche but its the truth - I wanna work with as many artists possible to make this the dopest shit that I can.
US: Who would you say is your music inspiration?
RA: At first, I was listening to that lyrical boom bap shit, like Joey Badass and Pro Era, but I’m past that now. Recently I’ve drawn influence from 2008 Soulja Boy and Lil Yachty. Deadass they both make incredible cross genre music. I don’t care what anyone has to say, Soulja Boy a fucking legend and Lil Boat will be one day.
Also, I’ve drawn inspiration from more than just music artists. Visual artists have really influenced me lately, and I wanna do more than just music.
US: What genre would you describe your music as?
RA: Genres are dead. Music is just music now - free flowing - more about emotion now than genre.
US: What emotions do you usually write about?
RA: I usually write in 1 of 2 moods; hype and excited, or sad as fuck. I need to feel a lot of emotion to write a song, so I’m usually at an absolute high or low when I do so.
US: How did you chose the stage name Rob Apollo?
RA: My middle name is Robert, Apollo is the god of music. I don’t like it that much. I wish I had a cool name, like Soulja Boy or Retchy P. Prolly too late now, though.
US: What's the most important song to you that you've written?
RA: This song called “48 Hours”. It’s going on my next project, and epitomizes a lot of the issues I deal with in my own head, and the thoughts that fuck me up late at night, ya feel. It’s sad as fuck, don’t listen to it alone in a dark room.
US: How would you describe your most recent album and how it differs from your previous ones?
RA: Well, “FREE KWAME EP”, which I did with my homie Kaio, is really hype and upbeat, but doesn’t have much substance. It’s just flex turn up music. In the past, I was against making that kinda shit, but we did it just for fun. I think the music is quality, but it sounds like a lot of other music being put out now. It’s not as original as a lot of my other shit. It”s not really personal either. In all my other projects, I’m really bleeding how I feel into it. Free Kwame was just like, “hey lets turn up in the studio and forget about the sadness”.
US: Do you suddenly come up with an idea for your music or do you think about it for a while?
RA: I used to think about ideas for awhile, then try to make them happen. But now, everything is in the moment. I write exactly how I feel and what I feel at the moment, ‘cause that’s the best way to capture emotion.
US: What do you feel is the main message your music and styles gives out?
RA: Do you. Don’t really care what people have to say. People are gonna hate regardless, niggas is haters. I'll wear a pink crop-top if i want to, I don’t really care. I bleed my heart into my music ‘cause I’m not ashamed of shit, and I want other people to feel the same.
US: What's something you want people to know about you and your intentions?
RA: That ultimately I just want to give the world as much as I can before I die. Everyday, I think about how I can change the world, and one day, I will. That shit is corny, but watch. Give me a few years.
US: What advice you have for young artists?
RA: Keep doing you. Everyone sucks at first, you just gotta power through it - but humbly. You’re not that good.. Yet. Don’t be arrogant, but stay optimistic. We all start off garbage as fuck.
US: What should we expect next from Rob Apollo?
RA: I’m putting out this turnup single, but my next project is sad. Like lowkey depressing, bad mood music. Very quality though - cleaner sound quality and production than ever before. But, even more than music. Expect much more art / projects from my “The Bleeding Hearts Club”. It’s my friends and me making art together, and we’ve got some dope shit coming soon.
SOUNDCLOUD: soundcloud.com/robapollo
FREE KWAME EP: soundcloud.com/localzonly/sets/free-kwame-ep
TWITTER: twitter.com/RobApollo_
