It is very, very hard to find a unique flow in any niche of hip-hop these days. Usually you find a unique sound that emerges from blending genres, but the flow can still resemble other artists. Hip-hop has always pushed the envelope, and with that being said, it is sometimes seen as a genre running out of things that are new. The underground begs to differ. Mainstream hip-hop is generally the same sounds and stuff over and over. The underground is filled with artists who are tilting the entire genre on its head. One of these artists is the Co-CEO of Random Records, apollogoon. Late last year, he underwent a rebrand, and since his return, he has shown off his unique flow and cadence while stepping into an almost electronica inspired ambient sound to boot. We got to interview the SupportArt artist to ask about the rebrand, whats to come, and to dive deeper into one of our partner brands, Random Records. Enjoy the interview below, and afterwards you can stream content from this unique creative directly from this article.
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Q: How would you explain yourself as an artist, your sound, and what caused the rebrand that introduced the world to apollogoon? Also, where does the goon term come from?
A: "Ultimately, the rebrand to apollogoon was for marketing purposes. Much easier to find the new name, and there were tons of Apollos. I needed to center my brand and actually have an understanding of what music means to me. The basis of my stage name is due to the fact I feel Apollo, who is the god of creativity and music, would be more mystical and angelic (the melodic side) and Goon on the other hand is edgy and rough (the lyrical side/bars). It is essentially a symbolism of Yin and Yang. My demeanor is normally cool, calm, and collected, but I do not tolerate an asshole. I'm a small guy, but small things come in large packages. I remember my mom telling me that all the time. My content is always things I have either lived through or at least had the opportunity of witnessing. Music for me is a way to create a vibe and be able to recreate that same vibe every time the song plays. My sound stems from influences like Mac Miller, Logic, J. Cole, Lil Wayne, and Big Sean."
Q: You are the Co-CEO of Random Records. How did the label start and what are the goals for it?
A: "Random Records started from a previous venture with another group of individuals or collective if you will. However, there were some misunderstandings, and we chose to part ways. My dad actually helped me come up with the name while we were moving back to Texas from Colorado, but our mission is to be the opportunity that small artists need to push their music to the world. I have personally noticed a lot of artists around my area that have a sound but no means or opportunity to record a song for themselves, and we're able to record them and push their music for them, dependent on satisfaction. We strive to ensure our artists keep 100% copyright and ownership of their masters which is dependent on our services because we do handle things that range from production to engineering. We also give our artists full control over how they want to brand themselves. Our goal is to be the means that artists needs and push them to pursue their goals because we see their talent. Not a lot of people are told that their talent is valid, especially in music."
Q: You have songs with in depth bar structures and then you have songs with melodic singing. Which style do you personally prefer and why?
A: "I love the ones centered around bar structures because that's what peaked my interest into rap in the first place when I was 8 jamming out to LL Cool J and Slim Shady. The intricacy that goes into bar schemes is fascinating to me, and I love being able to see what I can come up with. The melodic singing is what I'm kind of figuring out honestly. I love to push my voice. I guess in a sense I still don't know what I prefer honestly. Bar scheme and structure fulfills the love I have for making connections, but melodies and singing fulfills the love I have for the vibe. Maybe I would say I prefer the singing then because it 's more so geared towards a vibe rather than lyricism. Really there is no thought process to it, it just happens."
Q: With a steady supply of singles out since the rebrand, do you keep that up or are you looking towards a full length project?
A: "I have an idea for an EP, but for now I'm focusing my time on singles until I'm able to reach a fan base to where my EP actually means something. I want to tell my story, but I also want to ensure people are listening first."
Q: What is your favorite song of yours that is currently out and why?
A: "My favorite drop of my own would have to be "Fly Away" because it was fun to write, but also, I was able to convey the emotion of wanting to get away from a place or a person. That song to me is the essence of apollogoon. I only truly found myself when I left my hometown. It has singing but also a short part where bars are sitting in pockets that (to me) sound pleasing to the ear."
Q: How has your involvement in SupportArt helped you and Random Records? What tools do you have now to expand your own personal brand and the labels?
A: "SupportArt has been a blessings in disguise, and by that I mean I saw SA artists on socials and never felt like I fit into y'all's niche. That was until $weezy brought myself and fr33runr in, and to be honest we all been family ever since. SupportArt has definitely brought me to a new side of hip-hop (horrorocore) that I really didn't know existed until a couple of years ago, and it's dope to see the different styles and community that SupportArt has. Personally, as an artist, the team has pushed me to be more active on socials and improve on my branding techniques and etiquette. They have given me numerous amounts of different tools to ensure I have what I need as an artist to succeed. They have helped Random Records in a branding facet with L1FEGFX (L1FEL1NE) designing our stapled logo of a random orange record, and they have also expanded our reach in terms of engagements with audiences. Some of the tools provided by SupportArt are community engagement chats and self promotion chats. People have group chats all the time, but these are different in the sense that is a business community. We want to push each other, but if the drive isn't there then you get booted. To put it into perspective, "you hire Michelangelo to do a painting and he paints it only to leave it at his house, never puts it in the Gala or up for sale, you probably wouldn't hire that dude again because he essentially leeched an idea off of you." All in all, SupportArt has helped myself as an artist and as the CEO of Random Records by helping both reach a larger audience and put the brand and myself alike in a postition where we want to be, and we are ever so grateful for that."
Q: You do not collab often, but who are some artists you hope to have feature on your songs in 2024 and why? If nobody, why is that?
A: "To be honest, I don't seek out collaborations all too often because I don't have a ton of beats to work with so with the little I do have, I want to showcase myself. I am capable of making beats, but it's a rarity nowadays. If I had several beats to throw out there, of course I'd be asking people, but it's not what I have currently. However, I do have several features in the works for this year and some more in mind, as well as a possible producer collaboration, but I have to see where that goes. Some features I will name are lil wattage, OriginJ, and E. White. I'll also appear on "The Purple Tape 3" which is the third collective album to be released by SupportArt. On those every drop is a collaboration of our artists. I think opening up my networking and collaborations in my next venture to fully commit to."
Q: What do you think will be the biggest thing that is shock value to people streaming the music you are currently working on?
A: "The production and just quality of the future content willl be the shock value. I can't really give too much away at the moment."
Q: Anything you would like to say to your fans, and do you have advice for fellow creatives?
A: "To anyone who listens to my music, I thank you from the bottom of my heart, and I hope it has helped you in some sort of way. I want my music to create a timeless moment that people sit in, a small fragment of life that they hold onto. Music is a way to heal your soul, and I am ever so grateful you chose to heal yours with my songs. To anyone who loves to create, regardless of what that entails (art, music, photography, acting) whatever it may be, do NOT let anyone tell you it's not possible. Chase your dreams. If your dream is moving at 100 mph, you better get to 110. The only person who can make your dreams a reality is yourself, through hard work, dedication, and some sleepless nights. There is no one who cares about your career and your dreams more than you do."
His words are personified in his music, a positive beacon emerging in the music scene. Listen below for yourself to the vibe that is apollogoon.