Apollo Brown

Early life

Apollo Brown was born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan in a bi-racial family. He started liking hip hop while young, and became avid fan in 1991 when he first heard the album Breaking Atoms by Main Source, stating "that was what did it for me, and I’ve been hooked ever since."

Around 1996 he began working on hip hop production, using a number of different aliases. After attending college, he moved to the city of Detroit in 2003, becoming a long-term resident. From 2004 to 2006 he took a hiatus from producing music, stating that "When I decided to come back into [production], I wanted to come back fresh. I wanted the name Apollo, the Greek God of music, but I didn’t want to keep it just that. I wanted my moniker to have the sound of an actual name. I chose the last name Brown because of strong history it has. I wrote it down for a beat showcase one day and it stuck."

2007-09: Early releases

After the Arizona hip hop label Mello Music Group was founded in 2006, Brown joined producers such as Dudley Perkins and Oddisee on staff. Skilled Trade was Brown's first collection of beats, compiled and released in 2007. Brown called the instrumental album a "raw collection of old and unfinished beats made throughout the last decade." According to PopMatters, while still based in Detroit Brown began "producing boom-bap beats [in] 2008 and quietly gaining respect in the hip-hop community. He's artform was aquired by the teachings from Bronze Nazareth, another artist out of Detroit." Several years after 2007 he won the Red Bull Big Tune Championship in Detroit, which marked his first appearance on the national scene.

Brown released his second instrumental album, Make Do, in January 2009, which includes 37 tracks. At that point he had done production for artists including Finale, Danny Brown, Kam Moye, Kool G Rap, Roc Marciano, Paradime, Kenn Starr, The Regiment , Hassaan Mackey, and Bronze Nazareth. He released his first official debut project, The Reset, in the summer of 2010. The Reset featured a number of guest vocalists and rappers, and Brown released an instrumental version later that year.

2010: The Left

Around 2010 Brown co-founded the hip hop group The Left with Detroit rapper Journalist 103. The duo soon brought in DJ Soko to add to the tracks and act as DJ for their live performances. Their debut album Gas Mask was released in 2010. According to The Michigan Citizen, "the concept of the album’s title was to warn audiences that hip hop music is being used against the people like poison. Positive, thought-provoking music can act as a 'gas mask' to help filter out the nonsense." Gas Mask was named Best Album of 2010 by KevinNottingham.com, and was in the Top 25 Albums of 2010 by HipHopDX and DJ Premier. Sputnik Music named it one of the Best Underground Hip-Hop Albums of 2010. Stated HipHopDX, Gas Mask "captured a nostalgic prestige," while RapReviews.com wrote about the album that "Apollo's nods to classic soul could hardly have come from another city [than Detroit]. An artistic statement and a brilliant debut, Gas Mask should be Motown's unofficial soundtrack, but its listenership should know no regional boundaries."

2012: Trophies and Dice Game

In 2011 Brown released his instrumental album Clouds as well as the collaboration Daily Bread. Trophies is the debut collaboration album by D.I.T.C. member O.C. and Brown. It was released on May 1, 2012 by Mello Music Group. The first single was "Prove Me Wrong." By that point he had also produced for Diamond District.

Dice Game is a collaborative studio album by Brown and rapper Guilty Simpson. It was released online by Mello Music Group on November 6, 2012 in digital format, and physical copies were made available on November 13, 2012. The record was entirely produced and arranged by Apollo Brown, and features guest appearances from Torae and Planet Asia. Both Dice Game and Trophies charted on Billboards R&B Albums chart.

2013: The Brown Tape and Ugly Heroes

An official alternative version of Twelve Reasons to Die by Ghostface Killah was released on April 22, 2013 on Bandcamp. It is nearly identical in tracklist (with the exclusion of the track "12 Reasons to Die"), but is produced by hip-hop producer Apollo Brown. On June 7, 2013 the album was be made available in all other formats the original album was released on.

In 2013, Verbal Kent, Detroit emcee Red Pill and Brown formed Ugly Heroes, releasing their self-titled debut in May 2013. The album examines the harsh realities of the members' hometowns. PopMatters called the album "one of the better hip-hop records of 2013," describing it as "easily one of 2013’s most depressing albums, an unflinching look at the rust belt and a bankrupt city that threw its inhabitants under a bus. Yes, Pill and Kent’s weary and sleep deprived lyrics had a lot to do with it, but Brown can craft a crushingly sad background at a moment’s notice."

He had a small tour stint with Ill Bill and Vinnie Paz, as well as touring Europe with Guilty Simpson. He and Simpson also toured the US, performing together at the 80/35 Music Festival in 2013.

2014: Thirty Eight and Blasphemy

He released the instrumental album Thirty Eight in 2014. Brown took a different approach to creating the album than his previous work, trying to make it sound like an “old school OST.” Wrote OkayPlayer in a review, the album "features a more minimalistic and repetitive approach to beatmaking with a lot less emphasis on heavy drums, which has become a staple in Apollo Brown’s production." PopMatters gave the album 7/10 and positive reviews, writing that "The 20-track release acts as a sampler platter, like instrumental tapas, with Brown dabbling in each part of his range. Consistency doesn’t reign here, but it’s solid work through and through."

After the release of the instrumental album, the track "Lonely and Cold" was released with a feature by rapper Roc Marciano. The music video, which features Brown walking through neighborhood streets, premiered on Noisey in July 2014.

Brown collaborated with rapper Ras Kass in 2014, and in October they released the collaborative album Blasphemy. Wrote Vibe.com, "The LP is a welcome breath of fresh air in a stagnant terrain of modern hip-hop where content is all-too-often forsaken.... Ras Kass spits harsh philosophies and biting facts over Apollo’s smoother-than-butter beats...Apollo is unmerciful in his soulful melodies and arrangements." The album's track "H20" features an appearance from Pharoahe Monch as well as Dilated People’s MC Rakaa Iriscience.

2015: Words Paint Pictures & Grandeur

On March 24 Apollo Brown teamed up with Big Pooh to release Words Paint Pictures on Mello Music Group. The project contained 9 tracks including 2 remixes. HipHop DXrated the album 3.5 out of 5 and said "In response to America’s current events, he has delivered his most socially charged work to date at a time when it’s most needed."

On July 21, it was announced Apollo Brown would be releasing an album entitled Grandeur on Mello Music Group. It was released on September 25, 2015, with guest including Oddisee, M.O.P, Masta Ace and others.

Style and equipment

Brown stated in 2010 that his favorite producer was DJ Premier, and that Premier "the ultimate influence in my music. Hard drums, thick chops, static, and that timeless boom bap sound is what I gravitate towards." Other producers he has been influenced by include Pete Rock, J Dilla, Da Beatminerz, Large Professor, and DJ Muggs.

Brown only collaborates in person, having stated to Acclaim Magazine that "we’re always in the studio. I don’t do email albums, I don’t like that. I’m old school when it comes to working on an album." In 2012, he explained that "My [studio equipment] setup does not change. I still have the same computer, I still have the same four blown speakers, and I still have the same keyboard that only 16 keys work because it got flood damage. I still have all the same stuff." About his simple setup, he has stated that "As far as I’m concerned a good beat is a good beat, no matter how you made it. I don’t care if you use some spoons and some feathers. If you made a good beat that’s what it is, it’s all about outcome."

Photography career

Brown is the co-owner of Crush Media Group, a media company he runs with his business partners Kevin Davis and Quinne Lowe. Brown works as a photographer for the company, and has shot artists including Nas, Invincible, and Mike Jones. His work has also been published in XXL several times, as well as other newspapers and magazines.

Personal life

As of 2014 Brown continues to live in Detroit.