Apollo Brown
Apollo Brown | |
|---|---|
 Brown at the Patronaat in Haarlem, Netherlands on September 10, 2014 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Erik Vincent Stephens |
| Born | June 20, 1980 Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S. |
| Origin | Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
|
| Instrument(s) | Drum machine, keyboards, sampler, turntable |
| Years active | 2007–present |
| Labels | Mello Music |
Erik Vincent Stephens (born June 20, 1980), better known professionally as Apollo Brown, is an American record producer from Detroit, Michigan, United States.[1] He is a member of the hip hop group Ugly Heroes (alongside Red Pill and Verbal Kent)[2] and has released numerous collaborations with the likes of Guilty Simpson, O.C., Ras Kass, Skyzoo[3] and Planet Asia.
Early life
[edit]Brown grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He later moved to Detroit in 2003, after graduating from Michigan State University.
Musical career
[edit]Brown's career in music stretches back to the mid-1990s, but it wasn't until 2007's Skilled Trade beat collection that things started to become serious. November 3, 2009 saw Brown win the Red Bull Big Tune Championship[4] and he was subsequently contacted by Mello Music Group's Michael Tolle to become a part of MMG independent hip hop movement.
In any collaborations, Brown insists on making albums in the same room as the other artists.[5]
Style and influences
[edit]Brown is noted for his use of dated technology – a DJBooth interview reveals his preferred setup is a desktop PC running Windows XP and Cool Edit 2000.[6]
Discography
[edit]- Skilled Trade (2007)
- Make Do (2009)
- The Reset (2010)
- Gas Mask (with DJ Soko & Journalist 103 as The Left) (2010)[7]
- Brown Study (with Boog Brown) (2010)
- Clouds (2011)
- Daily Bread (with Hassaan Mackey) (2011)
- Trophies (with O.C.) (2012)
- Dice Game (with Guilty Simpson) (2012)
- The Brown Tape (with Ghostface Killah) (2013)[8]*
- Ugly Heroes (with Red Pill & Verbal Kent as Ugly Heroes) (2013)[2]
- Cigarette Burns EP (2014)
- Thirty Eight (2014)
- Abrasions: Stitched Up (with Planet Asia) (2014)*
- Ugly Heroes EP (with Red Pill & Verbal Kent as Ugly Heroes) (2014)
- Blasphemy (with Ras Kass) (2014)
- Words Paint Pictures (with Rapper Big Pooh) (2015)
- Grandeur (2015)
- Everything in Between (with Red Pill & Verbal Kent as Ugly Heroes) (2016)
- Mr. T (With Westside Gunn) (2016)
- The Easy Truth (with Skyzoo) (2016)
- Anchovies (with Planet Asia) (2017)
- No Question (with Locksmith) (2018)[9]
- Mona Lisa (with Joell Ortiz) (2018)[10]
- Sincerely, Detroit (2019)[11]
- As God Intended (with Che Noir) (2020)
- Lovesick (with Raheem DeVaughn) (2021)
- Stitched Up & Shaken (with Planet Asia, Gensu Dean & Guilty Simpson) (2021)
- Blacklight (with Stalley) (2021)
- Bushido Code (with Prop Dylan) (2022)
- This Must Be The Place (2022)[12]
- Cost of Living (with Philmore Greene) (2022)[13]
- Sardines (with Planet Asia) (2023)
References
[edit]- ^ Stinchcomb, Dericka (August 28, 2017). "RESPECT. Interview: Apollo Brown on 'Anchovies'". Respect-mag.com. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
- ^ a b Paine, Jake (April 15, 2013). "Ugly Heroes (Apollo Brown, Verbal Kent & Red Pill)". Hiphopdx.com. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
- ^ Elibert, Mark (February 9, 2018). "Skyzoo Breaks Down His Five Favorite Tracks From His New Album 'In Celebration of Us'". Billboard.com. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
- ^ "DJ Finyl vs Apollo Brown @ Red Bull Big Tune 2009 Finals 11/3/09". YouTube. 2009-11-08. Retrieved 2018-07-22.
- ^ "Apollo Brown Biography". Mello Music Group. Retrieved 2018-07-22.
- ^ ""Music Nowadays is Sounds & Words With No Emotional Value": An Interview with Apollo Brown". DJBooth. Retrieved 2018-07-22.
- ^ "Underground Report: 7L & Esoteric And The Left". Hiphopdx.com. November 25, 2010. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
- ^ Bromwich, Jonah (January 29, 2018). "Ghostface Killah/Apollo Brown The Brown Tape". Pitchfork.com. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
- ^ Penrose, Nerisha (May 23, 2018). "Locksmith & Apollo Brown Return With New Song 'Litmus': Listen". Billboard.com. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
- ^ "Joell Ortiz Announces New "Mona Lisa" Album With Apollo Brown". Hotnewhiphop.com. August 22, 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
- ^ "Apollo Brown on Instagram: "...NEW ALBUM coming 10/29... "Sincerely, Detroit" featuring 56 of your favorite Detroit Artists. Executive Produced by my brother…"". Instagram.com. Archived from the original on 2021-12-24. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- ^ "This Must Be The Place". Apollobrown360.bandcamp.com. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
- ^ "Cost of Living". Apollobrown360.bandcamp.com. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
External links
[edit]- Apollo Brown at Mello Music Group
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