Apollo Brown
Erik Vincent Stephens (born June 20, 1980), better known professionally as Apollo Brown, is an American record producer from Detroit, Michigan.[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.
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 | |
| Occupation(s) |
|
| Instruments | Drum machine, keyboards, sampler, turntable |
| Years active | 2007–present |
| Labels | Mello Music |
| Associated acts |
|
Early life
Brown grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He later moved to Detroit in 2003, after graduating from Michigan State University.
Musical career
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
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
- 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)
- 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]
References
- Stinchcomb, Dericka (August 28, 2017). "RESPECT. Interview: Apollo Brown on 'Anchovies'". respect-mag.com. RESPECT. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
- Paine, Jake (April 15, 2013). "Ugly Heroes (Apollo Brown, Verbal Kent & Red Pill)". hiphopdx.com. HIPHIPdx. 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. Billboard. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
- KD Gray (2009-11-08), DJ Finyl vs Apollo Brown @ Red Bull Big Tune 2009 Finals 11/3/09, 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.
- sryon (November 25, 2010). "Underground Report: 7L & Esoteric And The Left". hiphopdx.com. HIPHIPdx. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
- Bromwich, Jonah (January 29, 2018). "Ghostface Killah/Apollo Brown The Brown Tape". Pitchfork.com. Pitchfork media. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
- Penrose, Nerisha (May 23, 2018). "Locksmith & Apollo Brown Return With New Song 'Litmus': Listen". billboard.com. Billboard. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
- Ch, Devin (August 22, 2018). "Joell Ortiz Announces New "Mona Lisa" Album With Apollo Brown". hotnewhiphop.com. hnhh. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
- https://www.instagram.com/p/B2UKBywDoYi/
