Apollo Brown

Apollo Brown
Brown at the Patronaat in Haarlem, Netherlands on September 10, 2014
Background information
Birth name	Erik Vincent Stephens
Born	(1980-06-20) June 20, 1980 (age 45) Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.
Origin	Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Genres	Alternative hip hop underground hip hop
Occupations	Record producer songwriter
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

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 was not 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)
• 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)
• This, Is Not That (with CRIMEAPPLE) (2025)
• Elevator Music (2025)
• Funeral For A Dream (with Bronze Nazareth) (2025)

References

1. Stinchcomb, Dericka (August 28, 2017). "RESPECT. Interview: Apollo Brown on 'Anchovies'". Respect-mag.com. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
2. Paine, Jake (April 15, 2013). "Ugly Heroes (Apollo Brown, Verbal Kent & Red Pill)". Hiphopdx.com. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
3. 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.
4. "DJ Finyl vs Apollo Brown @ Red Bull Big Tune 2009 Finals 11/3/09". YouTube. 2009-11-08. Retrieved 2018-07-22.
5. "Apollo Brown Biography". Mello Music Group. Retrieved 2018-07-22.
6. ""Music Nowadays is Sounds & Words With No Emotional Value": An Interview with Apollo Brown". DJBooth. Retrieved 2018-07-22.
7. "Underground Report: 7L & Esoteric And The Left". Hiphopdx.com. November 25, 2010. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
8. Bromwich, Jonah (January 29, 2018). "Ghostface Killah/Apollo Brown The Brown Tape". Pitchfork.com. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
9. Penrose, Nerisha (May 23, 2018). "Locksmith & Apollo Brown Return With New Song 'Litmus': Listen". Billboard.com. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
10. "Joell Ortiz Announces New "Mona Lisa" Album With Apollo Brown". Hotnewhiphop.com. August 22, 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
11. "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.
12. "This Must Be The Place". Apollobrown360.bandcamp.com. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
13. "Cost of Living". Apollobrown360.bandcamp.com. Retrieved 15 November 2022.

External links

• Apollo Brown at Mello Music Group