Interview With Recording Hip Hop Artist: APOLLO 15

Kyle Nakomis
Aug 2, 2020
4 min read

Recording Hip Hop artist; APOLLO 15

“Beauty begins the second you be yourself” - unknown

INTERVIEW:

1. What Does Your Artist Name Mean?

Apollo:

"Everyone asks me that Kyle, So Apollo 15 is my artist name because I feel like 15 was always a lucky number for me. The Apollo was the ninth crewed mission for the United States “Apollo” missions. And like a rocket ship I’m gonna takeoff."

2. Who Are Your Biggest Music Influences?

Apollo:

"My biggest influences in music have to be; Juice WRLD,Tupac, and XXXTentacion. Only because all three of those guys weren’t just out to make music, they were out to send messages. Tupac was a poet from the hood sent to tell us and let us know what the struggle is like, Juice WRLD talked about anxiety and depression and let us know like “Hey this isn’t a joke, you’re not the only one I’m with you”. X man he was a legend in the making he put real life stuff in a song and flipped it just like the others and made it a hit, those are my inspirations for a reason."

3. How Did you as an artist get into music?

Apollo:

"Believe it or not at the age of 13-14 I started making my own calls. I’ve been singing since I could talk man and when I saw it was time I made all this happen myself. I made calls, I set up recording sessions, and with some help from my mom too; I made it happen."

4. What’s The Craziest Thing That’s Happened within your music career so far?

Apollo:

"So the craziest thing that’s happened to me, is I went into a 2 hour studio session and finished a half an album in a little less than an hour. Every song was one take, I was on fire man. And getting signed to LS Artist Management; Man this is a dream come true."

5. How’s your album coming along?

Apollo:

"It’s going great we’ve got a little content switch up but it’s still bangers, that’s a promise."

"Feel Good, Rap Good" - APOLLO 15

6. What’s Your Songwriting Process?

Apollo:

"So I get into a nice like dark room... and I’ll sit there for hours listening to music and beats and I’ll just listen and listen until something tweaks my ear and then BAM! I write."

7. Who Do You Sound Like?

Apollo:

"Honestly I think I throw a good Juice WRLD vibe mixed in with Rod Wave."

8. What are your goals as an artist?

Apollo:

"I wanna be the guy that came in young and changed the game, not just musically but like mentally, I wanna change the way of it’s thinking you know?"

9. What kind of background do you come from as a Hip Hop artist?

Apollo:

"I come from traveling home to home. With no father you know, it’s hard growing up without one but it always gets better and you find a way to rise above it."

10. What do you think of Rod Wave and or an artist like Billie Eilish?

Apollo:

"Rod wave, that guy has so much talent he puts everything he has into his music. Especially Heart on ice and RAGS2RICHES; Those are bangers and you can hear the emotions in his voice. Billie Eilish I’ve never really gotten into her music much, but the hits I have heard are pretty good.

11. If you could tour with any bands, or other artists who would you tour with and why?

Apollo:

"Probably like drake or DaBaby man, they have so much fame it’s crazy. I heard DaBaby was mad cool, so you know 1 on 1 time is always good for artists."

12. If you could work with any record labels, who would you want to work with and why?

Apollo:

"That’s a good question, probably Atlantic Records I heard they treat their artist very well."

13. What are some of your favorite quotes or what is your go to quote?

Apollo:

"Well my favorite quote is “beauty begins the second you be yourself”, but a quote that I like to say is “Look good, Rap good”. It’s just something that gets me in a good headset for some reason."

14. Where do you see yourself as an artist? What makes you unique? Why does your sound make you unique?

Apollo:

"I see myself as like a generational artist, someone of this time but a unique and defying one. I’m not just a mumble rapper trying to get paid, No, I’m a tenacious artist trying to send a message."

15. Why should venues book you as an artist? What as an artist draws your crowd in, and why should people listen to your music instead of someone else's?

Apollo:

"I mean, I’m a kid and just me being on a stage in the first place has to mean something you know. I'm a stand out, my style, my flow, and because of how much I know about life. It makes me stick out from the rest. I’m doing what some 20 or 30 year old's can’t do it’s kind of astonishing to me."

APOLLO 15's BACK STORY:

When Michael Smith Jr or better known as his stage name; APOLLO 15 was two years old. He wasn’t talking at the time, but he was riding home from church and Kirk Franklin was playing. His mom always tells him she heard a tiny voice in the back singing Kirk Franklin and it was Apollo. Then when Apollo got a little older he started choir at school and started singing church choir. He was the best singer at his church and in his school choir.

Apollo started writing his own music at 11 and he has just has never stopped writing and making calls to labels and studios and viola. Here he is working with his artist management company; LS Artist Management and working on releasing his first studio EP later this year.

Apollo currently has two singles out now on Soundcloud, talk about potential. This young talented artist has it, he has what it takes. Labels keep an ear out for this young and very inspirational artist; APOLLO 15.

"This young talented artist has it, he has what it takes. Labels keep an ear out for this young and very inspirational artist; APOLLO 15" - Kyle Nakomis