Apollo D celebrates 10 years of Hip Hop
Dumisani Ncube | Tuesday June 2, 2015 12:14
The man, who used to be called Apollo Diablo, is among Botswana’s early rappers that include Third Mind and Stagga among others. He is one of those who played a big role in ensuring that the Hip Hop culture and music are accepted.
Showbiz recently caught up with the rapper for a chat about his decade long journey in the music industry.
In his 10-year career the musician has worked with reputable artists such as Fosta Juliano, Oracle and HHP.
Despite his wealth of experience Apollo D has only released three albums and a number of mix tapes.
One of his best-known songs iKalanga Chedu revealed his pride in his culture and language as he sang in his native Kalanga.
The 30-year-old developed the love for rap at a tender age and when he was19-years-old, he released his first single called The City Owes Me.
The ups and downs he has experienced during the 10 year spell has not only shaped him musically but also impacted on his personal life.
”When I started, society did not have much faith in Hip Hop, which meant that sponsors did not believe in us as well. It led to a lot of rappers struggling to put their work out there,” he said.
However, Apollo D was lucky to get an American investor who gave him P60,000 to work on his debut album The Meaning Of Life. Apollo D has implored the local media to follow their South African counterparts’ example and play a role in promoting Hip Hop across the country.
He also decried the fact that local radio stations prefer to play international rappers at the expense of locals even if those foreigners do not offer better quality. “Hip Hop is influential. It can be used as social commentary that can be used to pass messages to the youth and the general public,” he said.
The veteran rapper has applauded the young generation of rappers who he said are showing a lot of creativity, which is crucial for the industry to grow.
“There is growth, but the local rap industry still has a long way to go,” he said.
He, however, expressed concern about the young rappers’ failure to address serious problems in their music saying, “their content is not solid as most of them talk about partying, clubbing and stuff that does not build; back then literacy was a cool thing in the rap game”.
An old horse in the game, Apollo D’s secret has been, “adapting with the changing times, but staying true to his sound”.
The musician is now imparting knowledge and experience to younger generations of rappers he is grooming. As part of celebrating 10 years in the rap industry Apollo D will soon embark on a nation wide Hip Hop music tour.