Ten years in the making and built largely from a bedroom studio in Durham, North Carolina, Apollo1’s debut album RELEASE arrives with the emotional weight of a diary cracked wide open. Across 21 tracks, the rapper-singer-producer turns heartbreak, addiction recovery and lingering hope into a sprawling hip-hop confessional that feels like someone emptying years of chaos onto hard drives and somehow shaping the mess into something polished enough for radio. That DIY grit is central to the album’s appeal—Apollo1 handles beats, lyrics, rapping and singing himself, while longtime collaborator Zenlee, a friend since middle school, produces nearly half the record and sharpens it through mixing and mastering. Childhood friends Nic Main, C9 and St. Raichu also pop up, giving the project a genuine day-one chemistry.
And honestly, RELEASE wastes no time making an impression. Opening track “425” storms in with shimmering, razor-sharp synths and pounding beats as Apollo1 attacks the track with a thick, commanding voice. He raps quickly but never sloppily—every line lands with crisp intention, cool confidence and enough swagger to hook listeners immediately.
Later, “Going” strips things back emotionally. Soft, loose beats and glimmering melodies create a hazy atmosphere as Apollo1 swaps rapid-fire bars for soaring vocals that feel distant yet hauntingly vulnerable. When he sings, “I am starting to lose my mind” and “Now it’s me, myself, and I,” the emotional exhaustion hits like a punch to the gut.
Then comes “Been Official,” where glitzy synths clash beautifully with heavy beats as Apollo1 officially cuts ties with a past lover. His delivery is fast, biting and unfiltered. By the time closing track “God’s Gift” rolls around, with cinematic piano, swelling strings and hard-hitting percussion, Apollo1 sounds reborn. It’s a long ride, sure, but when it hits, it hits hard.
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Review by: Naomi Joan