Even after almost two decades in the game, Apathy and Celph Titled have managed to avoid this predicament through constant touring, releasing and staying true to their fan base, while branching out if the opportunity is right. Performing alongside several rotating members over the years, they have been part of super-group the Demigodz, who are finally releasing their first group project, titled Killmatic.
“Satisfying is definitely an understatement,” says Connecticut born Chad ‘Apathy’ Bromley of the long-delayed project. “It’s a great accomplishment for our crew and of course adding these songs to our catalogue only makes for more soon-to-be classics for our fans to hear live whenever we get on stage.” His Tampa based counterpart Vic ‘Celph Titled’ Mercer chimes in about how special the release is for them, “especially after the long road it took to get the album completed.” For Killmatic, the quick-witted duo buckled down in the studio with current crew members Ryu of Styles Of Beyond, Esoteric, Motive and Blacastan. As prolific solo artists with other side-projects on the go, Mercer reveals that it took a while for the album to become a priority.
“We planned to finish this album a long ago, but getting everyone on the same page takes time and focus.” Bromley, who had two solo albums of his own, says the album’s origins date back to 2007. “So this album was more a labor of love and we kept adding pieces to it as we went along and felt inspired.” Mercer believes their approach to lyricism and production wouldn’t allow them to release anything sub-par. “We are perfectionists, so we would sit on beats for a long time, re-work them and sharpen the lyrics, until the end result was the best it could be in our eyes.” Bromley doesn’t see the overall group dynamic as being all that much different from their previous efforts. It was in the fine-tuning and musical approach where things varied. “It was a little different than, say, our first Demigodz EP in 2002 where our crew was much larger and joints were thrown together quickly on the spot because we were much more anxious to just have product out.” As seasoned vets, their approach is admittedly more “calculated.” With the classic-in-the-making finally released, now seems like the perfect time for the lyrical tag team to make their return to Australia.
Last performing for Aussie audience with Mercer in 2005, Bromley is excited to be back. “I have great memories from that tour and I know our return visit will be that much more explosive.” Making his third overall visit, Mercer too greatly appreciates the response he gets from local audiences. “If I could come to Australia every single year I’d do it without question. Our audiences there are so amped to hear us live and they really get hype at the shows.” As artists who have been on the independent grind for the majority of their career, Mercer and Bromley don’t underestimate the importance of performing live.
“You can’t make it in this game if you don’t do live shows and tour. A live show is an experience that someone just can’t download off a website,” Mercer says matter-of-factly. Bromley has seen the music industry model change and is constantly aware of what needs to be done to make it. “The days of dropping a 12” vinyl single a couple times a year or putting out a CD and just sitting back collecting cheques are over. You’ve got to get out there and work your ass off.” It’s been a long road for Apathy and Celph Titled, two lifelong rap fans who have always taken a DIY approach, dating back to their origins in the mid-to-late 90s. “We didn’t really know what we were doing when we first started out and had to experiment with different styles until we found ourselves,” Bromley says reflectively through veteran eyes. “Looking back, it’s easy to cringe at some of the unpolished music but many fans hold that stuff dear to them.”
First recording under the oh-so ‘90s moniker of Apathy the Alien Tongue, he believes no matter how unrefined they sound today, his early efforts were part of a bigger picture. “Some of it is even vital to the younger artists in our scene because it helped mould and motivate them to be what they are today.” Mercer agrees, saying he can notice a bit of Demigodz in some of today’s young crop. “I can hear the influences in some of the newer MCs that make music in the same vein as ours but it’s only natural when you’ve been putting out records for 15 years.”
The respect he has gained is one he appreciates but one he knows came from years of grinding. “It’s a nice position to be in, but as you can see it takes many years of work and dues paid to get in this seat.” Those days in the trenches have led to some big career opportunities over the years, including collaborations with Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda and his Fort Minor side-project. “Those situations only came to us because we put in work and were able to show and prove,” affirms Mercer. “Our talent speaks for itself. Fort Minor was a huge boost of exposure, but it would’ve meant nothing if we didn’t continue to follow-up with quality consistent music after that project was over.” Bromley sees their more mainstream work as something that adds to their legacy rather than defining it. “I’m very proud of what we’ve built, but of course we’d like it to be larger. I’m content with our place in the game right now and it’s a very admirable spot for us to be in.”
BY ANDREW ‘HAZARD’ HICKEY
