TSG: AP! - A Musician's Journey of Self-Discovery and Authenticity
Graphic by Lily Greco
From identity crisis to INTROSPECT! : artist TSG: AP! transforms, embracing authenticity in a journey of self-discovery and connection.
By: Mattea Vecera
In July 2021, artist TSG: AP! was accepted to No Label Academy, a nine-day music business seminar at Harvard University created by rapper IDK. A month later, the D.C. native was at Harvard with 19 other young creatives pursuing careers in the music industry. No Label brought a lineup of industry legends to speak to the students, including Tremaine Emory (Creative Director and Owner of Denim Tears), Terrence “Punch” Henderson (Co-President of Top Dawg Entertainment), Young Guru (Grammy-award winning audio engineer), and the late Virgil Abloh.
Despite reaching such a great feat only a couple of years into his music career, AP! was at the peak of not knowing what was next. He had been releasing music under the name “Apollo!’ but was going through an identity crisis stemming from that name. Initially, he adopted “Apollo!” as a reference to the Greek god of music, among others, identifying with the “godly” status to mentally counter negative perceptions of pursuing music in his household. However, AP! eventually found the title not reflective of his true self.
“It turned into like, just being too like egotistical and thinking I'm better than people and wanting to be at the top, and there was this identity crisis that came with it,” AP! said. “I didn't want to go by it anymore because it just wasn't who I wanted to be nor who I genuinely was.”
A pivotal moment at No Label led to a revelation about the importance of authenticity. With guidance from fellow artists, including IDK, he underwent a process of self-discovery, resulting in the birth of TSG: AP!.
TSG: AP! with producer Young Guru at IDK’s No Label Academy in August 2021
AP! is an homage to his musical roots as Apollo!. The newly added TSG stands for “The Sun’s Guide,” reflecting his goal to help guide others in all walks of life to realize their true potential while sharing his stories and experiences as a reference.
“I want to be able to [guide] everyone, which has its pros and cons,” AP! said. “Some people just aren't ready for that, and it's hard watching that, because it's like you see the growth in that person, that potential, but sometimes they just don't see it yet.”
Along with the name change came a conscious paradigm shift in AP!’s music. To embrace that authenticity, AP! started focusing on “talking about what [he] knows.”
Perhaps the grandest gesture to this came with the January 16 release of his aptly-titled, admittedly partly autobiographical album INTROSPECT!. From ballad-esc love songs like “HOWEVER LONG THIS TAKES!” to hard-hitting and raw tracks like “BATHS & RUBBER DUCKS FREESTYLE!,” AP! experiments with new sounds while pouring out his thoughts, emotions, and experiences into every bar.
In an Instagram post last week about the album, AP! wrote, “‘[INTROSPECT!]’ - A story told on how I critically analyze myself, those I love & the world that surrounds us… thank you to every single pair of ears that chose to dive into a chapter of my identity.”
AP! also shouts out others who helped him bring the album to life in the caption— many of whom he now lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with. The group of creatives includes artists FTBK, Jay Dott, 35mil, and producers Hagen Brothers, KTP, and Keylime (“but he also be spittin' sometimes too”).
“These are hands down the best creatives I've ever worked with in my life,” AP! said. “They're older, so they have a lot more wisdom to offer with this music shit, which I'm very grateful for. I'm still a kid, I don't really know jack shit, so it's cool learning from them.”
For AP!, success is measured in the impact his music has on listeners. His goal is to create music that genuinely resonates with people, eliciting emotional responses and providing a unique perspective on life.
“What I care about is someone reaching out to me about how this made them genuinely feel and genuinely think,” AP! said. “When I can do that on a whole next level, when that's what people come to my music for, when I get to that point, I think I'll be cool.”
Like his music, TSG: AP! is “EVER-CHANGING!” Who knows what he’ll create next? Until then, you can stream INTROSPECT! on all streaming platforms. For all musical updates, follow @theworldoftsg on Instagram.