The underground music scene is thriving, and the annual SLUM Fest Awards shine a light on performers who are rising to the top.
Introduction
T-Dubb-O performs Jan. 25 at the Pageant.
Photo by Jon Gitchoff
The underground music scene in St. Louis is thriving, and the annual SLUM Fest Awards provide an opportunity to shine a light on the performers who are rising to the top. This year’s event, the seventh, is Saturday night at the Bootleg at Atomic Cowboy, featuring performances by T-Dubb-O, Nowhere, Kill Em All, Ricki G, LouTribe Jigg, KVtheWriter, NandoSTL, Louis Conphliction, Katarra Parson and Jaee the Artist.
Newcomer NandoSTL, who attended the awards for the first time in 2018 as a spectator, leads this year’s nominations with five, including artist of the year. Other top nominees include T-Dubb-O, KVtheWriter and Ricki G.
Let’s take a closer look at three of the SLUM Fest Award nominees for best new artist: Azeei, NandoSTL and Rob Apollo, who each bring a different vibe to the table.
NandoSTL feels like a hip-hop 'heavyweight' thanks to 5 SLUM Fest nominations
NandoSTL
Courtesy of RabSoPetty
St. Louis hip-hop artist NandoSTL is the man to beat at Saturday’s SLUM Fest Awards.
The newcomer, known for his song “Outside,” leads the nominations with five: artist of the year, best male artist, best new artist, video of the year and people’s choice song for “Outside.”
NandoSTL figured he’d make it into the nominations, but he didn’t expect to be in the running for artist of the year or best male artist.
“I thought the big categories were reserved for the more established artists,” says NandoSTL. The 28-year-old artist (aka Fernando Tillman II) is wrapping up his debut EP, “Bamboo,” at Shock City Studios in St. Louis.
“When I saw my name with T-Dubb-O, I felt like a heavyweight,” he says. “That was the best thing about the nominations. I really would have been happy with just one nomination. I’m not into it for that.”
That said, he’s confident he won’t be going home empty-handed. He thinks his best chances at wins are for best new artist and people’s choice.
“Those are the two I feel like I’m guaranteed to get,” he says. “Best new artist is in the bag.”
But he really has his sights on artist of the year. It’s the award that means the most to him because the nomination came before he even released his proper debut.
“The other names on the list — Ricki G dropped a full album; T-Dubb-O did (SiriusXM show) ‘Sway in the Morning’ twice — they’re bigger names, but I think my content is just as good,” he says. “My marketing and timing may have been better. It doesn’t matter if you have a great album if no one hears it.”
He also points out that he scored the nominations without having performed on every stage in town.
“I didn’t do a billion shows,” he says. “I don’t pop out like that. It has to make sense. I’ve been to events where there’s 20 artists on a show, and if I wasn’t on the card, I wouldn’t be there. It’s not interesting. If there’s no way to build a bigger fan base, I wouldn’t be on the card.”
At the SLUM Fest Awards, he’ll perform “Outside.” He had envisioned bringing along a full band but wasn’t allowed to go that big. “I had to fight to get a violin in,” he says.
Just a year ago, NandoSTL attended the event as a spectator. “I loved it. I’d never been to anything like that. St. Louis has a bad rap for not being organized.”
At the time, he’d just started rapping. Though he has always been interested in music, participating in band and theater as a student at Hazelwood Central High School, he never thought he was cut out to be a rapper. As a youngster, he had a speech impediment, which he overcame.
“I didn’t think communication was my strong suit,” NandoSTL says. “I was never a good talker.”
NandoSTL
Courtesy RabSoPetty
By day, he works full time as a financial adviser at Wells Fargo and wanted to pursue something artistic to break up the monotony during his time off. He considered taking up the drums but figured hauling them around — with little pay — would be too hectic.
Some research showed him that being a rapper would be more fruitful.
In October, he opened a homecoming show with rapper Trina at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Sharing a bill with an artist as established as Trina, he says, was bittersweet. He learned what a rider is and saw what it was like to be afforded a real dressing room.
“I had a locker room,” he says. “I couldn’t even get water.”
NandoSTL decided the timing was right for his new EP. He’s starting to book festivals, including this year’s Rise Up Festival in downtown west, and needed product.
The EP — he named it “Bamboo” because it’s the fastest growing plant — is all about growth. The album will be out in March, with an album release concert May 23 at Old Rock House.
He plans to show growth by fixing mistakes he made with his previous project, “Good Vibes,” which was recorded in his basement. At the time, his confidence was low, he listened to other people more than himself, the mixing could have been better and the content was all over the place, he says.
He considers “Bamboo” his proper debut. The EP — five songs and a bonus live song — will have a soulful vibe.
“My backstory is I came up in the streets, but hip-hop is bigger than just street music,” he says. “I’ll have live elements, and I want to bring a different experience.”
He’ll venture into topics that others may be afraid of, including his troubled childhood.
“There’s certain things we may not realize were traumatic,” he says. “It’s about owning up to things that were previously holding you back. The whole project is about accountability. I want you to feel you know me as a person after listening to this project, my principles and what I stand on.
“And hopefully, you can nod your head to it at the same time.”
Rob Apollo pulls no punches with unapologetic, tongue-in-cheek album 'Whore'
Rob Apollo
Photo by Shawn Ramchal
Rob Apollo’s latest album is raising eyebrows, but the singer-rapper says he just wanted to show off his fun side with the bluntly titled “Whore.”
The title provides just a peek at the album’s contents: nine ridiculously obscene songs including “God Blessed Me With (expletive),” “Airdrop That (expletive),” “Housewife,” “Bop It” and “Whore National Anthem.”
It all comes from the mind of Apollo, originally from Detroit. The 20-year-old — who sports a fuchsia-colored Afro — is a third-year design student at Washington University.
“I wanted it to be accurate to myself, reflective of myself, but also outlandish,” he says. “I was worried it wouldn’t be received well. It’s so odd and out-there. But when people listen to it, they say ‘it’s so you.’”
"Whore," Rob Apollo
He describes the project as “horny rap” and says he pulls no punches lyrically or tonally. “It’s tongue-in-cheek with a lot of humor,” he says.
Apollo has shown his raunchy side with previous works, but he had never made it the focus of a song, much less a whole album. But now was the time; he feels more comfortable with himself than ever, and he’s less worried about judgment he could face.
“I’m near naked on the cover,” he points out. “Not everybody is going to rock with me, but I’m secure in my artistry. And even people who are not a fan have to respect that when you listen to ‘Whore,’ you say ‘he’s doing what he wants to do.’”
He admits there was some second-guessing when it came to putting out such explicit material — he initially had no intent to distribute it — but friends told him it was the best music he’d ever made.
One thing Apollo wants to make clear is that, while the content of “Whore” is sexual, it doesn’t objectify women.
“That’s one thing that’s important to me because most of my friends are female,” he says. “A lot of rap is the objectification of women. That’s not true to me. I’m really about women empowerment.”
Rob Apollo at Blank Space
Photo by Shawn Ramchal
At his album release concert last year at Blank Space, his fans went wild for him.
“I try to give myself to the people,” he says. “I’m really performing for the crowd, and they want to see a good show. I want to give them 100% of what I do. I love performing.”
Apollo’s talents extend beyond music. He also designed every aspect of the album event, including the tickets and the art on the walls. He booked his friends Eric Donte and DJ Hood Bunnny as support acts.
“I wanted the event to be as unforgettable as the album, and it was really important to me,” he says.
“Whore” was Apollo’s second album of 2019; “Hades” was released in March.
“It was more somber and personal with rock influences,” he says of “Hades.” “I was hoping it would be my real introduction, but the album wasn’t well received as a standout or something interesting.”
Apollo has already recorded 60 songs since “Whore,” so he has plenty to choose from for his next project, on which he plans to explore his singing voice more.
He’d recorded 74 songs for “Whore” before deciding which would make the final cut.
“I don’t put out most of the songs I make,” says Apollo, who records in his university apartment. “Whore” was produced mostly by one of his best friends, Xay.
“I’m in an interesting position to be in: A lot of people are just starting at my age or aren’t taking it super seriously. I take it super seriously and delicately,” says Apollo, who’s influenced by underground artists including Lucki, Earl Sweatshirt, Tierra Whack, Rico Nasty, JPEGMAFIA, Jean Dawson and Kevin Abstract.
Apollo has been making music since age 14. During his freshman year of college, he mostly performed on campus. He stepped out with a few early shows at Foam and the Kranzberg Arts Center before venturing onto the St. Louis scene.
He was surprised by his SLUM Fest Award nomination for best new artist. A year ago, he didn’t even know about SLUM Fest.
“It’s so new for me here, and I’m not even from this city,” he says. “I’ve only been involved in the scene for a little over a year. But it feels really nice to be accepted into a new city. I feel really involved now, and that’s what I wanted.”
Belleville native Azeei makes strategic moves to follow ‘Chest Piece’ debut
Azeei
Courtesy of SS Images
Jumping into the St. Louis music scene has been a real test for Belleville native Azeei.
“Being from Illinois, it’s hard to get into the game,” the 27-year-old says. She’s been working on her sound and artist development since age 19 but wasn’t finding recording or performance opportunities in Belleville or East St. Louis.
“If I wanted to express myself, it had to be in St. Louis,” she says. “The east side doesn’t have a lot of events for artists. They’re just now putting little shows together.”
Azeei had also been meeting the wrong people — “bad guys who were about partying, sex and rock ’n’ roll. I really had to hold my own. It’s very difficult getting taken seriously by the guys on the east side. It’s hard gaining respect. It’s really like that everywhere.”
But the tide is turning for Azeei (pronounced A-Z and short for Azerbaijan; her name is Azerbaijan Silas). “God is putting me in healthier relationships,” she says. “I decided to put on my Jay-Z hat and be strategic.”
She has been making strides in the right places and making better connections.
“My goal for 2019 was to be popular in St. Louis,” she says. “I wanted to penetrate the scene — be in as many faces as I need to be.”
Azeei is nominated for best new artist at the 2020 SLUM Fest Awards.
“I’m not an accolades person. But to get a nomination lets me know I accomplished my goal.”
She was shocked by the nomination, which comes on the strength of her only song, “Chest Piece.”
“People have so much content. The other artists put out so much work. I don’t know if it’s quality over quantity,” she says.
“Now, everything else is lining up,” she says. “I feel like there’s a different energy — a different spirit.”
Azeei, who went to business school to study graphic design, got strategic by realizing she could move faster in a hip-hop lane, even though she doesn’t answer to the calling of being a rapper. She released a rap single, “Chest Piece,” and brought on rapper Chris Grindz to give it some extra cred.
“He didn’t have to do it,” Azeei says. “But I had a chance to get some of his momentum, and he had a chance to build off of mine.”
She also got some notice performing last year at Cherokee Street’s Cinco de Mayo celebration. Rapper LouTribe Jigg was booked for the event and asked her to be a part of his set. Azeei was allowed 30 minutes.
“I love it any time I can connect with an artist,” she says. “He didn’t have to give me that opportunity. He could have been stingy. I’m so grateful for that. We’ve always gravitated toward each other.
“Every time I’ve asked God for something, LouTribe came through for me with what I asked for without my asking him for it.”
Azeei
Courtesy of Craig Warnhoff
She’s also lined up St. Louis performances at BlankFest and Freshman Class, two local showcases, and has linked up with local producers D. Ferg and Ricky Mane. The organic way she works with them is what she’d been looking for.
Since finding her way into the hip-hop scene, Azeei has been getting more respect.
“People aren’t coming to me with bull,” she says. “They’re coming correct. They can see I’m really serious.”
She’s got more to offer than “Chest Piece,” something she put out there as an attention-getting move. She’s wrapping up her debut EP, “He Gave Up the Trap for Her,” and will show people what she can really do.
She promises wordplay, metaphors and more, and her songs — including ballads — will tackle a number of topics.
“I want to talk about self-awareness, identity, empowerment — that’s important,” she says. “I want people to feel good about themselves, whatever that means to them.
“It’s also about moving forward, looking forward to the future for something that’s more of a blessing to you, and trying to be a different person.”
She’s been working on the project since 2017 and has three songs remaining. She’ll collaborate with her cousin, rapper Lala, on the song “Reign.”
The EP will be released in March. A video for “Chest Piece” is in the works; it will accompany the live video that’s already released.
Other winners during the words celebrating St. Louis' underground hip-hop scene were Gritz Hoffa, KVtheWriter, DJ HoodBunnny, Corey Black, Katarra Parson and Brock Seals.