By: Todd “DG” Davis
Rapindustry.com

Detroit doesn’t whisper — it roars. And when Apollo Brown and Bronze Nazareth link up, that roar becomes scripture. Their new LP, Funeral for a Dream, isn’t just another underground release; it’s a battle cry wrapped in soul samples and razor-sharp bars. Childhood friends turned collaborators, they’ve carved a sound that’s equal parts grit and grace, proving Hip Hop’s heartbeat still thumps loudest in the Motor City.

Let’s hop into this lead single, “Banshee Walk” — Tell me about this particular track; how did it come to fruition?

Bronze Nazareth: “Banshee Walk” started from the feeling of the record. Apollo sent me this eerie, soul-frayed loop with like a wail in it. I wrote in fragments: memories, losses, small wins; that’s the verse. The hook came last in the studio, last day – I always come ready when recording somewhere beside my spot – just running through my experience…like my Dad used to have all these Stanley Clarke albums…Stanley used to have the long bass guitar, like a long barrel 🙂 …it all connects.

 

 

Of course “Banshee Walk” comes courtesy of your latest collaborative LP, Funeral For A Dream — Conceptually, what does this title represent both to and for you?

BN: The title is about “killing” the dream we hoped to bring to fruition. By killing, we mean making a dream into reality, by doing that the dream is dead, it’s done. Next dream. It’s anchored in the phrase “The death of a dream is the Best Funeral.” So Funeral For A Dream is our ceremony.

Aside from the obvious, how then does Funeral For A Dream either differ and/or compare to previous efforts?

BN: It’s larger in language and heavier in feeling. We both come from the angle of feeling . To put us together just enhances everything. And, the feeling here comes from the overdue art we’ve delivered. We’ve been connected since young…so anytime you bring something to life with someone you know like that, it jives naturally. I wanted to paint wide colorful murals over these rich, beautifully ugly beats. Every bar has a meaning.

As a lyricist when you sit down to pen your rhymes, where do you draw inspiration from?

BN: My life is the library; facts and truth all on my shelf. I draw from family history, city life, lessons, newspaper clippings, conversations and lived experience. I say nothing I haven’t really seen or experienced myself. I think it goes to my authenticity. I’m never trying to be anything I’m not. I read a lot…poetry, autobiographies, liner notes etcetera. Then, I chase imagery…you can “see” a lot of the things I say. This is the type of visions I try and bring forth from what my eyes have seen, but I’mma describe it in detail so you can SEE everything I’m saying.

That said, how do you describe and/or define the style of music that you create and/or perform?

BN: Soul-dusted Boom-Bap with cinematic views. It’s street literature over gritty drums, head-nod you can study to, pray to, testify over. Apollo frames the photograph, I develop the negatives. We always aim for timeless records.

Switching gears here, what exactly do you want people to get from your music?

BN: Clarity. Deeper thinking…not just about me, but about themselves. I want listeners to feel sum’n they can relate to…maybe it’ll push introspection; like they can forgive a version of themselves, or decide to try something difficult again. If a bar helps you look from another angle…job done. At the same time…sometimes I just want people to say, “damn, that nigga is niiiiice on the mic,” you know, show me love for my efforts to string these words together.

If you could collaborate with any one artist, living or dead, who would it be and why?

BN: Kevlaar 7. I miss my bro…if we could share time to just make one more song together…I’d give almost anything.  

If you could play any venue in the world, which one would you choose and why?

BN: Madison Square Garden. Full circle. To bring Funeral For A Dream there with a small string section and a choir would feel like returning the book to the shelf it came from…word!

On a more serious note, are you happy with the current state of Hip Hop?

BN: With Hip Hop, there’s always noise at the mainstream layers but brilliance in the interior. The algorithm favors the fast food, but the kitchens that serve real meals are still cooking. I’m happy with the artisanship I hear underground and in pockets of the mainstream. I’m less happy with the attention economy, and the all time high lack of support for the actual artists. Still, the culture keeps inventing, evolving, so I’m optimistic.

What do you feel has and will continue to be the key to your longevity?

BN: Craft over clout. Consistency over calendars. Community over Companies…I keep sharpening my pen, protecting my ear, and huddle with people who love the music more than the glitz. 

Do you have any other outside/additional (future) aspirations, maybe even completely away from music?

BN: Civil rights lawyer…book writing…visual memoirs. I’m also drawn to visual art curation, like our covers and merch are extensions of the music. Love movies and film, too. More art.

To date, what has been your biggest career moment(s), at least thus far anyway?

BN: I can’t single one out…I’ve had an amazing run by any measure. Signed by RZA…releasing The Great Migration, and seeing it resonate years later. Building with Wu-Tang family and the Wisemen early on. Collabs like Ekphrasis with Roc Marciano, and now this run with Apollo. I’m rockin’ my belt proudly, and each big move felt like a new rung. But honestly, the biggest moments are smaller: waking up to my kids everyday instead of punching a clock.

What’s an average day like for you?

BN: Early coffee, quiet writing or mixing before the world wakes up. Midday studio—tracking, producing, arranging, rapping, writing. Afternoons are label work: emails, vinyl timelines, merch proofs, shipping headaches. Evenings are family, then another maybe more work when the house is sleep. It’s blue-collar creativity.

Please discuss how you interact with and respond to fans…

BN: Direct and personal. I answer DMs when I can, sign vinyl with notes, and try to be present after shows; no disappearing act. Bandcamp messages; we treat supporters like shareholders, because they are. If there’s a shipping issue, we fix it and add something extra. Respect is the baseline.

What is your favorite part about this line of work? Your least favorite? And, why?

BN: Favorite: when a verse falls into place and the room changes temperature. Hearing the finished product, and it’s 99% right. Or, hearing a crowd chant words I wrote alone. Least favorite: STREAMING PAY; robbery, and the effing treadmill of content. Necessary evils..

What advice would you have for someone wanting to follow in your footsteps?

BN: Build your voice before your brand. Read. Live. Protect your masters. Professionally DIY – if possible. If not, learn it anyway. Find producers who challenge you. Be a good person; reputation travels faster than your music.

Looking ahead, say five or maybe even ten years from now, where do you see yourself?

BN: A deeper catalog, a couple film scores, a book on the shelf, and a label that launches other voices. And, more records that still sound like they were made yesterday; no expiration date.

As for the immediate, what’s next for you?

BN: More visuals off Funeral For A Dream, a short run of shows, expanded physicals, collector vinyl, maybe a lyric booklet. We’ve got a couple quiet collabs cooking, too.

Is there anything I left out or just plain forgot to mention?

BN: Just that this album is meant to be lived with, front to back, night to morning. Let it breathe in your space, live in your head a minute. 

Lastly, any “parting” words for our readers?

BN: Yeah, go bury a dream of yours, get that shit done, and celebrate. PEACE!