Meet Austin Amaral | United States Marine and Hip-Hop Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Austin Amaral and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Austin, can you tell us about an impactful book you’ve read and why you liked it or what impact it had on you?
One book that absolutely changed my perspective on business and life in general was “It’s All In Your Head” by Russ. The book centered around the successful rapper’s career and what it took to get there. Russ really embraces that we, as people, need to get out of our own way when creating the life we want, hence the title, “It’s All In Your Head”. In his autobiographical take, Russ discusses Self-belief, doing something you truly love, how delusion can be a good thing, and how dreams only work if you do. Reading this masterpiece has been one of the best decisions of my career due to his insightful words and the similarities in our careers early development. Instantly after reading this book, I felt my whole mindset shift and I really started embracing the struggles that come with chasing your dreams. Work hard, love what you do, and don’t be scared to fail; just make sure you learn from it!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’d like to think of my art as the love child of all my favorite sounds growing up. To me, Hip-Hop is a delicate yet insanely complex genre so when developing my style and thinking on who I wanted to be, I often looked in many different places. Early on in my career, I found myself drawn to the lyricism of Eminem mixed with the Cinematic production style of NF’s sound. As I continued to develop, I started to revisit the sounds from my childhood and teenage years in order to foster a unique blend of the music that made me who I am today. At first, it was a little difficult, there were so many artists I looked up to for different reasons but as time went on I started to solo-in on certain characteristics from the ones that meant the most to me. Just take Kanye’s instrumentals and production, J Cole’s flow and delivery, Mac Millers expression, the hard hitting emotional/cinematic feel of NF, all the bounce and energy of Russ, mixed in with the lyrical prowess of Eminem, and bam. You have the recipe that shaped Apollo Poetic. Something I think all of these artists have in common though, is soul and triumph. Each and every one of these artists have had a part in changing my life through their artistic lenses and I can honestly say that I feel genuinely connected to them through the power of music. Which is precisely the purpose behind why I decided to make music in the first place. I want to help people. I want to change peoples lives for the better. So I decided, what better way to build my foundation than taking something I love from each and every one of them, and making it my own? This is also exactly what I believe sets my music apart from the rest. When I discuss influences with other artists, or I listen to an artists music at a show, or I discover an up and coming artist on a streaming platform, I notice a pattern or a “sound” that they are going for pretty quickly. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with that, but when I’m approaching the music I make from an outside perspective, I feel it’s difficult to pinpoint the people that have influenced me. It sounds counter intuitive but this is exactly what I’ve been working so hard to cultivate. Taking the sounds I love, and making them new, fresh, and really my own. Which has honestly been the most challenging aspect of my career. Something I’ve heard since I started is that “Comparison is the thief of all joy”. If you’re constantly comparing yourself to others, you’ll never be satisfied. That being said, what made it so difficult was the many comparisons from others. When I heard things like, “he reminds me of NF,” or “he kinda sounds like a wanna-be Em,” in the beginning, I thought it was super dope. Granted, early on I really did want to be “the next NF” but after hearing it so much, I, for one, felt like I was put in a box. Two, I became obsessed with emulating that style and forgot about who I was. So naturally, all I could do was compare myself to this artist I had turned into a god. After some time, quite a lot of thought, and talking it out with my partner Jasper, I decided to make a playlist solely dedicated to songs I loved throughout my life. This is when the awakening happened. The more music I listened to with this new ear for creation, the more I loved. I even started listening to Jazz, Piano Ballads, and movie soundtracks because I was just so infatuated with how music was made. Then, with time, I found myself slowly gravitating towards the same projects, by the same couple of artists, every single day. I absolutely loved them. So when I started making my newest album, I thought, “hey, if I could somehow combine all these sounds… I could make something seriously dope!” That’s when I took the aspects from the artists I discussed before, and worked my ass off to deliver what I heard in my brain. Even after deleting over 30 different songs and restarting multiple times, it wasn’t until hearing the songs in the recording/mixing and mastering process that I realized just how much I changed. I was no longer in a box. I was finally the artist I was looking for. Myself. If I could go back, do it all again, or even talk to my younger self, I would tell him not to be afraid of experimentation. I would also tell him that it is okay to be different. Same goes for any of the artists patient enough to make it this far. Nobody on this planet has the same story and experiences you do. You do not have to be the next Juice WRLD, you do not have to be the next Carti, you do not have to be the next Kendrick, but you do have an obligation and duty to be the first YOU. It’s okay to have influences and it’s okay to take what you like most from those influences but by attempting to make the music they make, you’re basically attempting to live every facet of their entire life. It’s not possible. Look to others for inspiration, not for plagiarism.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
First and foremost, if it’s baseball season. You have to go to a Braves game, it’s mandatory. The new Truist park is amazing and the team has been absolutely balling out the last couple of years so that is definitely a plus!! Other than that, there are so many cool places in the A that it’s hard to see them all in one trip but for me personally, I’ve got a couple that top my list. After we go to the Braves game, you gotta go ahead and stop by a Waffle House if you’ve never been. Believe me when I say, the later at night you go the better, but honestly that’s just Georgia. Specifically for Atlanta, you gotta make your way to the Coke Museum, Georgia Aquarium, and Little Five points while you’re there. The Coke museum was always a favorite of mine as a kid, you get to try Coca-Cola products from all over the world, learn the history of John S. Pemberton, and dive into the process of how Coke is made. Super fun time!! Then you gotta head on over to the Georgia Aquarium. The dolphin exhibit is super cool and it’s the only aquarium in North America home to Manta Rays and Whale Sharks! If you’ve never seen either one in person, it’s definitely a marvel. Then for food and drinks and really just overall atmosphere, The Vortex and other food spots in Little Five Points are a great place to start! Maybe, if you’re lucky you could also catch a good Hip-Hop show at the Tabernacle depending on when you come. So many great acts have performed there like Kendrick Lamar, OutKast, J.Cole and pretty much any artist that you can think of. It’s an absolute icon of a venue! Talking about iconic, try to make sure you get around to The Varsity. I remember as a kid always wanting to try it out until I finally got to go before a Braves game one year. To me, and many others, it’s an absolute staple in Atlanta, if the only reason you go is because of that, fine. Just make sure you stop by. Last but not least, if you’re into historical sites. Atlanta definitely has them. Make sure to visit Centennial Olympic Park and the Martin Luther along Museum. Centennial is where the 1996 Summer Olympics were held two years before I was born, always wished I could’ve gone but I was meant to be born in 98’ so it is what it is. Then if you want to learn more about the man who proclaimed “I have a DREAM!” Dr. King himself, there’s no better place to do it than the place he was born at the museum honoring his legacy!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
First and foremost, I would like to thank my family for supporting me in my many endeavors. Without them, I truly wouldn’t be where I am today. Their love and care through challenging times and their constant enthusiasm for all of my wacky endeavors has been invaluable. With that being said, I really want to thank some of my friends; Maxwell, Jason, Daniela, Harley, Adrianna, Jordan, and Aaron. Without their support, I can honestly say that I don’t know if I could’ve kept going. From the constant attendance to concerts to the financial support when I was drowning, they have been the reason for me to keep going. More importantly, I would like to thank Jasper. As a fellow Hip-Hop artist and former Marine himself, Jasper gave me all the tools I needed to pursue this career to begin with. He gave me a place to record, opened his home to give me a place to live, and covered my back when my choices weren’t so great. Not only that, but the sleepless nights spent honing our craft together, talking about life, and discussing our dreams will live in our legacy forever as sacred memories and for that I am grateful. I can’t forget Sinclair either. Without Sinclair, who’s a manager turned friend, I would have no clue how to navigate the business side of music. He’s spent countless hours taking care of show opportunities, editing pictures, and promoting events; all the while making sure my music and I get seen. I really truly can’t thank him enough. Another big shoutout will be to my most recent engineer, Xavier Southerland. If it wasn’t for him, I never would’ve been able to finish my proudest project, “Coloring Silence.” Last but not least, I would like to show love to any and all supporters out there that may be reading this or listening to my music. Without you, I wouldn’t have any reason to be here. It’s because of you all that my “why” is so strong. The purpose behind every song I write is to show others that no matter who you are or what you’re going through, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!! Hopefully, for now and years to come, I continue to give them a reason to keep going.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/apollopoetic?igsh=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Other: Spotify- https://open.spotify.com/artist/66ToeXkGCph5eRtXXjwrXq?si=2Syh8JVASl-1jvUDwRw2Dw Apple Music- https://music.apple.com/us/artist/apollo-poetic/1553318151

Image Credits
Sinclaire Hobson