AP X talks Rap Influences, ‘I’m Him’ & New Music

Hailing from Dallas, Texas, is emerging rapper and creative mogul, AP X.

With over 10 years of experience, the musician has finally released a series of singles that have caught the eye of the industry.

One of the most listened-to projects of his impressive catalogue is ‘I’m Him’ which was released in February 2023.

Whilst the song is shining a light on the rapper’s talent, he already has had a vast journey within music.

Songs like ‘Speedboat’, ‘Never Change’ and ‘Alive’ brilliantly show his brash, refreshing and smooth sound.

From battle rap to songwriting, the South Asian descendant has gotten co-signs from British Asian singer Juggy D and producer Rishi Rich.

Working closely with the latter, AP X is continuing to transform into a well-rounded artist and he’s ready to skyrocket his career to the next level.

His collaborations with anyone from punk rockers to American trap artists indicate how the musician is pushing the boundaries.

We exclusively sat down with AP X to talk about his first memories of music, inspirations and ambitions on his journey.

How did your love for music begin?

My love for music began actually way back when I was born, damn near.

My parents come from India, so they were really deep in Bollywood music, so that’s where it started.

It’s funny ’cause some early memories I have of music is when my parents found my Eminem tapes and practically beat my ass.

That was a good memory looking back.

But I mean, people like Kishore Kumar, who is an old Indian singer, were super, super fire.

Low-key, y’all need to check him out, he’d use these exotic scales.

People sleep so much on Indian music, they have no idea. There’s so much beauty in it, just check it out.

Are there any musicians that have impacted your style?

Slim Shady, Weezy F Baby, Drake, they are all for sure in there.

I also f*ck with The Weeknd, for sure, but all those artists are more modern and into the future.

“But definitely, Wayne and Em, are my main influences.”

They brought the rhymes, the battle rap, and everything.

I have my own face but I was trying to be just like Em and then Wayne, I saw him start off from nothing to being the biggest artist in the game.

So, shout out Wayne, man.

How would you describe your sound?

I throw a little bit of everything into my music, I’m truly like a chef, you feel me?

You can get a little bit of spice, a little bit of sweet, a little bit of everything. But when it’s all said and done, it’s going to be the best dish you’ve ever eaten.

That’s all I can really say about it. You gotta check me out though, AP X.

And, I’ve been venturing out to new genres, I’ve been doing that.

I’m a ghostwriter so I write all types of [music] but I’m always open to a new challenge.

So, I’d do some way left field stuff like maybe a country song.

How do you think your music is different from other rappers?

I mean, it’s just better. No, I’m just being cocky.

I think really what my secret sauce is, going back to the chef analogy.

“I just bring a Desi element and you really got to listen for it ’cause I don’t make it real obvious.”

I think it’s a challenge in doing that, but if you listen closely, you’re going to hear so much Indian stuff.

What’s the story behind ‘I’m Him’?

‘I’m Him’, I mean I’m telling y’all I’m him.

The motivation is basically in this game, people are gonna talk a lot of sh*t. They’re going to tell you ‘you ain’t sh*t’, so you gotta tell them why you are the sh*t.

And that’s what ‘I’m Him’ is about…just an explanation of why I’m him.

I’m not going to lie, I knew the song was hot, but the love I’ve been getting for it is crazy!And from all types of people too.

I got aunties and uncles telling me ‘yo, this track is hard’. And that’s kind of cool, I never expected that to happen.

So obviously, my peers love it but even people who aren’t into rap, they feel that song.

The craziest thing by far though is Rishi Rich remixed my track, so you know I’m doing something right.

That’s big, the remix is super fire.

Has it been harder for you to get recognition as a South Asian artist?

I mean, yeah, it’s pros and cons, right?

Obviously, it’s not my culture, it’s not how I came up per se. No one in my family makes music or anything like that.

“It’s a culture shock on both sides.”

In the rap world, they’re like, ‘yo, who the f*ck is this?’. And on my side, they’re like, ‘what the f*ck is he trying to do?’.

So, I’m bridging both worlds together and there’s going to be some challenges that come with that.

But at the end of the day, I’d like to look at it as an advantage. I got a lane and that’s the hardest thing to do.

Who would be your dream to work with?

I think each generation has their GOAT, for me that was Wayne.

Like I said, I saw him at the beginning of his career, all the way to the top. Salute Wayne, he’s been a huge inspiration for me.

I’d definitely work with South Asian artists, hell yeah!

I don’t see why our community has hella beef. Cause we’re so diverse, but it’s still under one umbrella.

I notice a lot of drama. So I think we could use more love in our community in general.

But Nav, he’s the first brown boy to get it poppin’. Shout out Nav, I think me and him could definitely cook some fire sh*t up.

Can you tell us about any future projects you’re working on?

I’m not going to lie, I make music every day, I’ve got hundreds of unreleased tracks.

So at this point, I’m just looking for the right time to drop my songs.

I study the fans, I study what they want, study the game, and just based on that, I’m going to choose when I drop and what I drop.

My last words would be whatever you’re doing in life, keep pushing!

I never thought I’d make it here, but I still continue to believe in myself and I trust you to do the same.

“We’ll both meet each other at the finish line. Stay blessed!”

It’s quite evident how passionate AP X is about his craft and also the self-belief that oozes from his words.

Coming from the gritty foundations of battle rap, the American rapper is breathing new life into the music industry – and without forgetting his Desi roots.

He’s previously revealed:

“I think it is time that I do what I want to do with my music and see if I can combine my South Asian heritage with my love for music.”

The future is super exciting for AP X, and his upwards trajectory will undoubtedly continue to rise.

Listen to ‘I’m Him’ and other AP X tracks here.