Scotty Apex what’s up bro, the last time we had you on Nefarious Supply was in 2019 when you released Lovesick 2 so we’re excited to feature you once again. To get the interview started give us an update on what you’ve been up too, and what’s new with you?

What’s good!! Yeah, it has definitely been a minute since the last album, appreciate you guys reaching out to me and acknowledging this latest release, means a lot. But yeah, there’s a lot of new things in my life since then. It was a pretty crazy year in 2020 for everyone I’m sure, it definitely was for me. In December of 2019, I graduated from college. Then in January, I moved from Indianapolis to Los Angeles. I drove all the way here, and been here in LA since. Living in LA this year has been a journey, from the pandemic, completing the album, meeting new people, it’s been like a movie.

So from the last time, we have talked to now what are some things you’ve learned about yourself, and the industry, and in learning these things have they had an influence on your overall creative process?

I’ve learned a lot these past two years, and been able to make a lot of growth in many aspects of my life. I think what I’ve learned about myself most is the things I need to keep close around me, to be more direct with my words in reflection to the truth of what I’m feeling, and I guess I received a lot of reassurance from the universe that I’m on the right path with the world that I am creating for myself. As far as what I learned about the industry, there’s a lot, both positive and negative.

I think I realized that a lot is not as it seems. I was able to learn about a lot of people that I looked up to in the past, more on a personal level as to who these people really are, and unfortunately a lot of people in the industry that I came across sort ofdisappointed me. They weren’t this genuine person that I had once thought they were, and I can see how there is a lot of negative energy circulating through those circles of people, which made me want to stay far away from things I once would have dreamed of being in the room with. This definitely had an influence on my creative process, I just really want to work with people that genuinely care about me as a human being, people that I have built friendships with and truly have love for, I think the end product has been coming out a lot better that way, and it makes me more passionate about our releases knowing that it is a team of people that I really care forand am genuinely proud of.

2020 was pretty much slowed the world down but it seems like you’e able to stay focused and continue to put in a lot of work into your career. How did you stay focused during this hard time, and for artists that have a hiccup due to the pandemic what is some advice you would give them?

With the pandemic, it sort of forced people into isolation. A lot of people sort of feed off other people’s energies which I definitely understand, so with that vacancy of external validation or exposure, I can see how it is hard for people to stay inspired or focused. For me, isolation is something I have always sort of lived most of my life in, so I guess this pandemic allowed me to even indulge deeper into that way of life. I think I actually thrive in isolation more than any other circumstance. There’s no expectations, there’s no more pressure, it’s just me, my ideas, my computer, and my friends. All of my focus is now shifted on just creating the best music possible to my own ear and ability, and just becoming the best version of myself on a human level that I can. I think what helped is just having my priorities in line. I loved my family harder than I ever have before, I expressed care for my friends more than I ever have before, I just continuously tried putting out positive energy into the universe and letting it circulate back to me in time.

I would suggest to anyone struggling during this weird time of life to just really focus in on loving more, as corny as that might sound, but it’s true. Just love more. Love yourself, love your family, love your friends, love your work, your art; also appreciate more, appreciate movies, appreciate songs, appreciate being able to breathe and exist, all of that appreciation for life will allow you to find the positives in a lot of negative, and when you’re thinking that way, good things come your way in time.

So let’s get into your music. You started 2021 right by releasing your newest project Starlight, and I gotta be honest you’ve raised the bar for yourself, this project is dead ass amazing! So just give us a brief background on it, what inspired it, how long have you been working on it, and what was your experience like putting it together?

Thank you for the compliment on the project, it means more to me than I can express in words. I look at all my albums as a cinematic version of my real life, they always reflect my experiences in that time period, the emotions I am feeling, the struggles, the highlights, all of my albums have that core element of my own reality. I sort of create my music in direct honesty to what I am living through, so my real life is what inspired the overall message and continuation of the story that is within my catalogue.

I started working on it just under two years ago, shortly after putting out LOVESICK 2, so sometime in 2019. It’s been a crazy journey of working on this album, and just life in general. I shed a lot of tears, created a lot of memories, learned a lot about myself and others around me, and was able to come out with the result of STARLIGHT in the end. This is just the next chapter in my catalogue, my real life story, and it reflects where I currently am in real time.

If you don’t mind, walk us through the project and tell us about the meaning of each of the songs, and which ones are your overall favorites?

STARLIGHT, the intro track and title track to the album, is a song that I felt like would be the perfect introduction to the album. I thought it would be a great first impression to the world that STARLIGHT exists in, and I think it worked out to be just that. I made that one shortly after moving to LA, Lowky had sent me it and I had something down within like 20 minutes. Then after we made the track, a couple months later, I showed it to VVD and he added those additional elements that you hear on the production, like the outro. He took it to the next level, and I just knew this was the intro for the album right away. This song for me just means being positioned in this new way of life, new scenery, new feelings, new experiences, etc.

HELPLESS, is a track I wanted to be vulnerable on, but still have enough of a kick on there to keep the listener engaged and full of energy. I wrote it in a moment of emotional vulnerability, I was going through a lot, and just wanted to be brutally honest over the production in hopes someone out there would be able to relate and find comfort in the fact that I may be experiencing something similar to them. I felt helpless, it wasn’t a good feeling, I felt like I wouldn’t be able to escape, but I kept on going like the song will go to say. The meaning of this song is just that, feeling helpless, I hope this can help any listener that needed it.

CAN’T LOSE YOU, is a track that came about on a random day at the house. I came home and Mathaius had been working on a beat, he called me in his room and was like “yo I just made this and can really hear you on it”, he told me some of the melody ideas he had, and I took that, and wrote everything that night. After I finished my vocals, I told him that I needed him on the record as well, and he eventually knocked out his verse. This track is basically about a failing relationship, the feeling of fearing it ending, but recognizing the unhealthy attributes that come with it.

MISMATCH is a track that I just wanted to have fun with, and bring along some friends. I had Ejaaz and Michael Seven on there with me doing their thing, and yeah I just came up with a cool melody, filled the words in, and laid it down. The meaning of this one is just feeling like you can overcome any adversity, and aren’t afraid to showcase that to anyone who doubts you. Basically telling these internal demons that me vs you is a mismatch because I will undoubtedly win.

LOST & LONELY is one of the first tracks I made from the album, almost two years ago. I was sitting in a house in Bloomington, indiana, Lucy sent me the beat through text message and was like I could hear you on this. I wrote that song in 15 minutes and laid it down later that night. At the time, I had only this song and “Smoke Away”, but I knew this was a greeting starting point for the project to really begin, and I stemmed everything else from those two songs.

ALL OF IT is a song that means I am willing to give everything that I can to this specific girl. I’m saying I am willing to let my guard down, and allow her into my space, taking my time and energy, since the first day I finished my part of the song, I left an open verse, undecided as to who would get on the project, but one day I went over to Maxx Owa’s place and thought it made perfect sense to have him on that one, he knocked out the verse in 15 minutes, and boom, a hit was born.

SMOKE AWAY is the first song I worked on from the album, almost two years ago, I went over to Mathaius’s house when we were still living in Indianapolis and made it while I was there.The meaning of this song is basically running from your internal issues, and smoking away the stress. I made this song at a time I was experiencing a lot of stress, from relationship issues, to family, friends, work, life in general, and my vice of smoking is what cured that for me.

MISGUIDED is one of the last songs that I made for this project. The meaning behind this song is basically feeling lost with no sure direction as to where to go, but knowing that certain things bring emotions out of me, could be a person, a situation, etc.

WARRIOR is a track that symbolizes my want to fight through any adversity that comes from relationship issues, my willingness to try to make things work despite the disagreements, the doubts, and sort of give reassurance to a lover.

OVERNIGHT FLIGHT is a track that is me being open about missing someone far away, sort of wishing that I could fly to them overnight and see them as soon as I land.

The overall meaning of STARLIGHT is just existing in this place of uncertainty, unsure as to where I am going, where I am, only knowing where I have been. So its about me living through this grey area, just trying my best, and hoping for a better future. I just want to become all that I can be.

On Starlights guest features you tapped in an all-star cast including; Mathaius Yung, Ejaaz, Michael Seven, and Maxx Owa. How did you meet each of these artists, what made you tap them in, and what was your experience like working with each of them?

I met Mathaius in Indianapolis in 2015, I saw his name on a blog and found out he lived in the same city, I reached out to him and we’ve been working together ever since, and now currently living together in LA. I wanted to tap in with him on the album because I trust his sound a lot, believe in it, and just knew when our styles meet its always something amazing.

Ejaaz has been the homie for some years, we’re both from the same city and have been linking up for awhile now. I wanted him on the album because I love his sound, appreciate our friendship, and honestly we hadn’t made any new songs in a long time, so I had to get him on MISMATCH, and he snapped.

Michael Seven and I became really cool this year, both of us moving to LA and being around each other as much as we have, our friendship has grown a lot. It’s rare to see his vocals on records right now, and I wanted to collect that rare pokemon, and he snapped as well.

Maxx Owa has been a genuine person to me since we have met, a great friend, and just someone that I look up to on a human level of being a good person. We hadn’t made anything at the time, and I really wanted to make that happen for this. Working with each of them was organic, easy going, and absolutely amazing because they are all so talented at what they do.

You kept that allstar list going on the production end of things and worked with LOWKEYGOTHEAT, VVD, Tyrus, Bergotti, Mathaius once again, Salmon, and Kami Osha. How did you get in contact with each of these producers, what made you want to work with them, and what was your experience with them?

I like working with my friends, and they are all talented as fuck, so it was orgnanic and something I felt blessed with. Lowky and I have been in touch for some years, he is just always consistently sending me fire production, and he always has this vibe that I like to exist in, so it happens naturally with him. VVD is my boy, he snaps and can allow my vision to come to life with his abilities every single time. We just hop on facetime or Discord and he knocks out any idea I have in a single night, he’s just amazingly talented, a close friend to me, and someone I deeply believe in to get the job done every time. Tyrus is the homie as well, we’ve had a friendship for years, I wanted to make sure I had him on this album, and he always these unique bounces that create something that isn’t always made. He a rare one.

The cover art is amazing bro how did that come together, and how did you end up working with Jay to put it together?

I had this initial idea of what I wanted in my head, and got lucky enough to discover Jay Gonzeles on Twitter, who I immediately loved. I hit him in the DM’s telling him my idea, and he snapped so hard on it. It was as easy as that, been in touch since.

So as far as the project do you plan on putting out any visuals to accompany it or are you going to expand it further with a deluxe version?

Yes, sitting on a visual for “HELPLESS” that will be seen very soon. Also, shot visualizers for each song on the project that will be up in some time as well. I do have a plan for a deluxe version of the album with some special attributes, but I guess time will have to reveal that. :)

So what’s next for you in 2021 where do you want to be by the end of the year?

I’m not sure what’s next to be honest, I’m more so living presently as much as I can,which is something I haven’t always done. I want to continue pushing STARLIGHT as much as possible, with high quality additional content, in hopes I can build a bigger audience, maybe open some doors, and yeah just keep going.

Shout some friends out, and let us know who we should feature next on Nefarious Supply?

Shoutout to VVD for always being down to work on this music with me, I would love to see yall interview him. Shout to Adrian Dey for being my best friend for years despite living in a different country haha, Shoutout to Kami Osha!! Ummmmmmmm shoutout Tyrus, shoutout to Tre Capital, shoutout to Lucy Clubhouse, shoutout kenny hoopla, shoutout to my sisters, and yeah I love all my friends fr. Shoutout to everyone else, theres a lot to name haha

Any last words?

Just want to say thank you for even acknowledging my existence and caring about my work, it means everything to me and I am deeply appreciative for the support. If there is any listener of mine that needs to hear this, you have made it through 100% of your worst days so far, just keep going, do NOT lose hope for a better place in your life, give it time, effort, and it will fall into place. Trust yourself, trust the universe, and love more.

Shoutout to Scotty Apex for interviewing with Nefarious Supply this week. If you want to stay up to date with him and his music you can find him on Instagram, and Twitter. While you’re there be sure to stream his new project Starlight, and check out LOVESICK, and LOVESICK2 which are available on all streaming platforms.

If you want to stay up to date with news and content coming from Nefarious Supply you can find us on Instagram, Twitter, and for our weekly news letter you can sign up below, and we also just dropped Nefarious Supply Season 2. Use discount code NEFSUPPLY2 to get free shipping on your first order today