ApolloRed1 is more than just Playboi Carti’s cousin

ApolloRed1 released his highly anticipated album “Demon Heart Radio” on June 5th, his 24th birthday. The album was the first under his maternal cousin, Playboi Carti’s new label, Young Vamp Life Records and was jointly released under Interscope Records.

Not unlike his cousin, Apollo delayed the album release not once but twice, leading to this summer 2026 drop.

“Demon Heart Radio” is 18 tracks long with a healthy runtime of 42 minutes, featuring Bryant Barnes, OsamaSon and Opium affiliates Destroy Lonely and HXG (formerly Homixide Gang).

The production on “Demon Heart Radio” was in your face and full of life. Apollo’s beat selection has become a staple of his releases and remains a strength in his music.

The album featured the likes of OpiumBaby, 16yrold, Lavish and WakeupF1lthy to build on Apollo’s sound since his last release, 2025’s “Midnight Blassic.”

This installment feels like a natural step up for Apollo, continuing his gradual rise in the quality of his music.

The various sound effects sprinkled throughout the project, along with frequent collaborator DJ Holiday’s boisterous tags, made “Demon Heart Radio” feel like an actual station at times.

One of the standout tracks from the album, “More Time,” was teased on multiple social media platforms before release, gaining a lot of hype from his fans for the unique sound.

The beat was a blend of trap and pop, piquing interest from listeners. Apollo has spoken about his love for pop music and how it helped ease his anxiety, praising artists like Olivia Rodrigo and girl in red during an interview with Kids Take Over.

This “trap-pop” should be something Apollo looks to build on as a signature sound, as he faces criticism from some listeners for not having his own unique style.

While Apollo’s music is different from his cousin’s, comparisons will be drawn as he teased that Carti gave him a baby voice preset during the sessions for his album in an X post earlier in the year.

This inspiration can be heard on tracks such as “#SRT” and “Drive uP” where his vocal inflections sound more like Carti’s 2022 deep “guapo” voice, with production that sounds like it came from his early 2020 “Whole Lotta Red” sessions.

The range of sound on this album was refreshing.

Track 14, “ARP my Bitch” was a standout from “Demon Heart Radio” with Apollo rapping aggressively over an equally aggressive beat. This face-paced sound is something Apollo does well, having roots as a drill-artist before being signed to YVL, and something he shouldn’t abandon.

On track 17, “Hood-Made”, Apollo relinquishes being free from his past tribulations on a slower instrumental produced by Zodiac.

“I don’t want to beef no more, huh, I ain’t on the streets no more (I’m not) / I ain’t gotta lower the prices on my zips to get something to eat no more.”

He referenced this same struggle on “Back to That” from “Midnight Blassic.”

This introspective style has become a signature part of Apollo’s recent projects and served as a nice change in tempo from the rest of the album.

While the album was easily his best work yet, a slight improvement in executing his transitions between tracks could go a long way, especially for an album with a radio-centric theme.

“Demon Heart Radio” is a project that matches the hype and heights Apollo has reached since joining YVL and opens many eyes to what he can do moving forward as he comes into his own.