Apache 207: The German Rapper’s Rise to Stardom

German rapper Apache 207 is on the rise. His song “Roller”, released in 2019, replaced Wham’s “Last Christmas” as the longest-running number one track on the German charts. And he’s no one-hit wonder: In all, Apache 207 has had 11 number-one hits, with over two billion streams.

It’s time for two DW Culture writers – who know what they’re talking about – to shed some light on this phenomenon. Torsten Landsberg is a hip-hop fan but is new to Apache. Katharina Schantz is a DW intern and has followed the Apache hype since its inception in the small town of Mannheim, but prefers techno to rap.

‘Party music, but somehow strange’

Torsten Landsberg: What stands out is the constant use of auto-tune – digital pitch correction. This technology was originally intended to compensate for vocal weaknesses and perfect vocals, but the effect is now widely used as a stylistic device. People who don’t like auto-tune may find it difficult to hear rap in German.

There’s a bit of gangsta attitude to the lyrics, Apache clearly loves to brag, albeit sometimes wryly – which is immediately endearing in a genre that can be surprisingly humorless. On the other hand, the rap and vocals are consistently non-ironic with elements of Eurodance, a mix of pop, dance and techno that was hugely successful in the 1990s and was quickly shunned thereafter. So this is definitely party music, but somehow weird. Does this explain Apache’s rise to stardom?

Catherine Schantz: I think it’s the mix that makes it so popular. I’m definitely not into hip-hop, but Apache speaks to me 100%. And not just me, it’s all ages – Gen Z, millennials, but also boomers and even my grandparents. Why? Stars are nice when they look authentic. This is the case with Apache. I can relate to him, even if his world is not my world.

Their lyrics seem antisocial, they have this don’t fuck mentality. Apache calls people idiots and sings about living on the fringes, about Lamborghinis and Versace shoes. In classic rap style, he flaunts his wealth, but then adds, “Pray to God if money changes us / So let’s be poor all our lives.”

He basically manifests his feet on the ground as if he’s afraid that one day this will end. His lyrics catapult me ​​to another universe, but they are still reflective. That’s why I don’t feel overwhelmed. Apache himself (the fictional character) is overwhelmed by his stressful and fast-paced life. This makes it approachable and, to use the jargon, “real”.

TL: You have amazing grandparents! “Fictional character” is a good keyword, because it captures the constant tension between your alter ego and authenticity. People might think that’s over the top, but in hip-hop credibility is still a strong currency, and Apache knows it, of course. His image is perfectly staged. He had Amazon shoot a documentary that is not a documentary but a commercial – it doesn’t show anything he doesn’t want to. It hints at authenticity without giving anything away. This is perfect marketing.

For me, these status symbols – big cars, cigars, women who fit the beauty clichés – are very tired, they are relics of the past. In some cases, Apache deviates from this, such as when he rides a scooter, but then he has a “Bitch like Barbie” sitting right behind him. In the end it’s gangsta or street rap style. It’s okay, I have nothing against it. The only thing I can’t understand is why it’s so successful: over two billion streams, 11 number one songs on the charts.

‘Vroom vroom – that’s funny’

KS: Of course, he uses the usual motives. Most chart-topping artists don’t reinvent the wheel, nor does Apache. But it adds its own characteristics. Remember the irony you mentioned: what serious rapper would sit on a scooter and make “vroom vroom” sounds. This is funny.

Apache is also very good at rap impersonation. His next album is called “Gartenstadt”. It was there that he grew up, a dingy neighborhood in Ludwigshafen – a city that many would say was the “ugliest city in Germany”.

Recognizing your roots and adding local color is important in the genre – Apache knows that too. But he goes one step further and constantly sings about his mother, who also gave him his stage name. He is charismatic; It is sweet. And people welcome that.

TL: And nobody knows the origin of his stage name – it’s too mysterious. Which song of his should we recommend?

KS: A good track to listen to for the first time is the “Wham! – Last Christmas & Apache 207 – Roller” mash-up. Interestingly, it combines the two tracks that have been at the top of the German charts for the longest time!

This article was originally written in German.