Like with all my blogs in the month of March 2026, I am updating all my posts. On other sites like The PsychoSocial Philosopher, I published posts that were in the banks, posts that got taken down, or posts I started and finished. This Lyceum Recordz blog is no different. I will be putting out some of the blog posts that explain my old moniker, Apollo, and business and persona-related posts I made more than a decade ago. This one is no different.
Originally, this was like five posts, one about each character and dichotomy; this post is about the characters I made as Apollo, my old hip-hop moniker. As I remember it, Apollo was the main character and was the personification of the Greek God Apollo and his command as the god of truth, light, and music. Dionysus was his intellectual opposite. While Apollo was about clean living, Dionysus was about debauchery. It was a dichotomy I came up with based on Fredrick Neitche's work about how he thought there was a dichotomy in Greece between Apollo and Dionysus, similar to the one in modern America between God and the Devil.
Emoney was a character I made to parody the average white male at the time from Greek life and fraternities in college. Emoney, as a character, was overly zealous, arrogant, loved to talk about his sexual exploits, and was misogynistic with machismo. All of these characters were an extension of me in some way, whether it was because they were me (like Apollo) or what I despised and wanted to make fun of (like Emoney). Below this paragraph is what I had written about each character back in 2012.
Apollo
Apollo's artistry is modeled after the ancient Greek god of truth, light, and music. With a broad intellectual scope, eclectic vocabulary, and informative style, Apollo is the main character and reason for the artist's involvement in hip-hop. Apollo is a Magna Cum Laude graduate from Eastern Michigan University and a formidable lyrical force.
Dionysus
In ancient Greek mythology, Dionysus was the dark to Apollo's light. Dionysus is also Apollo's hip-hop alter ego, an altruistic character focused on wine, women, and excess in life, love, and luxury.
E$
E$ is the third side of Apollo's triple persona. A narcissistic, self-centered, egotistical character, E$ is only concerned with his reputation, his social status, and making enough money to live in the lap of luxury.
Perspectives
Having three lyrical personas allows Apollo to explore, discuss, and expand upon any idea, subject, or sentiment through artistic expression. Having multiple viewpoints allows an issue to be examined from all sides, which means more enlightening records and more interesting rhymes.
Apollo's artistry is modeled after the ancient Greek god of truth, light, and music. With a broad intellectual scope, eclectic vocabulary, and informative style, Apollo is the main character and reason for the artist's involvement in hip-hop. Apollo is a Magna Cum Laude graduate from Eastern Michigan University and a formidable lyrical force.
Dionysus
In ancient Greek mythology, Dionysus was the dark to Apollo's light. Dionysus is also Apollo's hip-hop alter ego, an altruistic character focused on wine, women, and excess in life, love, and luxury.
E$
E$ is the third side of Apollo's triple persona. A narcissistic, self-centered, egotistical character, E$ is only concerned with his reputation, his social status, and making enough money to live in the lap of luxury.
Perspectives
Having three lyrical personas allows Apollo to explore, discuss, and expand upon any idea, subject, or sentiment through artistic expression. Having multiple viewpoints allows an issue to be examined from all sides, which means more enlightening records and more interesting rhymes.
The System
For clarification, Apollo doesn't talk about women; that would be considered in the character realm of either of (unfortunately) E$ or (preferably) Dionysus. Dionysus only talks of intoxication, sexual activity, and celebration; just as Apollo wouldn't be narcissistic, mean, and/or vindictive... that would be considered E$. E$ is the 'dark' alter-ego of both Apollo and Dionysus, who overshadows the two Gods of hip-hop, their friendly demeanor, and good deeds/intentions.
If I had a disclaimer to these characters, it would be that there are no fine lines to these characters/mentality sets; they are more-or-less simply ideological frameworks that I follow while creating music, which often end up meshing together. In any real sense, it's just me drawing upon the different parts of myself (often taken to an extreme) and labeling them either Apollo, Dionysus, and/or E$.
It is a similar artistic expression of Freud's ID, Ego, and Superego, where the Ego (organized and realistic) is Apollo, the ID (driven by instinct) is Dionysus, and the Superego (moral 'guide') is E$. However, instead of the Superego (E$) being a moral regulatory force between two more primitive, barbaric mentalities that are not concerned with good, right, morals, or justice; the senario is reversed and E$ (the Superego) is a primitive demoralizing influence that effects the positive, altruistic, and good natured pursuits and sentiments of two godly intellectual (Apollo) and instinctive (Dionysus) character mentalities.
Apollo
Apollo is the ancient Greek God of truth, light, prophecy, healing and music! Apollo is the son of Leto and Leto is the the daughter of Coeus. Apollo is objective and discusses various social topics including: energy, environmental degradation, sustainability, and public policy; the military, war, and imperialism; the monetary, educational, political, and prison systems; (institutionalized) racism, white privilege, food production, and economics; American ideological hypocrisies; the media system, (the suppression of) history, and (traditional and personal) philosophy; commercialization and corporate protectionism. These subjects are discussed from a harsh but honest egalitarian perspective which paints a shocking but accurate portrayal of reality.
Apollo is designed to popularize science, literature, and philosophy while delivering it to a wide audience in an entertaining fashion with oddments of (Greek) mythology, tributes to hip-hop, and popular culture references. Each of the characters is an extension of my personality that is (more or less) taken to an extreme. Together, these multi-dimensional characters allow me to touch on any social sentiment, sociological topic, philosophical thought, deep emotion, or inventive humor. These themes are explored with an eclectic vocabulary contorted to symmetrical rhythm, which creates a clarity of voice and an originality in sound, style, and cadence.
Apollo is designed to popularize science, literature, and philosophy while delivering it to a wide audience in an entertaining fashion with oddments of (Greek) mythology, tributes to hip-hop, and popular culture references. Each of the characters is an extension of my personality that is (more or less) taken to an extreme. Together, these multi-dimensional characters allow me to touch on any social sentiment, sociological topic, philosophical thought, deep emotion, or inventive humor. These themes are explored with an eclectic vocabulary contorted to symmetrical rhythm, which creates a clarity of voice and an originality in sound, style, and cadence.
Dionysus
Dionysus is the ancient Greek God of wine, ecstasy, festivals/parties, drunkenness, and pleasure. Dionysus is subjective and concerned with social exchange--specifically with attractive members of the opposite sex. The (God and) character enjoys intoxication, is interested in understanding his partner, and describes physicochemical reactions to social and psychological bonds between romantic partners/individuals. Dionysus likes to make songs that tell a story where there is a focus on love, compassion, reciprocity, equanimity, and giving pleasure.
Apollo vs. Dionysus
Apollonian and Dionysian are literary, philosophical, and/or psychological concept that represents the figurative dichotomy between Apollo and Dionysus in Greek Mythology. Apollonian thought is concerned with logic, rationality, perfection, art, beauty, clarity, self-control, humanity, and creation. While Dionysian is prone to excess, instinct, chaos, intoxication, destruction, passion, nature, the irrational, and the illogical. Friedrich Nietzsche expands upon this concept in The Birth of Tragedy, where the hero and main protagonist of the drama tries to make order (Apollonian) out of his unfair and chaotic (Dionysian) fate.
"Apollo’s Music" and "Dionysus Rhythm" represent the Apollonian and Dionysian forces. "Apollo’s Music" is an introduction of content and an overly chauvinistic style of lyricism that displays an eclectic vocabulary that would take a dictionary or years of education to fully grasp in meaning. And "Dionysus Rhythm" is designed to evoke an energetic relateability while being overly chauvinistic in skill--presenting a clear display of talent.
E$
E$ is a contemporary representation of the combination of both Dionysus and Apollo. He is smart, boisterous, brass in rhetoric, arrogant, sexy, unapologetic, attractive, good with women... and he knows it! The character is chauvinistic, has a hyper-egotistic opinion of himself, is more or less obsessed with himself, and has a narcissistic outlook on life. It is almost expected that the listener will create a negative opinion of E$ because of his fixation on obtaining luxury, immediate self-gratification, telling (grotesque) stories, and receiving pleasure.
The persona is designed to represent the thought-patterns of the average American male; more accurately, the character is a parody of commercialized rap and mainstream hip-hop ‘culture.’ Typical content includes meaningless but detailed (and rather vulgar) sexual encounters/experiences while (often) being surrounded by (‘hard’) drugs, and partaking in some ‘soft’ drugs. Again, the purpose is to relate to the average citizen (when partaking in dabotcery). In other words, “fuck the world, I gotta get mine, bang bitches, and get money” ... i.e. the 'American dream.'
E$ a.k.a. E-ching a.k.a. lil' ching ching a.ka. lil chingy a.k.a. MCEE "suck a dick."
The E$ Mentality
Lyceum Recordz was started in 2010 with a dream that I could one day popularize Greek philosophy and publicize my scientific studies as a sociologist. The aim of this was so that the planet I live on, and the country I grew up in would be a better place for the generations who are to come after me. However, that is only a dream, and the reality of the world is much less romantic. The problem with wanting to help the world and being a 'good Samaritan' is that peace, love, and unity don't get a lot of attention, get taken seriously, or make a lot of money.
So what's a philosopher to do? You will see that in order to make anything of myself and the message I wish to disseminate, I have to make money! In America, the economic model is capitalism; so to pay for production, promotion, and distribution, it (naturally) takes a financial element to support and expand. This is why I say--in a very real sense--"money is speech and love isn't free..." because the more money one can accrue, the louder the speech becomes!
So the question I have to ask myself is: "In my genre of music (hip-hop), what is going to sell a lot of copies?" The truth is that America, as much as it rants and raves, (absolutely) craves sensationalism, sex, drugs, and violence... the culture just can't get enough! It adores alcohol, supports a multi-billion dollar porn industry, and seeks violent media content. And that's why you, whoever you are, like rap! Rap does not teach violence, it glorifies it; and you listen to rap because it's violent, not despite it!
In my mind, there is no question about what I have to do. But do the ends justify the means? Regardless of if it does or not, I have already convinced myself it does, so you should not stand in my way, or I will run you over! Look, I'm 25, have no girlfriend, no health care, struggle to pay rent every month, am overworked, and underpaid. As far as I'm concerned, I will say whatever I want, whenever I want, and however I want because I literally have nothing to lose. So, if and when you get tired of me being mean and aggressive. and/or "hateful," understand I don't care and have no motivation or (real) reason to change my rhetoric for anyone. I hope you're offended, so you know how I feel! There's nothing nice in this world, and least of all, me!
I'm a product of my environment, and until the situation changes and I get the respect and payment I feel I deserve, I'mma gonna become a tyrant and make a dictatorial mockery of society, 'your' position in it, and its sickness(es). Fear is love, power is peace, and my rule... unity. There is no truth, only my will. The grace of Apollo has dissolved and begun a rebirth into the pejorative sentiments of E$. If greed is good, then anger is just, violence is wise, and hate is the vehicle of prosperity.
I don't want to stop the pain I feel, but only inflict it upon another to a greater degree, so that mortals will know and remember their position in the world in which I reside. Empathy is the only form of sight your soul can see--and I only feel suffering--so I will take everything you hold dear, and crush it... because it will ease my shattered dreams and ease your mind from the fictitious world you perceive to be real. It must be known that compared to E$, you are intellectually inept... and your sorrow brings me joy! Indeed, the only way I think I can be normal again is if you are forced to cry in agony and repent your delusional framework. Painful screams of torture and regret make me only wish for more victims that will howl in despair so that the mesh of horrific shouting will coalesce into the music my mind endears. I want, so badly, to watch suffering in shame!
Death does not scare E$, he welcomes it; though, I hope it finds me soon before I ever have a chance to love again... because right now, all I see is pain, all I bring is fear, all I want is money, and what I crave is recognition and success! You should not pity me, but yourselves; for this is what you want, this is what we allow, this is what we seek, and this... is what my society has made me. I am merely trying to help America celebrate the accomplishment!
So what's a philosopher to do? You will see that in order to make anything of myself and the message I wish to disseminate, I have to make money! In America, the economic model is capitalism; so to pay for production, promotion, and distribution, it (naturally) takes a financial element to support and expand. This is why I say--in a very real sense--"money is speech and love isn't free..." because the more money one can accrue, the louder the speech becomes!
So the question I have to ask myself is: "In my genre of music (hip-hop), what is going to sell a lot of copies?" The truth is that America, as much as it rants and raves, (absolutely) craves sensationalism, sex, drugs, and violence... the culture just can't get enough! It adores alcohol, supports a multi-billion dollar porn industry, and seeks violent media content. And that's why you, whoever you are, like rap! Rap does not teach violence, it glorifies it; and you listen to rap because it's violent, not despite it!
This is the act, the mentality of E$ Weaponry!
...get the picture!?!?
You can fiind links to this early work in the music tab on the Fiense website at FIENSE.com/music.
Thanks for reading! Please comment!
Other Related blog(s): Cosmic Luve, The PsychoSocial Philosopher
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