Click Here to purchase the Black Shirt.Click Here to purchase the White Shirt.
When it comes to beats and rhymes, Canadian producer Marco Polo and Brooklyn MC Torae don’t play, just check the résumé. On his 2007 critically acclaimed album Port Authority, Polo recruited a who’s who of MC’s like Kool G Rap and Kardinal Offishall to ride over his hard-hitting, boom-bap instrumentals. Torae, on the other hand, has certified his rep as one of the game’s illest lyricists in a similar fashion with remarkable wordplay on his highly touted 2008 street album Daily Conversation. So, in the spirit of great hip-hop duos, the producer and the MC signed with Duck Down Records (home of Buckshot, 9th Wonder, Black Moon, B-Real of Cypress Hill, KRS-ONE, Sean Price, Heltah Skeltah, DJ Revolution, Smif N Wessun, Ruste Juxx, Boot Camp Clik and Kidz in the Hall) in 2009 to release their collaborative album Double Barrel.
“He’s bringing the hardest production that he can bring, I’m bringing the hardest rhymes I can bring; together its like a double barrel blast,” says Torae of the album’s persistent theme. The two first hooked up when Marco tapped the MC to guest on his Mick Boogie-helmed mixtape The New Port Authority in 2007. In turn, Marco went on to produce “Casualty” on Tor’s Daily Conversation. “I think we just had a connection in the studio,” says Polo, “We wanted to make an album that we wanted to hear with banging beats and aggressive rhymes.”
Sonically Double Barell pays homage to New York’s mid-‘90’s rap scene, when artists like Gangstarr and Wu-Tang Clan reigned supreme. The album’s first single “Party Crashers” is a definite standout, harkening back to that era with its chest thumping percussion and rock solid rhymes. So rather then try to fit in with hip-hop’s pop set, Marco and Torae chose the unconventional route. “I think the sound of the album is not the most popular or trendy, but we’re going to crash the party,” says Tor, “ We’re coming in with this sound and we’re coming in doing what we want to do.”
Songs like the dramatic “But Wait” and the free associative “Word Play” display Tor’s forward thinking conceptuality, while the rock-infused “Danger” stands as one of Marco’s finest productions to date. Overall the album is chock-full of the street-influenced rap that fans have come to expect from the two hip-hop upstarts.
More than superior rhymes and dynamic beats, Double Barrel is a testament to the ever-important creative relationship between rapper and beat maker. “You want to have a good sense of chemistry with a person and Marco and I have good chemistry,” says Torae.
“You’re going to have a consistency in the sound,” says Marco of the benefits of the one MC, one producer dynamic.
Throughout the album pays homage to the genre of rap that influenced the duo and even features critically acclaimed heavyweights like M.O.P., Masta Ace and Sean Price to help balance out the track list. Still while honoring the past, Marco and Torae’s main goal is ultimately to further their art. “We’re not trying to take it back,” says Marco we just wanted to make an album that knocks.”
With the boom bap in tow, the pair aim to prove that behind all the flashy videos and high priced toys, hip-hop always boils down to two things: beats and rhymes. Double Barrel more than accomplishes the goal, and Torae sums up the collaboration perfectly when he spits, “He makes violent beats, I’m from the violent streets/That Double Barrel sound, that’s where violence meets.”
Spread the word!
TORAE was up four hours before you this morning. By the second time you hit snooze on any given day he could be in the booth recording your new favorite song, penning his next feature or on his way to your town to give you the show you’ve been waiting for tonight. Anything is possible, which explains how he’s performed before 20,000 people, done 250 plus shows, rocked venues with Masta Ace, The Clipse, Little Brother, Sean Price & countless others in addition to touring Canada & Europe all before signing a major recording contract. Oh you ain’t know? This self proclaimed ‘new breed of the raw’ gained his first exposure after submitting a demo tape to Bad Boy Records in the late 90's. Impressed with the demo, one of the label's employees featured TORAE on a compilation album released through an independent company. The buzz circulated throughout the music industry’s elite, and while on the set of Cam’ron’s music video for “My Hood” TORAE had the opportunity to show Cam and his friends just how vivid he could spit. He became a part of the Diplomat family, and although not signed to their label, remained close to Cam'ron, and the Dipset. It has been said that TORAE “redefines the word grind” and even at that early point in his career it was evident why. He continues to bless mixtapes by the hottest DJ's from coast-to-coast (DJ Self, DJ Ready Cee, DJ Vega Benetton & others). TORAE even a recorded a song for Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James, which ran in a Nike ad for his signature shoe. They don’t call him a young veteran in jest. He has recorded with platinum & gold selling producers, such as DJ Clark Kent, Pete Rock, 9th Wonder, DJ Premier & many others. In February 2008 via his own label Internal Affairs Ent. he released the highly anticipated & critically acclaimed street album ‘Daily Conversation’ with guest appearances by Skyzoo, Tash of Tha Liks, Teflon and more, and featured production by 9th Wonder, Black Milk, Marco Polo, Khrysis as well as others. The first single "Click" rang in 2008 on xxlmag.com’s banger section and was featured on numerous websites & blogs. What better way to showcase the man with the out of this world swagger and ridiculous flow, and hip hop royalty DJ Premier behind the boards? The proverbial tock is ticking until his takeover. With songs like "Callin' Me", "Switch" and "Tayler Made" becoming fan favorites during shows TORAE is ready to deliver his lyrical genius to the world. In addition to his solo endeavors you can hear TORAE on eMC’s album “The Show”, Statik Selektah’s “Stick To The Script”, DJ Babu’s “Duck Season 3.5” & 9th Wonder’s “Dream Merchant” to name a few. TORAE has been featured in XXL Magazine numerous times (3 in Chairman’s Choice & May ‘08 “Show & Prove” section). He’s also graced the cover of “Dhrama Magazine & has seen international coverage in ‘Gas Face Magazine’(France) and ‘Juice Magazine’ (Germany). In February 2008 iTunes featured TORAE as it’s indie-spotlight artist and myspace made him a Myspace Music feature gaving him a banner on it‘s homepage. TORAE is no stranger to the small screen either being showcased on MTV’s “Sucker Freestyle & BET’s “Spit Ya Game” on Rap City. His radio presence is just as strong as his internet, print & television presence as he’s been played on Hot 97 & Power 105, the two biggest commercial stations in New York City. That’s of course in addition to his national spins on Sirius & XM satellite radio & nearly every college & internet show as well. His style, wordplay, and cadence is the breath of fresh air needed to bring Hip-Hop back to the future. He’s warned other MC’s to step their bars up, because with his colorful commentary he can give you his whole image in 16. Get ready for just what you’ve been missing.and all he asks is that you spell his name right.
