Torae: I think the album is a lot of high energy, a lot of consistency and beats banging. It's a very intense project and not for the weak minded or faint of heart. I kind of call it mood music, no Joe Budden, but it definitely sets the mood or puts you in the mood. Yet if you want to go flower picking with your date and all that, then Double Barrel is not the album to pop in. Yet if you're looking for some adrenaline pumping, gritty New York Hip-Hop, boom bap shit, pop the Double Barrel CD in.illRoots.com: I heard the new album and...
iR: So you're saying if I want to go pick dandelions, then it's not my cup of tea?
Torae: Basically; if you want to wear skinny jeans and go skipping in the park, don't do it.
Torae: Me too.
iR: You heard it?
Torae: Yeah
iR: That's good, so I illegally downloaded the project via a friend of mine and then I went out and bought it to support, but I feel like it's definitely one of this year's best projects.
Marco: Thank you and we appreciate that.
iR: What do you guys think about your album?
Torae: I think the album is a lot of high energy, a lot of consistency and beats banging. It's a very intense project and not for the weak minded or faint of heart. I kind of call it mood music, no Joe Budden, but it definitely sets the mood or puts you in the mood. Yet if you want to go flower picking with your date and all that, then Double Barrel is not the album to pop in. Yet if you're looking for some adrenaline pumping, gritty New York Hip-Hop, boom bap shit, pop the Double Barrel CD in.
iR: So you're saying if I want to go pick dandelions, then it's not my cup of tea?
Torae: Basically; if you want to wear skinny jeans and go skipping in the park, don't do it.
iR: [Laughs] God Bless You
Torae: [Laughs]
iR: So what other projects are you guys listening to right now?
Marco Polo: There's not that many things I can co-sign that I love that is new Hip-Hop, but there are a few projects, definitely. The Diamond District project with Oddisee is banging.
iR: Yea its X.O., Yu, and Oddisee.
Marco: Yeah, it's called "In The Ruff", tha'ts the name of the album. I'm literally going through my iTunes as we speak, if there is anything else you want to add to that.
Torae: No, I would never want to interrupt your thought process and be rude.
Marco: I like the DJ Scratch x Busta Rhymes tape they did, I like it better than the actual Busta Rhymes album.
iR: Yeah, I actually like the first album that Busta was working on with Interscope, with "Don't Touch Me." Better than the one he recently dropped on Universal, although there are some good records on the new one.
Marco: The mixtape?
iR: No, the first go around with Interscope before the transition to Universal.
Marco: Ahhh, I never heard that version.
Torae: Let's see, what am I listening to? I'm not really listening to too much new rap right now, that new Steele album is out. I popped that in and I like that so far. I like Skyzoo's Power of Words joint. I been listening to some stuff you might not expect, like some real commercial or more popular stuff. I like The Dream, I like how him and Tricky put music together. Yeah I don't care, so what? So The Dream joint, a lot of Stevie lately. I guess mainly it's just a direct contrast to the Double Barrel record and recording and putting it together for the past year and a half, and now that its out I'm trying to let people sit with it. At one point that was all I was listening too and I try not to listen to too much outside music while I'm writing or recording, just so I don't get influenced by other music and get out of my zone. Sometimes, subconsciously you will pick up on the vibe and not even know that you're doing it, and then you listen to your joint and you're like "Oh man, that sounds just like this joint." So I try not to listen to other music while I'm recording for that sole reason.
Marco: You can tell by listening to Double Barrel that we are not influenced by anything that is trendy in Hip-HOp right now. [Laughs]
iR: Out of all the records that were cut, regardless if they made the album or not, which are your favorites?
Marco: I had that question asked a couple times and I'm going to stick to the same answer which is it actually switches everyday which, to me, is a testament to the whole project. I don't think there is one "undeniable" record on the album, I think there is a level of consistency. Depending on my mood is what determines what records to play.
Torae: It's pretty much the same with me and I say this alot, not because I want people to play the record, it's one of those records where the more you play it the more you get into it. It's like off the top, you're going to have your stand out cuts, "Yo I like 3, 7, and 9." Then you play it again and it's like "Yo 1, 2, and 10 was hot." So I take pride in that this project has different legs. Alot of people say "Yo I got 13 singles on my album." I won't say we have 13 singles, but we have 13 records and they fit in the composition of the album, yet can also stand on their own two feet.
iR: Now that it's finished are we going to see another Marco Polo / Torae joint sooner than later or what?
Torae: Yeah, me and Marco are going to continue to work together, and whose to say there is going to be another Double Barrel? Music is supposed to be organic and we are going to continue to cut records with no set schedule on how we are going to release them. Marco is going to continue to do his producer albums and I'm going to continue to do my stuff and work with other producers and we are always going to come together and make music too. If nobody likes this album then it wouldn't be a need to make another album, but the response for it has been solid.
iR: Opinions on music coming from New York right now?
Marco: I hate it, I don't like it all. I'm speaking for me, not Tor, when it comes to the musical scene in New York. No one is bringing it and that in itself is what influenced us to do this album. For me personally, the music on this album is the stuff I love. I can get into all types of Hip-Hop from more versatile albums to the most hardcore albums; I don't always need to hear hardcore shit. When you think of New York you think of the creators of that hardcore sound. You can forget commercial radio; I'm so far removed from that shit yet there are good records here and there that are just undeniably good music. But overall, the fact that I had to look at my iTunes to tell you what records I'm listening to right now is a testament to how fucked up it is. I remember when I used to have album after album and those days are literally gone. Not to sound too depressing but that's just how I feel.
Torae: There are some people making good music, there are obvious separations between underground and commercial Hip-Hop. There are some cats that are bringing lyricism and some producers bringing beats but there aren't as much as I'd like it to be. It's a couple cats on the underground scene that are making some noise that I'm feeling.
Marco: There's definitely people who influence me. My comment was more on an overall look.
Torae: It's all good cat daddy.
iR: I just feel that there is great gap between the "underground," which is extremely hard to say "underground" any more because you can reach millions of people on the internet. Yet there is such a difference in what is played on the radio and what is actually in the ears of the people.
Torae: No doubt, you have a kid that has the number one record in the country and doesn't even have a record deal. There's no class system any more. There's no "over" or "under," it just matters how many people your music touches. How you market it to the public is key. Look at Cudi and Drake, these are dudes who have [had] some of the biggest records in the last 6 months and both of those records have stupid life without a major or radio push. So in that aspect, you're right as far as the over and under type feel. It's just about the reach.
iR: Also, a lot of these major labels seem to be failing, in epic proportions. Not all but a good majority of the labels I see.
Torae: They just don't get it. Such as the Downtown Records / Terry Urban "Southerngold" tape that I read on your site and how they tried to shut it down.
iR: I just thank my higher powers that these labels don't seek a bailout plan because if you are failing with millions now, what makes me think you're going to do better in the next 6 months with my money? It would almost be like giving someone with a gambling addiction your credit card. Really, we should let these labels that are "majors" fail and die off and let labels like Duck Down and others become the "majors" at a certain point.
Marco: Yeah, then it comes down to people with actual talent, I like that.
Torae: Once all the glamor and glitz are out of it, you will see who is still in it for the love and those that do it because they want to reap the benefits. I compare the music industry to the prom. You get your limo, best haircut, best suit, best dress, best make-up and you look good for the day so you can remember it. That's what the music industry is as far as what people see. Yet that shit is just a facade; you don't look like your graduation, prom, or wedding day everyday and these rappers that are putting that out there are just getting by. I think once that imagery is taken out, then only the people that love it will stand tall. If it all crash and burns, tomorrow fuck it.
iR: It just doesn't make sense to me. If you hear about previous mistakes and then you go out and invest your money in another obvious failure? Over the course of time we have all seen our ups and downs and no one can predict the future. It just seems like everybody is looking for a quick fix so we get songs like "Swag Surfing" and "The Ricky Bobby."
Torae: I would like to say that I'm very thankful to my higher power that I've never personally heard either of those songs.
Marco: I heard the Stanky Leg though.
Torae: Yeah I did hear the Stanky Leg, I did.
iR: I'm sorry.
Marco: FAIL!
Torae: Eardrum failure.
iR: On that note, I would like to say thank you for stopping through, and you're welcome back anytime. Make sure you go out and get Double Barrel right at this exact moment, great music.
