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DocumenTORAE

SpectaTOR

What up DX'ers thanks for checking in with the kid. Off top I'd like to thank each & every person that checked out my video for "Callin' Me". I had no idea it would get the response that it's gotten. It's been on over 10 websites & is actually headed to the small screen as well. 99% of the comments & feedback has been great. I'm really, really happy that its being so well received. Aside from that I've just been working feverishly trying to get the record in the stores by January 8th. I appreciate everyone who has been there with me since the 1st release
date & everyone who has gotten involved since then. I assure you Jan 8th is the day. For all those that pre-ordered it you're still straight, it'll be there as promised initially. Its a lot of hard work to put a record out when you're doing it on your own & you actually care what your product looks & sounds like. I'm big on perception so if its not going to be presented in a manner that I approve of then it's not going to be presented. Bottom line. Moving past that I'd like to shout out all the people that've been coming out to the shows. I've been in front of a lot of packed rooms as of late & I'm starting to get used to it. So please keep it up, I'm usually on the bill with some dope acts so come out & check it when you hear about a Torae show. Me & my man Vega Benetton leave it all on the stage when the night is done.

Speaking of shows I was actually able to spectate a few this past week & they were really dope. The 1st was the J.A.M. Awards at the Hammerstein in honor of Jam Master Jay & the other was the Stones Throw concert at the Highline Ballroom. Both shows had serious line ups & quite a few high profile attendees. I'm a hip-hop head, I grew up on it & loved it since birth so I was really excited to meet people like Hank Shocklee, Rev Run & LL Cool J at the Hammerstein and Erykah Badu and Andre Harrell at Highline. It's fly when people come out to support good events even once they've attained a certain amount of success. Seeing Pete Rock at the Stones Throw show was normal, seeing Andre Harrell was a little unexpected.

I'm a big fan of live hip hop. Its a totally different vibe from recorded music. And I think that's what a lot of artists don't get. Its dope to have a banging record out, but at the end of the day just because you spit bodies in the booth doesn't mean that's going to get you over rocking a live show. I pride myself on having a nice stage show to accompany dope songs. Because realistically people already have access to the music, but what's going to get them out to a show. You can't sell them the same product again. You have to sell them you all over again, but this time live. I remember seeing Busta & Splif Starr at the Sound Factory and from rocking with the Diplomats in early 2000. Even recently over the summer touring with EMC & doing shows with Little Brother. The energy on the stage was electric, sometimes even more so than the records, but that's the beauty of a live show.
Bringing the songs from vinyl, cd or mp3 to life. Too often dudes think a hot song is a dope show, I can name countless dudes with dope records that bore the hell out of me on stage. I can also name dudes I've never
heard of before that get on the stage and light that ish up. The point I'm trying to make is artists out there take pride in your craft. Study it, all aspects of it. Only having dope songs at a show is the equivalent of only working out your upper body if you're into weightlifting. Its not a complete package. Looks at dudes, like Common, like Masta Ace & even newer dudes like Kanye & Little Brother, those dudes wreck the stage when they're rocking. Granted they have dope music but the have so much more on the stage & you don't need an elaborate band or choir to make it pop. Pharoahe Monch kills it with the band LB kills it with DJ Flash & D Brock. I've also seen Pharoahe without the band killing it & LB with a band and the results are the same "dope!!!". Its about what you 'the artist' brings to the stage & the kind of energy you give the audience, because that's the kind of energy you'll get back. I know I'm going to continue to bring it each & every time I hit the stage as I will continue to go out & watch live hip-hop so I can pick up on new tricks of the trade. Until next time my peoples, peace. Here are some pics from The J.A.M. Awards & the Stones Throw show, my video incase you missed it and a shameless plug. Deuces…

-Tor

8 Comments             

MenTOR

Some of you might have missed it in the video section so I decided to post it as a blog as well. Plus it ties into my catchy titles. Enjoy...


-Tor

5 Comments             

SupporTOR

What up, what up yall. It's your boy Tor right back at it. I have to apologize to you all for not blogging the last 2 weeks things have been hella hectic. But I'm not complaining cuz the opposite of being busy is not having shit to do. And as a rapper if you aint got shit to do, you're done! The tour [Back To The Future] officially kicks off next week in Montreal, so I've been tying up all my loose ends in NY before I hit the road. I shot my video for "Callin' Me" with my homie Mike Q. from Science Projects. We filmed 2 days it's should be dope when it drops I'm excited. I've also been in the lab getting "Daily" mixed. I know a lot of people have been asking about it & I appreciate your patience. It's coming in August I PROMISE!! I've also been writing & recording for others. A nigga had a lot of verses to turn in, but it's all great cuz I'm featured on some really, really dope projects dropping this year & early '08. Shout to everyone that reached out to the kid. It's an honor and privilege to be considered for some of these joints and I'm really grateful. It would seem that I've been making some noise out there and I'm on the right path, with that being said I know I gotta keep delivering quality material. It's getting serious now cause people are watching. One of those people is none other than the lyrical monster Mr. Pharoahe Monch, who took time out after his show at the Highline Ballroom to tell me he dug my songs & liked what I was doing musically. That was the ultimate stamp of approval & battery in my back. Nigga I can't spit sub par bars if Pharoahe is listening.

Speaking of Pharoahe brings me to my topic of discussion this week. "Support & Sales". I hear a lot of people talking about hip-hop is dead, hip-hop is in the south and a whole bunch of other b.s . I don't know bout none of that cuz hip-hop is in my heart. I am hip-hop mind body & soul. And it pisses me off when people do a bunch of complaining but do nothing to resolve the situation. We all know radio & video and labels for that matter are on some bullshit when it's come to bringing balance to the masses. Not because they play southern joints or whatever, but because that's all they play. If Mike only shot jumpers would he be considered one of the greats? If Ali only had a right jab would he be the legend that he is? I think not. I think balance is the key to life (sorry LOX). And the game is lacking balance in a major way now a days. So when an illustrious icon like Pharoahe Monch drops an album yall complaining asses should run to the stores. The album "Desire" is banging and it has a little something for everyone. Yet his sales aren't reflecting that. This isn't some independent obscure release that you have to search the heavens & the earth for. This is an SRC/Universal release available in all major chains. Virgin, Best Buy and all that. How can we talk about changing the music and getting shit like this back to the forefront if you don't go out and buy a $10 CD, hell download it from iTunes for all I care but we MUST support this kind of hip-hop so that we can get more opportunities for our kind of artists to sign with majors. Monch isn't the only one either. Redman dropped, Ghost dropped, Mos Def dropped all on majors and did small amounts in sales. Not to mention the whole heap of independent releases. Marco Polo, Black Milk, KRS & Marley, Joell, Jazzy Jeff, The Poly's I could go on and on. Shit, Sean (Price) is talking about retiring cause it's getting so bad. We gonna fuck around and lose the music if we're not careful. Listen to Phonte's verse on Kardinal's "Rapper's Are In Danger" for a better understanding. I don't mean to come off preachy if I am but I'm passionate about music cause I love this shit. Anyways to wrap this up all I'm saying is support the music if you love it, cause if not it won't be here to enjoy. Here are some pics from the show at Highline...

Black Milk got their hands up.

Even the cool dudes use a sweat towel.

Monch just getting started.

Let's Go!!!

Gotta keep on pushin'

Monch and Styles gem em outta their seats.

Tiye, Rich Nice, Sway & Complex

Black catching the rest of the show after ripping it down.

MeLa Machino (Singer) and Bonsu Thompson (XXL, King, Hip Hop Soul)


This week's quote: "Being in demand is demanding"

-Tor

11 Comments             

My Weeks Are Never Weak

What up DX fam, it's your boy Tor right back like I left something. 1st off I'd like to personally thank everyone who checked the 1st entry & who took time to comment. That means a lot to me. Shout out to homie that said he could careless what I ate before a show or how me & Sky met. Dude had me cracking up. Honestly though, if that's all I had to offer I would've never accepted the gig. Cuz really who cares that the grilled chicken & tater tots from 'Anytime' was banging before the show on Wednesday, lol.



Speaking of which I had a really busy week. Hosting a show on Wednesday, performing with Jeru & The Group Home on Thursday, appearing on Preem's radio show on Friday night & having 2 joints played on Hot 97 on Sunday night (BIG shout out to Peter Rosenberg). All of which were dope, except not getting to actually perform. I love when promoters book 70,000 acts before the headliner. Because the headliner usually gets tired of sitting around waiting & either leaves or demands to perform ASAP. That's kinda what happened on Thursday, but I'm not gonna throw any dirt, love is love. Hell it was dope just to see my name on the board next to Jeru & Group Home (I took a picture).



So by now I'm sure you've all heard my latest record with Skyzoo produced by DJ Premier 'Click'. It's doing really well as far as spins & sales go which says a lot since it's only available on 12". Tor, Sky & Preem  "keeping the vinyl market alive" hahahaha. On the real though it's dope to be able to say I have a record in stores produced by the legendary DJ Premier. When we did the session for 'Click' I had the video camera with me. 'Get It Done' was the first time around so I wasn't gonna play myself & try to film. 'Click' however was the 2nd time working with Preem and I was way more comfortable with having the camera rolling. Below is the video footage & the lainks to Preem & Rosenberg's radio shows, I hope you enjoy it.  So, until next time be safe, be good & live life to the fullest. R.I.P. to the homie Stack Bundles.



Torae, Skyzoo & DJ Premier in the studio recording "Click"

Live from HeadQcourterz Sirius Radio channel 40 (Friday Nights Midnight - 2am)
http://primo.podcastpeople.com/posts/2393

Real Late with Peter Rosenberg Hot 97 (97.1fm) Sunday Nights 1-3am
Part 1 - http://www.zshare.net/audio/2322562f3ecdf9/
Part 2 - http://www.zshare.net/audio/232258458e780f/

- Tor

15 Comments             

The Beginning of Something Great!

What up wonderful readers of hiphopdx & welcome to "Torae's Blog". 1st & foremost I'd like to thank everyone reading this, there are a zillion other things yall could be doing so taking time to read what I have to say means a lot to me....nah, for real it does. Aiight, now that the mushy stuff is out the way heeeeere we go! As some of you may know & many of you don't I'm an emcee outta Brooklyn NY (Coney Island to be exact). I've been rapping forever & I've been back active on the scene the last 3 or 4 years.

Those that are familiar with me may have heard my work with DJ Premier, or some may know me from working with DJ Clark Kent or my group The Coalescence or as of recent my joints with Marco Polo ** "Port Authority" in stores May 15th shameless plug for the homie** Honestly you could've caught or heard me anywhere, as long as you felt there was something special in the music it's all good.

On the songs & at the shows you usually see the end result of a lot of hard work, time & preparation. So I figured now it's time for me to take you back stage. See what goes on weeks, days and even hours before the show. How did I link with such & such before the song. You know things like that. In addition if you got a question ask it. Wanna request something or someone go for it, want me off this site.....well that's not gonna happen but anything else get at me. I'm planning on doing some real exciting things here on DX. In addition to writing entries, I'll have 'guest bloggers', 'photo blogs' & 'video blogs'. So this is gonna be seriously dope. Not the same old same that you're used to. In the next couple months I'll be releasing my mixtape "Daily Conversation" with my DJ Vega Benetton & going on tour, so there will be plenty to blog about I'm sure.

Well that's all for now, I'm gonna TRY to post new entries every week. TRY is in caps because I have a bunch of stuff going on all the time so it may be hard to post weekly but I'll do my best. Trust this is gonna be a dope one to follow, so get ready cause it's gonna be live!

-Tor

19 Comments             

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