Your nickname is the young veteran. How did that nickname come about?

Torae: I guess due to the progress that I was making in music. When I first started to do music and take it seriously, things kinda moved along real fast for me. I started doing songs, I was on a compilation album, then I was on the road, then I hooked up with Cam'ron. A lot of things happened really, really fast. Even though I was young in the game I was making veteran moves, so I just came up with the young vet from that.

So how long have you been doing this and when did you get your first nice push?

Torae: I been doing this forever [laughs]. Since like 97? Ten or eleven years. Actually before that. I would say fifteen years. My first break came when I had submitted my demo to Bad Boy. I had gotten a call back from a guy up there called Slick Love. He was working there and was in the process of starting up his own company. He asked me if I wanted to be a part of this compilation album he was doing. That was like the first exposure I got as far as being out there.

What were you feeling when you received that call back?

Torae: [Laughs] It was crazy. I loved music all my life. I hooked up with my man, a producer. We cut a little demo of four to five songs. I took it to Bad Boy and like three days later I got a call back. I was like "this is easy" [Laughs]. "Is this what every body's complaining about? This rap stuff is easy". [Laughs] I mean it felt dope to get the call back. That was the basis of the whole young veteran thing. Things happened so, I wouldn't say easily, but things happened in such a fast manner. It just seemed like it was destined to go down. I'm making moves like these people, I'm making songs, I'm on the road and doing shows. People that have been doing it ten-fifteen years do this stuff.

What label are you on?

Torae: I got a deal with Fat Beats and they are also distributing my mixtape. As far as a full blown commitment I haven't decided where I want to go. I got a couple things on the table. I just want to decide who has my best interest at heart. Who sees the vision and who's going to allow me to grow the most out of these labels I choose from. Shouts to everyone whose shown interest thus far.

You're on the Mick Boogie & Marco Polo mixtape Newport Authority, how did that come about?

Torae: Me and Marco are like the best of friends right now, that's my homie. I was at the studio at a Masta Ace session for this EMC album that he's doing with Punchline, Wordsworth and Strickland. Marco was there doing the skit for the album. Masta Ace called me down to do the intro with Marco before we initially met, but I knew of him from his production. I think it was few weeks later after "Get it done" came out he hit me on myspace like "yo, didn't I meet you at the studio?" So we started talking. We also had a friend in common. He took me to Marco's crib and we've been cool since then. He was like I'm doing this mixtape and I want you to be on it. I did a couple of joints with Marco and now we're working like everyday. That's my homie.

You mentioned "Get it Done". Tell us about that. Skyzoo is on that right?

Torae: Yeah that's with Skyzoo and produced by DJ Premier. Sky and I, we're also good friends and we had a mutual friend who plugged us with Premier. Preme was a fan of our past work. He liked Sky on the Cloud Nine album and he liked my stuff with the Co. He was playing stuff on his radio show then he came out to a couple of shows and saw us perform. He was like "Yo I want to work with you guys". He was like, "If you don't mind I'd like to do a record with the both of you as opposed to doing one with each of you". So we were like "Yeah no problem" [laughs]. Preme puts me on a record with anybody I'm going to  jump on it! So yeah, that's how that came about. He had respect for what we were doing and of course, we admire the great DJ Premier and what he has done, also for his contribution to Hip Hop. So that was a no brainer to do that right there.

So how is it working with Premier? It must have been an amazing experience.

Torae: Ah man, it was crazy. I'm a fan first. Before I wrote a rhyme, before I touched a stage, I used to run home and watch Video Music Box and tape songs off the radio. So I'm a fan first and I always been a fan of DJ Premier's work. When I first heard Gang Starr I was like "Yo! What is this? This is incredible". When I saw the "Just to Get a Rep" video it was like so real to me. So you know to be in the room with that man responsible for that work is incredible. Then to get to work in Headquarters which was D&D studios ya know, that was awesome as well. Just knowing all the classic Hip-Hop songs that were produced there it was surreal.

Were you nervous?

Torae: I was focused. Not too many things shake me. Working with Premier was an honor and privilege. But more than make me nervy it made me want to go that much harder. I wanted to show him he didn't make a bad decision by doing a record with me. So it didn't make me nervous it made me more focused and more driven. He did throw a curve ball at me before I went in the booth. He was like " ya know, this is were I recorded Biggie, Jay, Nas, Guru". He was like "I recorded everything since Daily Operation in this booth right here". So you know he says this right as I'm about to go in the booth. I'm like "Thanks! I needed to know this is the same mic that everybody rhymed on" [Laughs]. Nah, Preme's a cool dude. The atmosphere was real comfortable. We had met a couple times prior to that, so it wasn't like I came in just in for the first time. It was cool and laid back and just working with Preme, he's a hard worker. I wouldn't trade an experience like that for the world. 

So I hear you'll be on Soundbombing 4?

Torae: Yeah, that's the word. Nothing is officially set in stone. There's an upwards of eight albums I'll be appearing on once all the artists meet their deadlines. So yeah, Soundbombing is one of them. I'm on that EMC album with Masta Ace, Punchlines and Wordsworth. I'm on a few albums. A lot of good stuff coming out. DJ K.O has an album coming out. It's an ill compilation. He got a lot of new cats an he mixed them up with some pioneers and dudes that had stuff out in the 90's. That's a real dope album. He got dudes from that golden era paired up with us. It's a pretty dope album. I'm on that. I think it's coming out on Shaman Work. I'll be on a lot of stuff coming this summer. Check the credits and you'll see me.  

What are your ties with Dipset and how did that come along?

Torae: The whole Dipset thing is, you know those are my homies first and foremost. I met them, wow, we going back about ten years now? Yeah around 97, 98. I first met Cam on the set for the video "My Hood" when he was on Epic. I was casted for that video, and you know there was some down time. He noticed a tattoo I have on my arm with a guy holding a microphone and we got into a conversation about music. He was like, "If you nice shorty let me hear something". So I spit for him. Pretty much the rest is history. I was like the honorary member of the set. I probably spent like the next three to four years kicking it with Cam and them on a daily basis. They were the first people who took me out on the road, shows, first time I ever have done radio. All that stuff was with Cam and them. I definitely owe a lot to them as far as helping me break in initially in the industry.

I know you're appearing on a bunch of stuff. But are you working on a solo project?

Torae: I have this mixtape with my partners from the Coalescence, DJ Vega Benetton. It's called Daily Conversation. It's kinda like my re-introduction into the game. People heard me with the Coalescence, they heard me doing joints with Skyzoo. The mixtape is mostly me. I mean I have guest appearances on it, but it's mostly me giving people a peek what the album is going to be like. I got some incredible production on it. I got some solid features. Artists I respect and work with and vice versa. Daily Conversation. It will be out sometime next month. It's going to be dope.

What do you say to people who frown upon mixtapes?

Torae: I can understand where they are coming from. When you get a mixtape and its full of dudes just rhyming over other instrumentals and there's no real structure. It's just like "Yo! I'm rhyming a thousand bars on the last Jadakss beat". That kinda get monotonous. But if you take time and you craft your mixtape and you present it like an album. Mine is just a mixtape cause it's not bar coded. I didn't really want to go through the avenues of putting out with a label. I want to flood the streets. The music starts from the ground up. It starts from the streets and once the streets embrace it then the people will gravitate towards it. As opposed as to putting out another album which it very well could have been. I decided to do it as a mixtape just to get my name buzzing on the street. I got my start on the street. I got a good street following with the records I've done with the Co and with Preme. So I was like "lets just put out another mixtape, just to keep that buzz going and then we'll hit them with an album".

I wouldn't buy an album from a dude I barely know anything about. I want to establish a fan base. Some dudes put out albums initially because they feel like that might be their best work. Or they want to capitalize off of any momentum that they have. To me, I don't care if I don't put an album out for a couple of years. As long as I get that following and fan base who's going to check for me cause they respect my body of work. So anytime you hear something new from Torae they're like "Yo that's Torae, he's dope. I'm going to check it out!". Ya know what I'm saying? Be it a song, a mixtape, freestyle, whatever it is. As long as you build up your name where people hear it and they know it's going to be quality work, you have nothing to worry about. Me doing it as a mixtape, I mean it's all production. It's not just instrumentals. I got beats from Khyrisis, 9th wonder, Marco Polo. It very well could have been an album. But I just wanted to put it out on the street level. Just show the streets I'm here, then work my way up. I'm not trying to jump in the game as a prima donna coming out on such and such label or whatever. I'm here in the streets. I'm in the grind with y'all.

Is there a possibility we might see a video to one of these songs?

Torae: Actually there is a video in the works. My partner from Science Project, Mike. We'll probably shoot a couple of visuals. I wouldn't say a video, just some visual effects to go with the song. No big budget stuff. But Mike is really, really dope. He just came back from Jamaica shooting Buju Banton. We're going to do some incredible stuff. So yeah, there's a video in the works for Daily Conversation.

You have a few shows coming up. Can you give us some insight on The "Tribute to Jeru the Damaja" in a couple of weeks?

Torae: That spot, Galapagos art space in Brooklyn. Phil, he does these shows every month where he pays tribute to a great. I was fortunate enough to get called on to perform for this Jeru show. I think it's going to be dope. Jeru got his start in the game working with the Gang Starr foundation and Premo. It's similar to how I got most of my notoriety by the records I put out with DJ Premier as well. I thought it would be dope to be a part of that show. I'm hearing also that Group Home is also going to be a part of it. There's going to be a strong DJ Premier influence in the building. And who better than me to be a part of that show.

You've been associated with a lot of mainstream and independent artists, what have you taken from the two different worlds?

Torae: I did initially think that the underground or the backpack community, or whatever as people like to label it...I see the comparison is pretty similar. You'll deal with the same issues, just a thousand times more BS on a major. I prefer the Indie side. I have more of an opportunity to make an impact on the people. With everything that's going on with the majors and how they seem to be downsizing, record sales aren't what they used to be.  They definitely want to pinpoint the type of songs you should make and the market you should be going after, whereas with certain Indies they kinda give you that creative freedom. I need that freedom to make the type of songs I want to make to touch the people I'm after. If it expands so be it. If I do make a song that's popular, I do want it to start from my heart and grow. People will gravitate towards it cause they know its authentic, rather than some "formula" to make a hit record. The Indie grind is pretty much the same grind as the majors. Just on a smaller scale.

So what should we be expecting soon?

Torae: Soon? I would say the single coming out with Khyrisis from the Justus League. That will be out on 12". Daily Conversation will probably be out by mid July. It's all recorded and we're in the mixing stage right now. On that I have Shock Stimuli, Kel Spencer, Chaundon from the Justus League, Tash from the Liks, Of course my homie Skyzoo, the Coalescence, my partner Kill RIP. I don't want to give all the secrets away. There's definitely some high power features. On the production I got 9th wonder, Khyrisis, Marco Polo and this new kid out of Seattle named Eric G who's incredible. Vega and Sway who are my production team from the Coalescence. They contributed to this mixtape as well. I definitely think it's a solid project. I think people are going to be really pleased with it. I did a couple of listening sessions with some close friends and I did another with some random people. The response have been good. I think when Daily Conversation touches down it's going to separate me from the pack of new artists or new dudes on the grind. I think it's definitely going to show my versatility just through the beats I selected. Also the subject matter I covered on the mixtape. I think people who enjoy music from the heart will appreciate Daily Conversation when it drops. 

Is there anything you'd like to add?

Torae: I want to thank everybody who's been supportive of my career thus far. Shout to my man DJ Clark Kent, I just spoke to him on the sidekick. Of course shouts out to Premo, shouts to the Coalescence, Custom Made, Missing Link Music & Attic Entertainment. Everybody who's hitting the myspace, ya know all the fans. Shouts to Marco and EMC. We're going on tour next month. I'll be in Canada in July. Check the myspace page, the dates have just been officially posted. Anyone who wants to get out and see what the kid and the hype is all about, definitely come on out and check it out. Thanks to you guys for having me and supporting me. It's definitely dope.  A friend of mine told me "Yo, my brother was listening to your stuff on ArtofRhyme!". So it's real dope that you guys reached out to me to do this interview. I appreciate the support. I need it as a new artist. When you make music that you love and you do it from your heart and people appreciate it and want to support it. There's no better feeling in the world.

Drew & Andy