BIG TORCH

Writeing music ,world affairs, By: Brandon Hickman , FOR ENCORE MAG. “Most High!!!” is what I first heard this hot dude scream with a team of MCs when they hit the stage at a Young Guns concert four years ago. A big man emerged ready to drop the illest show I had seen from a local hip-hop artist. “Torch” is what they call him, an Eastside representative who loves and respects where he is from, but more importantly, knows where he is going. Torch released General Purpose as if it came packaged from a major label, wrapped nicely with a bar code. Torch is ahead of the game. He called into 97.3’s request line one night, while I was working, to offer up a few good comments on a particular local artist—the room froze (it always does ‘cause Torch doesn’t call often, and when he does ya need to listen). So I just sparked it off with my random questions. “Yo Torch, how long have you been rappin’, man?” I asked with no haste. Torch jumped right in, “Twelve years.” The group that Torch is in had a lot of controversy hit them after the death of their member Roncin’. Torch said, “Most High is in a league of their own; we are definitely not gangsta rappers. We are coming from the other side, but we talking about coming up and what we don’t want the youth to go through.” I leaned back and listened intensely as this man’s voice commands respect. Still, I had to ask what’s on every hip-hopper’s mind. “I have asked a lot of people if they made it, who they would come back for, and they have all said, ‘Torch; Wassup with that?” Torch chuckled a little and said, “It’s a respect thing; I don’t switch it up, I keep it real … the young local cats keep me pumping and motivated to work. We conquered the limelight, now let’s start getting that rotation.” Inspiration runs the gamut for artists. Torch keeps his close to home. “My biggest inspiration is my moms—she holds me down, she’s behind me,” Torch said. And when asked what MC he would like to talk to, he responded, “Naturally, folks would say Jay-Z cause he’s hot now, but I would like to see Scarface, Rakim—sit down and pick their brains and see where they’re coming from.” Somewhat a man of few words, Torch commands the respect of the Port City hip-hop family. He is so in-depth with the city that he has titled his new album1898: Getting Ready for the Get-A-Ready (www.myspace/bigtorchdageneral). Be on the lookout for it. Real Talk!Layouts CT Tables Graphics Quizzes Polls Surveys Layouts CT Tables Graphics Quizzes Polls Surveys