For the people who have never heard of you who is Marco Polo?

Definitely Marco Polo as a producer is a producer extraordinaire repping boom bap hip-hop because hip-hop is definitely missing that these days. Repping Toronto and Brooklyn I’m not like other producers I don’t make beats based on what’s hot, I’m not a cliché producer either and with me nothing is overplayed and nothing sounds the same. As far as Marco Polo the rapper…I’m not really a rapper but creatively I put forth an extra effort. Like all beats are created in the studio when I do collaborations I don’t just send an artist like 10 beats and have them choose one and drop a verse on it…I put a lot of work into this album with my collaborations.

Was the move from Toronto to Brooklyn hard?

At first it was scary and overwhelming, more than hard. But, after I got my job at the cutting room and my visa papers in order shit was definitely easier. I was working so much when I moved to NY that I didn’t have time to think about it being hard.

Can you explain the situation at Rawkus Records right now? It seems to me as if you guys are being resurrected?

Rawkus has a catalog that for everyone who is a hip-hop head respects and love. It’s like they started off real strong and they lost their original method when they lost their deal and after Soundbombing 3. But my album, “Port Authority”, is definitely bringing back that classic Rawkus sound and its hip-hop credibility.

What can people expect when they listen to your debut LP “Port Authority”?

Honestly I think people will be shocked…Like anyone who is a fan of Pete Rock Soul Survivor is going to feel this. People are going to feel good and they are going to realize that hip-hop is not dead and I think it will inspire artist to step their game-up.

What is your opinion on the state of hip-hop? Do you believe it’s dead?

Naw hip-hop is not dead. I just feel like whatever is dead in hip-hop let it die. Whatever is new in hip-hop whether it be club hip-hop, backpack hip-hop or whatever let it do what it do. It’s Like new artist breath new life into hip-hop but it needs to get back to its roots, hip-hop will never be dead and it ain’t going nowhere.

How did you come up with the title “Port Authority”?

The album title has a lot of meanings to it but the first is tied to the actual explorer Marco Polo. He was a traveler he traveled by ship and he explored various things and that’s kind of how I feel about my journey through life. Another meaning is that Port Authority is a landmark in NY City. It’s a grimy area where all the immigrants come in at and me coming from Toronto and moving to Brooklyn I was an immigrant and so that’s how I came up with the title.

In your bio you say that Port Authority is representing a part of hip-hop that is withering away…What part of hip-hop are you speaking about?

Definitely…Like through the outlets of TV and radio real hip-hop isn’t really being exposed and kids growing up these days are suffering from that negligence and they are seeing false things. Like the new stuff in hip-hop is cool but people should stay true to the original hip-hop roots I just feel like my album is bringing back that Eastcoast, grimy, New York hip-hop because it’s absent from the game right now.

Aside from your album what other projects are you working on? Can we expect to hear some of your production anytime soon?

Definitely I got a track on Heltah Skeltah’s new album, Large Professor, Roscoe P. Soulchain who’s signed to Pharrell’s label Star Trak, J Live, Supastition, Special Teams, OC, and a host of others that I can’t really remember now.

Marco Polo & Sean P

I listened to some of your beats online and some of your beats have this soulful feeling. Could you tell me who were some of your musical influences growing up?

Growing up I listened to a variety of things and some of my influences were The Beatles, Donnie Hathaway, CREAM, Ron Ayers, Stevie Wonder, Patrice Rushen, A Tribe Called Quest, Wu Tang, Gangstarr, and there were a lot more but these were the main people.

Besides yourself, what other rappers and producers are feeling in the game right now?

On the production side I would have to say DJ Premier, J. Dilla as always (R.I.P), Nottz, Pete Rock, Large Professor, & The RZA. There are many more but those are just a few. As far as rappers I’m feeling Sean Price, Elzhi from Slum Village, Supastition, Rocky Marciano from The UN, and Rockness from Heltah Skeltah.

Is there anyone you haven’t worked with that you would want to work with?

Yeah, from the classic era I would have to say Rakim and Big Daddy Kane. I would also like to work with Ghostface and I could definitely see myself working with Elzhi from Slum Village.

Do you plan on working with the Boot Camp Click again anytime soon?

Oh yeah, most definitely I had three tracks on the last album and there putting out another compilation and I’m working on some stuff for that one, it’s supposed to come out this year but exactly when I’m not sure.

How do you feel about the White Rapper Show?

That shit is like watching a bad train wreck and you can’t turn away. It’s not really helping stereotypes for white people involved in Hip-Hop but I see it makes for interesting TV.

- By Cierra Middlebrooks