If Toronto-born, New York-based hip-hop producer Marco Polo were to take the rest of 2010 off, the rap world would understand. In March, he released a collaborative album with underground MC Ruste Juxx, The Exxecution, and on Tuesday (June 29), he drops The Stupendous Adventures of Marco Polo, a collection of unreleased gems and remixes (both on Duck Down). On top of that, this Saturday (June 26), he's throwing the Beat Showcase: Toronto Edition, a live event at the Great Hall featuring fellow T.O. sample-based beat makers Rich Kidd, Moss and Frank Dukes.
"I just wanted to have a good-ass party with my peoples in Toronto," says the man born Marco Bruno in an Exclaim! interview. "I'm probably one of the only producers that tries and connects good producers with good artists. I feel a good music flow is more important in the big picture than being greedy. We need to flood the scene with quality right now."
Judging by Polo's day planner, it looks as if he (and his MPC) could flood the scene alone. In addition to following up his 2007 solo album, Port Authority, he's contributing beats to a slew of hotly anticipated rap records.
"Port Authority 2 is my No. 1 focus, but I'm also working on Pharoahe Monch's album [W.A.R. (We Are Renegades), due September], Scarface's album [The Habit, due 2010], Roc Marciano's album [and] Sean Price [Mic Tyson, due 2010], to name a few," he explains.
While Monch and Price are Duck Down labelmates, Polo's connection with Scarface is more surprising. Unbeknownst to Polo, the Houston legend chose one of his beats for "The N Word," a song featured on Scarface's new mixtape, Dopeman Music.
"I didn't even know he used the beat until recently, but after I heard it, we connected via phone and have a lot of music in the works for his next album," Polo says. "I'm extremely excited about that. Face is a legend."
To learn more about Polo's the Beat Showcase: Toronto Edition, watch the YouTube video below:
"I just wanted to have a good-ass party with my peoples in Toronto," says the man born Marco Bruno in an Exclaim! interview. "I'm probably one of the only producers that tries and connects good producers with good artists. I feel a good music flow is more important in the big picture than being greedy. We need to flood the scene with quality right now."
Judging by Polo's day planner, it looks as if he (and his MPC) could flood the scene alone. In addition to following up his 2007 solo album, Port Authority, he's contributing beats to a slew of hotly anticipated rap records.
"Port Authority 2 is my No. 1 focus, but I'm also working on Pharoahe Monch's album [W.A.R. (We Are Renegades), due September], Scarface's album [The Habit, due 2010], Roc Marciano's album [and] Sean Price [Mic Tyson, due 2010], to name a few," he explains.
While Monch and Price are Duck Down labelmates, Polo's connection with Scarface is more surprising. Unbeknownst to Polo, the Houston legend chose one of his beats for "The N Word," a song featured on Scarface's new mixtape, Dopeman Music.
"I didn't even know he used the beat until recently, but after I heard it, we connected via phone and have a lot of music in the works for his next album," Polo says. "I'm extremely excited about that. Face is a legend."
To learn more about Polo's the Beat Showcase: Toronto Edition, watch the YouTube video below:
