FEATURE: CTS Exclusive Interview With Triple C’s Member Torch

Torch is not just another rapper. He’s not just another artist looking for 15 minutes of fame. Torch is an entrepreneur—a hustler at it’s best. As a writer, producer and rap artist, the “Head Bussa” from the North can hold his own as a solo artist as well as in the highly acclaimed Ross spearheaded group, Triple C’s. He’s determined to take not just hip hop, but the whole music industry by storm. With his own Entertainment Company and modeling booking agency being a few of his hustles outside the music game, he’s already making major waves across a diverse array of industries. From looking to sign the next Lady Gaga to hopes of further working with more musical giants across all genres of music, the work ethic of Torch is just as lit as his name implies. I was able to talk with Torch to find out more about him as a person, an artist, and dive deeper into understanding all that he brings to the game. What I left from the interview with is that Torch hasn’t even scratched the surface of the damage he planes to do to the industry.

Interview By: Queen of Crunk

Crunk: Alright Torch, usually when artists are in a group, it’s harder to learn about who they are as a person. For those who don’t know, can you tell us a little about your past leading up until now?

Torch: Well, I come from Castle Hill Projects in the Bronx. I caught a little drug case. I got transported down South to get away from the charge. I still ended up going to jail for it, but it gave me the opportunity to meet the people I’m with now—Rick Ross, Gunplay, [and later] Young Breed. We formed Triple C’s. That was about ten years ago. I admit, a lot of people think Ross just signed a New York artist when in fact I was like one of the founding members to help them start from the ground up.

Crunk: So how is it being the only northern rapper in the group?

Torch: You know it’s all good. I’ve been selling records for a long time so I wouldn’t even put myself in that category of saying or even worrying about where I’m from. I just write music. I’ve wrote all different genres of music. So to like classify myself from one specific region is just waste.

Crunk: Ok, I still gotta ask who do you think is hotter music wise? North, South etc?

Torch: At the end of the day, at this present moment, the uh (long pause) South got it on lock right now. I mean the North had its chance, the West had it at one point. I’m saying we all taking turns with it. But it ain’t no ultimate who’s hotter than the next. However, at this present moment though the South got it on fire.

Crunk: Right. So how do you feel about the overall reception of the Triple C’s album? More specifically, how do you feel about the backlash coming from the North being that that’s where you’re from?

Torch: It really wasn’t any backlash coming from the North. It was only backlash coming from 50 Cent if that’s what you’re talking about. But as far as the feedback goes, we had nothing but positive feedback about the album in general. It wasn’t really nothing bad per say. The only thing people did say was that there should have been a lot more us and less features. That was the worst that I heard about it.

Crunk: Ok. So what projects are you currently working on?

Torch: “Color Cut Clarity” is the follow up album [Triple C’s] and then my solo album. But I really don’t want to put the title of the album out there because a lot of niggas be bittin’. I ain’t gon’ say nothing. My solo album is coming sooner than you think, just know that. I got a new single; it’s called “Taste Test”.

Crunk: Taste Test? Ok, I like that. So what artists would you like to collaborate with?

Torch: I’ve collaborated with most dream collaborations already, whether they’re on or off the record. But on the record, I would like to collaborate with Jay-Z and Nas. Of course, they’re artists that are out of my reach that I would love to collaborate with as well. I’m just waiting to I get closer to that genre of even bringing their name up so they can actually take me serious when I say it.

Crunk: Closer to that genre– So there’s music other than rap/hip hop that you enjoy listening to?

Torch: Oh like I told you before, I’ve wrote a lot of records. I’ve wrote reggae stuff and I’ve wrote R&B stuff. I’ve got a lot of credibility under my belt. So like I said, I don’t like to classify myself. I consider myself a musician period.

Crunk: Ok. Rick Ross is constantly either releasing new music or street videos on an almost daily basis, how has his work ethic influenced you?

Torch: When you around somebody like that, it forces you to step ya game up. I wasn’t a lazy person prior to meeting him. I’ve never been. But even if I was a lazy person, being around somebody that works that hard, it makes you feel like If you do half of what he does, then you’re already more successful than most people in the music business. So that’s just a great thing in general being around somebody that works that hard and have some of that rub off on me. His work ethic is by far greater than a lot people. He’s outdoing like half of the game.

Crunk: Very interesting. If it’s one part of the music industry that you could do without or just wish you could erase, what would it be?

Torch: Politics. At the end of the day, I came in this game to get money. It’s like a lot of people don’t fu*k with you because you fu*k with this person and this person don’t fu*k with this person so you can’t fu*k with that person. I ain’t really on the gay sh*t man. I’m [from] where when you say its beef, people shooting, people dying, people killing. All that WWF music sh*t, I could do without that part. I came in the game to get money. All this faggot sh*t, niggas acting like b*tches, I don’t like that sh*t. Half the time you meet people they fake being friendly in your face and as soon as you walk away, it’s like you never got their number. I could do without that sh*t too. If you don’t like me, say you don’t like me. Don’t just be friendly when you see me and when I call you don’t pick up the phone type sh*t. I’m a real nigga, so if you meet me and I fu*k with you and I say I’m a do a record, I’m a do it. I ain’t just talking. I’m real.

Crunk: Alright. I’m f*king with you Torch just by that statement. So tell me a little bit about Specialyst Entertainment?

Torch: Oh yeah, that’s my company. I’m the CEO. We got artists. We got producers. We got video directors and we even got a modeling/booking agency. They told me if I ain’t have ten different ways of getting money in the game, I ain’t using it right. I’m up to 12. At the end of the day, I came to put my footprints on the game. I ain’t gon stop until it’s all in it.

Crunk: Right. So you mentioned a modeling agency, can you tell me a little bit more about that?

Torch: Yeah, we casting for a lot of the videos that you see out of Miami. It’s a great look. We just did a Puffy event. He came to me to provide him with a bunch of models. It’s taking off, but at the end of the day it’s another way to get money. I’m using all platforms. I came in the game to take over—not to get a piece of it. I want all of it.

Crunk: Ok, so when you’re not in the studio, doing music, or the modeling thing, what do you do in your free time?

Torch: Well actually, you know I just got out of the hospital for massive blood loss. So I’ve been trying to take it easy.

Crunk: Uhm, ok?

Torch: Yeah them gotdamn paper cuts keep fucking me up. I need like a professional counter. So yeah, on my free time I sit around and count money until I gotta go back to the hospital.

Crunk: Ha ha! I think you need to add comedian to your resume. So what do you think about the current state of hip hop and where it’s going?

Torch: Uh, the current state of hip hop needs improvement. I feel like it’s a lot of fly by nights going on, but I would never hate on that. I don’t hate on anybody trying to get money. As long as you’re getting money to provide for your family, then do what you do. But I do feel like it needs to be more creativity. It’s a lot of tracing going on in the game. It seems like anybody trying to be original or bring something new to the game, gets slandered or hated on. I just wish a lot of people would open their minds a little bit more to that.

Crunk: I agree. So what does the future hold for Torch?

Torch: The future holds a Fortune 500 future for me- - Movies, films, music of course, more writing and producing. I want to introduce the world to bigger acts. I’m trying to do like Akon. I just found out that Akon had Lady Gaga on the contract. He’s shown me that it’s a bigger world out there. If Akon can sign Lady Gaga, well dammit Torch got a Lady Gaga coming soon too.

Crunk: Well thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?

Torch: Tell everyone about my twitter @ TorchCCC. My website: torchisny.com where [fans] can keep up with all the latest and greatest Triple C information, Specialyst news, and all the bookings and shows I got coming up. Stay tuned, I got my new mixtape coming, it’s called “Crash Course”. I got my solo album coming out sooner than you think. Look out for the Triple C’s new album, “Color Cut Clarity”. Also be on the lookout for that new Ross album, “Teflon”. It’s going to be a certified classic. *

Tags: Color Cut Clarity, Miami, New York, Rick Ross, Specialyst Entertainment, Torch, Triple C's

This entry was posted on Monday, March 15th, 2010 at 2:13 PM and is filed under Artists, Favorites, Features, Interview.
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