Floco Torres

Perhaps more than any other style of popular music, hip-hop puts a high level of importance on regional pride and a sense of place. These days, it seems like there isn’t an inhabited place on Earth that doesn’t have a rap scene. Still, perhaps there’s a lingering sense that artists who emerge outside of hip-hop epicenters like Atlanta, New York, and L.A. are a little behind the curve. Whether that’s actually the case or not, rappers like Floco (pronounced “flock-oh”) Torres prove that out-of-the-way places also boast their share of inventive hip-hop. For some, being isolated can lead to innovation. When there’s less of an established local sound to rely on, you have less to lose by thinking outside the box. - Bandcamp

Torres is an irresistible personality on stage. I genuinely found myself thinking, “If Otis had grown up with hip-hop, this would be him.” - Bitter Southerner

"Torres learned early on that if you want something done, you have to do it yourself. As a rapper and recording artist, he is a self-made man, self-distributing his own albums, booking his own tours, even handling his own album artwork. As an independent artist he has been named Macon's "Best Hip Hop Artist" three times and recipient of "Best Local Album" twice. He'll have another self-produced album coming out this summer and will be back on the road touring this fall with yet another new album to follow this winter." - Nicole Rupersburg

In some of Floco’s previous records, influences were easy to pick out, but this time around he’s moved beyond those influences to curate his musical existence into a consistent aesthetic, the entirety of his output directed at answering questions: What is the American dream? Does it even exist anymore? What does it mean to be free? What does success look like, and what does skin color have to do with that success? Floco may not know the answers himself, but he’s confident in his search, he’s beyond the bullshit, his flow is locked with the snare, he’s talking to you, and you’d better put the phone down to listen. - Jared Wright

DJ Bruce Wonder got the party started with a mix that felt like we were all at Senior Prom in the early 90’s. For the record: not a soul was complaining. In fact, most were singing along. Unfortunately, this is not the part of the article where I impress everyone with my knowledge 90’s rap deep cuts (though I did nearly fall over when Wonder managed to effortlessly segue from Fat Joe to Lauryn Hill’s “Doo Wop”). My meager knowledge of the tracks aside, Wonder managed to fill the dance floor for over an hour with folks movin’, shakin’, and happily singin’ along.

There’s no denying that FNS digs what Floco’s doing and this show was proof that we might have a general idea of what we’re talking about. Floco charged the stage with an energy that immediately proved he was worthy of opening for Slick Rick. After flying through songs delivered with the fury and determination of a champion boxer, Floco took a break to catch his breath and introduce himself to an audience that was largely comprised of Slick Rick fans. In an obvious gesture to the aforementioned folks in the audience, Floco blasted into an old school medley that included “Mama said knock you out” and “Paul Revere,” closing with the statement that the “guy (on-stage) in tight jeans knows about rap music,” before closing out his set with “Cherry Street.” My only complaint: the set was over before many of us had time to process what the heck just happened. - Chris Nylund

Floco Torres, an emcee out of Macon, Ga., might have to be the unexpected hit of the weekend. He danced across the stage during his songs, grinning and lip syncing along to the samples in his beats before launching into his rap. His flow is fast but smooth and his beats are unfailingly catchy. His lyrics are witty – “Lyrical gladiator, I will beat Nicholas in any cage” – without being overly obtuse or referential. Floco Torres also has a talent for building a rapport with his audience. Between freestyling to the beat of the audience clapping, dancing off stage and making a call-and-response competition, there’s a lot to like about the guy. From the production of his beats to his lyricism to his stage presence, Floco Torres is everything a talented emcee should be. - Andy Mchorter (You Hear This)

The Hottest Hip-Hop artist in Middle Georgia, Floco Torres sits down for an interview with TBI editor Luke Goddard - The Blue Indian

"I was set to go to a Floco Torres concert. Who is Floco Torres? That’s your first problem". - Stephen Kearse

Floco Torres was selected to be in the running for URB's Next 1000. - URB Magazine

"Whatever genre you want to put Floco Torres in, he does it well" -Lillian Shaw - Macon Food & Culture Magazine

"Hip-Hop artist Floco Torres is creating a new flavor into the Hip-Hop industry that many fans will really dig. What make this entertainer a real treat to listen to are his stylish lyrics, smooth flows, and sick beats". -Isaac Davis Jr. - Juniorscave.com (online indie magazine)