Toobe Fresco

Allow us to introduce you to C-Ro, a 19-year-old emcee from Cleveland, Ohio.

C-Ro has a firm command of the English language and rocks with a humble flow reminiscent of Canada’s Shad. His new project, Limitless: VTII (hosted by M.Stacks and @CLEVELANDmusic), is up for grabs right now. Give it a whirl and let us know what you think in the comment box. - Roc4Life

Allow us to introduce you to C-Ro, a 19-year-old emcee from Cleveland, Ohio.

C-Ro has a firm command of the English language and rocks with a humble flow reminiscent of Canada’s Shad. His new project, Limitless: VTII (hosted by M.Stacks and @CLEVELANDmusic), is up for grabs right now. Give it a whirl and let us know what you think in the comment box. - Roc4Life

Cleveland rapper C-Ro Del-Fresco opens his new nine-song EP with a choppy but energetic number called "Cold" before coasting through the rest of the way in a deep, deep groove. Sounds like he's finally found his footing. C-Ro's rhymes are clean and his topics broad, touching on everything from mainstream rap — something he obviously isn't too keen on in "H.E.R.," a music-industry parable about a lost girl — to family troubles (daddy issues come up in "Lonely Dreams"). But watch out: "WarmSummerNight (Interlude)" could lead to some serious baby-making if you're not careful. C-Ro still has some room to grow, but he's on the right path. And we'll take rhymes about daddy issues over fast cars and cheap girls any day. — Courtney Kerrigan

- Cleveland Scene Magazine

Cleveland rapper C-Ro Del-Fresco opens his new nine-song EP with a choppy but energetic number called "Cold" before coasting through the rest of the way in a deep, deep groove. Sounds like he's finally found his footing. C-Ro's rhymes are clean and his topics broad, touching on everything from mainstream rap — something he obviously isn't too keen on in "H.E.R.," a music-industry parable about a lost girl — to family troubles (daddy issues come up in "Lonely Dreams"). But watch out: "WarmSummerNight (Interlude)" could lead to some serious baby-making if you're not careful. C-Ro still has some room to grow, but he's on the right path. And we'll take rhymes about daddy issues over fast cars and cheap girls any day. — Courtney Kerrigan

- Cleveland Scene Magazine

Charles Pratt, also known as C-Ro, in his childhood fell in love with Hip-Hop at a young age. In Charles’ early years he grew up around old school R&B and he slowly started to grow a liking towards it. At age 10, Charles wrote his first lyrical piece and since then he made a decision that would later be his career – being the one on stage letting others feel his pain, his triumphs, and his mind through the lyrics and a beat.
Music in general to him is what he dreams about, what he breathes; what he lives for. It is his home away from home where he can speak his mind and not be neglected, where the paper meets pen and creates the music that he has been making for only two years that many love to this day.
Outside of Hip-Hop Charles does graphic design, produces music, fashion designer and just a laid-back kind of guy. He wants to be able to live in a chill, lavish, and comfortable life. He wants to be successful in life & his career; he puts out a lot of work. Hip-Hop is Charles’ life and he doesn’t plan on letting it die anytime soon. Check him out http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=530133634&ref=ts#!/imfresco?ref=ts Follow His Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/C-Ro-Del-Fresco/102498209792788
- NWC

Charles Pratt, also known as C-Ro, in his childhood fell in love with Hip-Hop at a young age. In Charles’ early years he grew up around old school R&B and he slowly started to grow a liking towards it. At age 10, Charles wrote his first lyrical piece and since then he made a decision that would later be his career – being the one on stage letting others feel his pain, his triumphs, and his mind through the lyrics and a beat.
Music in general to him is what he dreams about, what he breathes; what he lives for. It is his home away from home where he can speak his mind and not be neglected, where the paper meets pen and creates the music that he has been making for only two years that many love to this day.
Outside of Hip-Hop Charles does graphic design, produces music, fashion designer and just a laid-back kind of guy. He wants to be able to live in a chill, lavish, and comfortable life. He wants to be successful in life & his career; he puts out a lot of work. Hip-Hop is Charles’ life and he doesn’t plan on letting it die anytime soon. Check him out http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=530133634&ref=ts#!/imfresco?ref=ts Follow His Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/C-Ro-Del-Fresco/102498209792788
- NWC

Meet the Band: C-Ro (vocals, production)

Sweet 16: When he was only 16, rapper C-Ro Del-Fresco joined the hip-hop group Three Kings with high hopes that the group would amount to something, but it never made it into the recording studio. "We couldn't get anything done," he says, "so I started recording on my own and I set up my own studio in my home."

Mixtape Master: To date, C-Ro has released five mix tapes and one studio album, Limitless, which came out last year. He says he prefers the mix tape format. "The studio album format is a little constrictive," he says. "You have follow things to make sure you have a single. You can't experiment with different stuff. With mix tapes, you do what you want. I'm a fan of sampling. I produce most of my own stuff, so it's hard when I have to come up with 40 to 50 new concepts."

The Future: After the concert and release of the mixtape, C-Ro Del-Fresco plans to go on a college tour with his DJ. He's currently in the process of booking his own tour, something he's used to doing. "I do everything myself," he says. "I record, mix and master myself. I have a manufacturing plant at home where I press up all the CDs. It's a little pricey but it's worth it."

Why You Should Hear Him: His new mixtape D.O.P.E. Vol. 2 features a bit of everything. "Out of Love" is a woozy ballad that has the laid back feel of a Jack Johnson tune and "Somethings Don't Need to Change" is a reflective song about seeking fame. Zac Gatz guests on the jazzy "Flavor," one of the best songs on the disc. "I do listen to a lot of jazz," he says. "My favorite jazz artist would be Miles Davis. I like the jazz fusion sound, especially from the '70s because it was something new. I want my music to be something new. I didn't want to overload the album with variation but I wanted to give different sides and different sounds."

Where You Can Hear Him: facebook.com/delfrescoworld - Cleveland Scene Magazine

You're 17. You have a love for music, you're talented. You have a group, but no way to record your sound. Your funds are limited. What do you do? Buy your own equipment, and create a studio in your home. At least that is the path that Charles Pratt, aka "C-Ro" aka "Mr. Del-Fresco," chose to take as he strives to make his music known to the world.

Pratt is a rapper/singer/producer from Cleveland, and recently graduated from Shaker Heights High School. "[In my inhome studio] I am given the freedom to experiment and reach for the sky with my music," he said. His group, the 3Kingz, were slated to record in the studio a number of times, yet a lack of funds prevented them from accomplishing that goal. As a result, he slowly started acquiring the necessary equipment to record, produce, mix and master his own music. He released his first mix tape "Mr. Del-Fresco: The Mixtape" in December of 2009, which sold more than 100 copies at Shaker Heights High the day it was released. You can find and download his second mix tape "Forget Me Not" at delfrescoworld.blogspot.com/p/mixtapes.html and www.livemixtapes.com. Along with producing his own music, he has produced for his friends, as well as, other young up-and-coming artists with limited funds.

Self-motivated to succeed in the music industry, Pratt has self-taught himself how to produce, mix and master his own music. "I have loved music all my life, and became interested in pursuing music at the age of 10," said Pratt. It was around that time that he taught himself to play the piano. "My grandmother use to teach piano lessons and I would be in the room while she was teaching, and I always loved the sound of it," said Pratt on why he took up piano playing. "For my tenth birthday she bought me this mini piano, and I would walk around playing notes on it," he continues. "After that I started learning by listening and watching other people play," he said.

"Music to Charles is his home away from home, without it he's lost," states one of his closest friends. "I just want people to understand that we all go through pain, heartbreak, fall in love, fall out of love, but I want to be that person they all turn on ta find that song to relate to," he said. Pratt and the members of 3Kingz decided that he should pursue a solo career since the group was falling short of their goals. Pratt built a reputation for being a rapper in his community, and when he reached high school his reputation continued to grow. He performed in several shows while at Shaker High, and even his teachers and the assistant principals took an interest in craft by providing feedback and suggestions on how he could advance himself in the music industry.

"Without my fans, supporters, teachers, critics, I would be nothing. So I thank all of you from the bottom of my heart for helping me to keep doing what I love," said Pratt.

You can find out more about this young man on the Internet at www.facebook.com/imfresco and hear his music at www.myspace.com/datkidro. Be on the lookout for his mixtape and full length EP to hit the airwaves soon.

By ReGINA "G STYL" CRAWFORD

Contributing Writer

Copyright Call and Post Oct 20-Oct 26, 2010
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved

- Call & post Newspaper

By John Benson, special to Sun News
on July 17, 2014 at 10:34 AM, updated July 17, 2014 at 10:40 AM

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After releasing seven mixtapes over the past few years, Cleveland MC C-Ro Del-Fresco is finally working on his full-length debut, due out this fall. "I like to categorize myself as a classic hip-hop artist but still have the new age influences," said C-Ro Del-Fresco (real name Charles Pratt). "My influences go from Eminem to Stevie Wonder. As far as rappers today, Big Sean and Chance the Rapper come to mind. These are people who have different styles. That's what I want to put into my music." He points to new tunes such as the summertime-sounding "Flavors" and the energetic "Didn't I?" as defining his sound.

Tidbit: A rapper since the age of 10, C-Ro Del-Fresco (the name is a combination of early inspiration Lil' Romeo and a reference to The Cool Kids) said Northeast Ohio has a burgeoning hip-hop scene. "Right now, yes, Cleveland is a good place to be because there a lot more opportunities for local artists coming out," he said. "We have a vast majority of different styles and people you can go to for help. With the things you can do here, I'd say Cleveland is becoming a better place for the local MC."

C-Ro Del-Fresco is scheduled to play at 8 p.m. Friday at the Agora Ballroom, 5001 Prospect Ave., Cleveland. Headlining are Dub-O and Tezo. Tickets are $15 ADV/$20 DOS. - Cleveland.com

Local Rapper Toobe Fresco to Play Release Party at the Grog Shop
Posted By Jeff Niesel on Thu, May 5, 2016 at 5:16 PM


Growing up on the East side of Cleveland, local rapper Toobe Fresco (formerly C-Ro Del Fresco) listened to music all day long as a youth. When he was 10, he wrote his first song and in seventh grade started 3 Kingz, a hip-hop group.

In 2009, he issued first release, Mr. Del-Fresco, and he then put out the Forget Me Not mixtape, the first of his projects to be featured on Livemixtapes, a website devoted to breaking new rappers. Since then, he's put out two more mixtapes and started to pick up some traction with his 2011 EP Visible Thoughts, which received favorable reviews from the local press. 


 Now, the prolific rapper has just released Let Us Dream, an album of hip-hop and R&B tunes that reflect his positive attitude and spirituality. The undulating first single, "Price Tag," features old school synths and hiccuping vocals as Fresco raps, "gotta learn to put a value upon your life/cause money ain't the only value so think twice."

“Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Alright’ was a big inspiration for ‘Price Tag,’" he says. "I like the sound of it and I thought it would be cool to achieve something like that. I just like the concept of it. It's about morals and values and what people see as their values."


Fresco says he embraces positivity because he wants his music to work as "mood music." 

"Honestly, there’s nothing out right now that is positive," he says. "You have people like Chance the Rapper but there's not enough of that out there. That’s my goal is to help do that. When you listen to Drake and Lil' Wayne and everything that’s out right now, it’s more just about living the life and that’s cool. In some of my lyrics I boast a little but not in an entire song or project. That's too much. I’m trying to be more relatable.”

 He celebrates the CD's release with a show at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 12, at the Grog Shop. - Cleveland Scene Magazine