MARCO POLO
UDC: Name and Background Information?
MP: This is your boy Marco Polo coming right out of the Funky Town and I’m representing the DFW. We are trying to do it big out here with R&B and Hip Hop. A little background on Marco Polo is that I have been doing this music thing for about ten years as far as writing, producing, and pretty much anything that has to do with R&B and Hip Hop. It finally broke through when I was asked to be a part of a group called Hi-Five when they were coming for a come back in 2003 and that opened up a lot of doors for me. Once we got that rolling I toured with the group for a little bit and I was privileged to do shows with a lot of different cats that I grew up listening to. Like Jagged Edge and H Town, who were influences of mine from back in the day. Jamie Foxx was the number one influence of mine. People were sleeping on that first album he had and they didn’t want to take him seriously. He is an Oscar winner and now he has that recognition to make 20 million a movie. Of course he is going to put out a CD and go platinum with it but it’s more about that un-hidden talent that he had.
UDC: Who were some of your musical influences when you were growing up?
MP: When I was growing up I didn’t really get into the old school music but I did listen to The Temptations. I came from a musical background from my mother who was an entertainer internationally, who was part of a girl group from Harlem. She was part of that whole entertainment scene and I grew up over seas in Italy and that’s where I was born. It was different because I remember growing up and watching her perform and I can remember listening to the music from down stairs. My mom was doing her thing and that was a major part of my influence for music.
UDC: Is there any producers that you would like to work with?
MP: I really like Jazzy Phizzle. There is something about his beats that have that flavor. It’s got that R&B flavor and he can also flip it to some Caribbean. Of course I also want to work with Dre and if I ever get the chance to work with him it would be like history in the making as far as what I’m doing and my kind of style.
UDC: How important do you think it is for artists to be independent, own your own music, and your own entity as a business?
MP: It’s extremely important because the part of the business as being an artist it’s about 80% business and 20% talent. You have to make sure you have your business taken care of and know that there are a lot of people that flow and sing, so you have to stay on top of what you do.
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You have to make sure your business is taken care of, make sure your copyright is taken care of, and make sure you have your own publishing taken care of. Get your ASCAP, BMI, your barcodes, do your research on the internet, and take care of everything that goes along with a business.
UDC: If you received large sponsorship money what would be the first couple of business moves that you would make?
MP: There are so many cats in the DFW that have talent that haven’t had the opportunity to get it heard or displayed. One thing that I want to do is open up an outlet for the underprivileged artists to set up their own shop. A lot of people don’t have the money to buy all of this expensive equipment and know what software to purchase. I want to be able to open up a center where artists can come in and learn about music and learn what it takes to make music. It would also be for the people out here hustling to go somewhere where they can change their life around so they don’t have to live that life.
UDC: Tell us what’s up for Marco Polo for 2006?
MP: I have been grinding a lot as far as my producing and as well as finishing up my album. I have been doing some performances around Terrell, Corsicana, and I’m doing some stuff in Waxahachie, Waco, and Louisiana. The album is coming soon and that will be called “Real Life” and the first single that I will be pushing is called “Appetite 4 U”. We’re working on a video for it as well. It’s been played in a couple of these local clubs around here and all of the radio shows have it. Listen to it and call the radio shows to request it. Support your artist.
UDC: Give any shouts outs that you would like.
MP: First and foremost you have to thank GOD, thank my mother for guiding me through this whole journey that I’m experiencing right now. This is an endless journey and I know I will be able to reap the benefits later on when it pops off. I want to shout out to my boy Twin and K Blaze. K Blaze is my hot producer in the south who has that fire behind his beats, you will definitely be hearing about him. Shout out to my family, kin folk, mad love to the Funk, and Dtown. I’m just trying to put it down on that R&B level in the South.
MARCO POLO
Trobia Entertainment
(817) 734-5724
Email
Visit his Website Here!
Interviewed By Ean@undevco.com
Photography By Lesley Lawson
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