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photo by Talia Hodge
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photo by Talia Hodge
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photo by Talia Hodge
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photo by Talia Hodge
On his 2018 track, “Bounce Back like Rubber,” Floco Torres reps Akron by celebrating one of its most enduring qualities: Its ability to return from the bottom. Over a mid-tempo beat, he raps: We just bounce, bounce ... bounce back like rubber.
Torres’ delivery carries a weathered optimism familiar to those in the Rubber City — so it might be surprising to learn he’s a transplant.
“I want to pay homage to where I am,” says the now 37-year-old Akron resident, “and this Rust Belt energy is something that I do relate to — the grittiness of it.”
Before moving to Akron, he grew up in Willingboro, New Jersey and Macon, Georgia. Torres — who was in a church choir and played multiple instruments, including trumpet — found his interest in writing translated naturally to rap. Following spots on local mixtapes in Willingboro, he released his first project, “Another World,” around 2006. After wrestling with homelessness and addiction in his family, he moved in with his grandparents in Macon. “Resilience — that’s been a big part of my life,” he says.
Following a decade of touring the Southeast, Torres was ready for a fresh start in another Knight Foundation city. He marked his Akron arrival, in 2017, with the release of “You!” — a catchy breakup song that declares, I just wanna feel like the time we spent was never wasted. With over 4,700 views on YouTube, Torres’ music video shows off his new home, featuring classic Akron landmarks such as the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. sign.
“I always come in much more optimistic,” he says. “When I first moved here, people would say to me, You have an ability to see … how great this place could be.”
Torres has over 30 albums, compilations and singles under his belt, including as one-half of the musical duo Free Black! (The project, with drummer-producer Holbrook Riles III, creates music about Black history.) He has become a staple in the Akron music scene, headlining the annual PorchRokr Music and Art Festival with Free Black! this year. His unvarnished authenticity — as heard on albums like 2019’s “West Hill,” a soundtrack to artist Micah Kraus’ exhibit at Akron Soul Train — feels invigorating. Shots ringing like a drumline … Food desert on the east side … City funding gave the peace sign, he raps on “Sounds of the city.”
Now, he’s preparing to drop “This Creative Life” Oct. 8. The partly autobiographical, self-produced album takes inspiration from his experience as a local artist.
“I’m excited about how honest I’m being, for better or for worse,” Torres says. “It’s important to be honest about how things can get better, especially when we’re talking about community.”
“1986,” the lead track on “Life,” is a sonic departure for Torres. Though its themes are hard-hitting, citing struggle and chaos in its lyrics (Murder and college should not be in common), the song is layered with acoustic guitar and soft vocals. It represents his ability to reinvent himself and confront challenges — much like the city he now calls home.
“I talk about this a lot on the new album — in the Midwest, we don’t really address things. … I’m the one in the room like, No, we need to talk about this,” he says. “Nothing gets better if we don’t objectively critique and try to push past where we’ve been.”
