Interview with Portarok
Isa Nahila S – When and how did you start MCing?
Portarok – started mc at 16 – 17 , how, freestylin over beats I was creating when I was a dj , rapping over break beats.
Isa Nahila S – Who or what were your early influences?
Portarok – rakim ,krs, dead pres., souls of mischief, black sheep, nas , lord finess, killa army and big punn
Isa Nahila S – Where does the name Portarok come from?
Portarok – On the block at 168 and around castle hill .. in the south bronx, from the street kids that didn’t speak Spanish called me that, expressing that they knew I was Puerto Rican.
Isa Nahila S – Can you tell us more about Blade Theory?
Portarok – blade theory is an elite group of all around artists that range from all four elements graff, breakin, dj, mc, we do it all basically a group form by Ill Sheperd of LCOB internationalz and part of west caost killa bee chapter ..he gathered mc’s from 8th platoon, lords of lebanon, ronin monks, casket cult, hood mystic, LCOB international and more to form blade theory.
Isa Nahila S – You are also a member of the collective DSR (Darkstarz Records) how did this all started?
Portarok – After many project flooding the system I was contacted by Caper and he presented me with a very wise question for joining the real movement I accepted the rest is history first feature was on Hell’s Wrath album.
Isa Nahila S – What is your vision of the Hip Hop movement today?
Portarok – Hip Hop today needs a little help on kick starting it back to its purest form of classic variety rawness. I blame the media , djs on main stream’s “dick” playing this wak trap shit just to make a fast dollar… someone really needs to sit these kids down now a days and look in there faces and tell them there fukin wak..
Isa Nahila S – To date what are your best carrier achievements?
Portarok – This interview….and the fact that many features and collabs (too many too quote) were done out of respect for other artist that kept the format of staying true to this culture.
Isa Nahila S – What does your passion for hip hop bring you?
Portarok – hip hop brings me peace cause I have been doing it for so long with graff painting on trains, breackin, dj makin tracks just knowing I was involved in all the mediums of this culture brings me inner righteous to respect myself knowing I was keeping it real …and when it comes to realism, real recognize real..
Isa Nahila S – What are your upcoming projects?
Portarok – 4 more albums to provide a 7 package albums to be marketed and distributed with my exclusive beat and producer ambush beats.
Isa Nahila S – As a conclusion what advise would you give to someone willing to start MCing?
Portarok – advise the new … be original, know the history, be humble and respectful to the real format, be original, do it for the love first not the fame, be original, after all that then come see me for a collab ……peace.
Listen to Front Line Design by Portarok