Floco Torres
Kevin ‘Floco Torres’ Williams Jr. got his name from a childhood friends grandmother who noticed how “skinny” he was growing up. When she passed away he decided to take her last name “Torres” and create a brand that would influence people to inquire before they judge(Black Man-Spanish Name). At the age of 22, Floco has created his own hollywood called “Psycadelphia”, won two indie awards for that said hollywood and his music movement in general, created a fan base from his hometown Willingboro New Jersey all the way down to Macon Georgia, and continues to make his mark as one of the next influential entertainers/entreprenuers/inspirations in the industry. Born in Willingboro, New Jersey, he grew up five months at a time in places from New York to Pennsylvania, with a few years in the South thrown in for good measure. He’s in Georgia now, visiting family and building a base in the Southeast as he’d been doing back home. It’s been a little culture shock to say the least, but standing out just fuels the fire.
In an area dominated musically and culturally by mainstream country and thug rap, he’s a dude channeling a variety
of influences, not only in his music but also in his very walk. That’s drawn a lot of attention from folks who feel just as isolated by their upstream efforts for individuality. They identify because he uses sarcasm and self-denigrating humor to defend the big gaping wounds on his shirt-sleeve heart. And they flock because he funnels it all back through a passion and intensity on the stage that matches the lyrical wit and charm in his recordings.
There are moments when, in the throes of a crowd-rousing chorus, you think he could be an old school soul singer, pouring it out like there’ll never be another performance, like there are generations of mixed-up sorrow and satisfaction that he’s got to unleash. Then, just as impressively, he starts a chuckle and the whimsy returns, playfully eschewing objectification, telling all the ladies in the crowd, “I’m not trying to be rude/I’m not lookin’ at your boobs/I’m just checking out your sneakers.” (from the song “Chicks With Kicks” featuring Al K!NG).
He’s just a dude being himself as best he can, navigating the gauntlet of simply being alive. Just like everyone else, except he’s recorded 300 songs in the process. His ambitions are no different than most folks: he wants to make a living and be able take care of his family. He labors in the studio and on the stage. There isn’t a blueprint for what he’s doing, but he stays on top of all his options, anchoring a seat in the bookstore, combing over magazines and researching changes in the world around him, keeping his toes dipped in several different cultural ponds, and looking for an opportunity to reach more people. If his gut and that growing throng of fans are right, he won’t have to spend as much time figuring out a way to reach people as he will being able to just enrich the ones who’ve already found him.
Artist Track: Listen and Love It: Hot Like the Sun, by Floco Torres
Artist Myspace URL: http://www.myspace.com/flocotorres
Support Local/Regional Artist: http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/FlocoTorresYoungFame
SUAFRadio Interview with Floco Torres-3/21/10