When it comes to beats and rhymes, Canadian producer Marco Polo and Brooklyn MC Torae don’t play, just check the résumé. On his 2007 critically acclaimed album Port Authority, Polo recruited a who’s who of MC’s like Kool G Rap and Kardinal Offishall to ride over his hard-hitting, boom-bap instrumentals. Torae, on the other hand, has certified his rep as one of the game’s illest lyricists in a similar fashion with remarkable wordplay on his highly touted 2008 street album Daily Conversation. So, in the spirit of great hip-hop duos, the producer and the MC signed with Duck Down Records (home of Buckshot, 9th Wonder, Black Moon, B-Real of Cypress Hill, KRS-ONE, Sean Price, Heltah Skeltah, DJ Revolution, Smif N Wessun, Ruste Juxx, Boot Camp Clik and Kidz in the Hall) in 2009 to release their collaborative album Double Barrel.
“He’s bringing the hardest production that he can bring, I’m bringing the hardest rhymes I can bring; together its like a double barrel blast,” says Torae of the album’s persistent theme. The two first hooked up when Marco tapped the MC to guest on his Mick Boogie-helmed mixtape The New Port Authority in 2007. In turn, Marco went on to produce “Casualty” on Tor’s Daily Conversation. “I think we just had a connection in the studio,” says Polo, “We wanted to make an album that we wanted to hear with banging beats and aggressive rhymes.”
Sonically Double Barell pays homage to New York’s mid-‘90’s rap scene, when artists like Gangstarr and Wu-Tang Clan reigned supreme. The album’s first single “Party Crashers” is a definite standout, harkening back to that era with its chest thumping percussion and rock solid rhymes. So rather then try to fit in with hip-hop’s pop set, Marco and Torae chose the unconventional route. “I think the sound of the album is not the most popular or trendy, but we’re going to crash the party,” says Tor, “ We’re coming in with this sound and we’re coming in doing what we want to do.”
Songs like the dramatic “But Wait” and the free associative “Word Play” display Tor’s forward thinking conceptuality, while the rock-infused “Danger” stands as one of Marco’s finest productions to date. Overall the album is chock-full of the street-influenced rap that fans have come to expect from the two hip-hop upstarts.
More than superior rhymes and dynamic beats, Double Barrel is a testament to the ever-important creative relationship between rapper and beat maker. “You want to have a good sense of chemistry with a person and Marco and I have good chemistry,” says Torae. “You’re going to have a consistency in the sound,” says Marco of the benefits of the one MC, one producer dynamic.
Throughout the album pays homage to the genre of rap that influenced the duo and even features critically acclaimed heavyweights like M.O.P., Masta Ace and Sean Price to help balance out the track list. Still while honoring the past, Marco and Torae’s main goal is ultimately to further their art. “We’re not trying to take it back,” says Marco we just wanted to make an album that knocks.”
With the boom bap in tow, the pair aim to prove that behind all the flashy videos and high priced toys, hip-hop always boils down to two things: beats and rhymes. Double Barrel more than accomplishes the goal, and Torae sums up the collaboration perfectly when he spits, “He makes violent beats, I’m from the violent streets/That Double Barrel sound, that’s where violence meets.”
Danger
Marco Polo & Torae Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Angels know, they're not what I'm dreamin' of
Tell me 'bout your fantasies
You know what I need tonight
Baby, you and me, we're like TNT
Light the dynamite
Two parts trouble (two parts trouble)
Danger you, danger me
Danger Us, I know
People don't always know what they need
Passion play can make a lonely heart bleed
I don't want my candy sweet
You don't want your lovin' nice
Every time we meet, we're like TNT
Light the dynamite
Two parts trouble (two parts trouble)
Double down tough (double down tough)
Danger you, danger me
Danger us
Two parts trouble (two parts trouble)
Ready, steady, rough (ready, steady, rough)
Danger you, danger me
Danger us
Tell me 'bout your fantasies
You know what I need tonight
Baby, you and me, we're like TNT
Light the dynamite
In Marco Polo & Torae's song "Danger," the lyrics delve into the idea of passion, danger, and living life on the edge. The opening lines of the song set the tone with the plea, "Heaven, don't send me someone to love, Angels know, they're not what I'm dreamin' of." This suggests that the singer does not want a traditional relationship and is seeking something more dangerous and exciting. The lyrics also touch on the idea of fantasies and how they can become a reality when two people are together. The line "Tell me 'bout your fantasies, You know what I need tonight" suggests a connection between the two protagonists and a willingness to try something new and thrilling.
The chorus emphasizes the danger of the relationship, with lines like "Two parts trouble, Double down tough, Danger you, Danger me, Danger Us, I know." This repetition of "danger" reinforces the idea that this relationship is not safe or conventional. The use of the phrase "two parts trouble" also suggests that each person brings their own set of issues, but together they create an even larger problem.
The song emphasizes the idea of living dangerously and taking risks, which can lead to great rewards or terrible consequences. The lyrics "People don't always know what they need, Passion play can make a lonely heart bleed, I don't want my candy sweet, You don't want your lovin' nice" suggest that the two protagonists are searching for something more than a meek and mild relationship. They want something that will excite them, push them to their limits, and bring out their wild side. The chorus then repeats, emphasizing the idea of risk-taking and living on the edge.
Overall, the song Danger explores the idea of passion, danger, and living dangerously. The singers are searching for something more than a traditional relationship, and they find it in each other. The lyrics emphasize the excitement and thrills that come from living on the edge but also the potential risks and dangers that come with it.
Line by Line Meaning
Heaven, don't send me someone to love
I am not interested in finding love through divine intervention.
Angels know, they're not what I'm dreamin' of
Angels do not fit my ideal partner or fantasy.
Tell me 'bout your fantasies
Share with me your imagination and deepest desires.
You know what I need tonight
You are aware of what I desire this evening.
Baby, you and me, we're like TNT
The energy between us is explosive like dynamite.
Light the dynamite
Ignite our passion and chemistry.
Two parts trouble (two parts trouble)
We each bring our own dangerous elements to this relationship.
Double down tough (double down tough)
We are resilient and will face any challenge head-on.
Danger you, danger me
We pose a threat to each other's emotional stability.
Danger Us, I know
We both recognize the difficulties that our connection can bring.
People don't always know what they need
Individuals may not be aware of their true desires.
Passion play can make a lonely heart bleed
Engaging in romantic endeavors can lead to emotional pain and isolation.
I don't want my candy sweet
I prefer my experiences to be edgy and intense.
You don't want your lovin' nice
You also seek something more raw and thrilling in your intimate relationships.
Every time we meet, we're like TNT
The energy between us always builds up into an explosive dynamic.
Ready, steady, rough (ready, steady, rough)
We are always prepared to face the gritty nature of our unstable connection.
Contributed by Carson P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@djaiko7268
This was used in Modern Warfare 2 during the training mission. It was playing on a radio on base.
@DaanishNordin
"Hey I need an extra mag for the 240!"
@Saud1sa
Kanan is the real danger
@Gugu-ws6ed
Danger danger
@Copemaxx
2 months till new season premiere #pumped
@xxxentbrandonredhoodrobins7606
Danger Danger
@1Circusman
Kanan's fight scene in Power (Season 4) brought me here
@Kt-fe4up
Yh same
@paul-shaneshah1941
Kanan Motherfucking stark
@Gwuapogabre
Kanan best OG