He will perform March 12 with the Canton Symphony Orchestra as part of its Divergent Sounds Series.

For as much as he’s associated with the genre, Akron-based hip-hop artist Floco Torres said he feels disconnected from the local hip-hop scene. That’s likely to do with the outside-of-the-box approach he takes in his music.

“I’m very much in my own world,” Torres said. “A lot of my career has been like that, because I’ll do shows with a symphony, and I do shows with a full band most of the time.”

Torres is set for a show similar to the former when he performs March 12 with the Canton Symphony Orchestra as part of its Divergent Sounds Series.

Writing and performing in his own inimitable way, Torres said, “You’re always sort of explaining yourself and re-introducing yourself in every room you’re playing in. I’m always a child of hip-hop, but I think about it more like ‘I’m just making music like every other musician. The approach is the same. We all try to tell stories.”

Torres has released a slew of recordings both prior to and since moving to Akron from Macon, Ga. His music incorporates a barrage of influences under the hip-hop banner, and recently he chatted about his music, performing with symphonies and his New Jersey roots ahead of his Canton concert.

frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen>

Q. What are some of the challenges to performing with a symphony as opposed to a regular gig?

A. “The hardest part is the way symphonies are structured. When you’re performing with a band you put together, it’s not a rag-tag thing, but there’s sometimes less structure. With a symphony, everything is spelled out for the musicians, and obviously there’s more musicians involved. I’ve played with a 40-piece pops orchestra a couple times, and just to see these musicians coming in from all over the world, and they already have the sheet music, it’s pretty impressive how it’s all put together.”

Q. When you’re with a symphony, is it hard not to get caught up with all that’s going on around you and all the moving parts?

A. “Absolutely. Some of the arrangements, I’ve been able to be a part of. They’re playing, and you’re just standing there in awe, and you might start missing cues and (stuff) like that. (Laughs) It’s a really tight experience, and you do have to snap yourself out of it from time to time.”

Q. How did you get your start in music? And who are some of your biggest influences?

A. “I’m from New Jersey and moved to Ohio from Macon, Ga., three or so years ago. Eventually from childhood it just turned into a thing. I went to school for journalism, and the writing aspect turned into music, and it was something I decided to go after.”

“As far as influences, all the hip-hop legends, of course —�Biggie Smalls, Jay-Z, Lupe Fiasco, Nas —�all the names you would expect to hear when you talk to a hip-hop artist. I didn’t necessarily grow up with music in the household, but it was around. There are things that I remember my mom and my pops used to play. I played instruments as a kid and I was in the choir, so music has always been around. I think there are other things I was interested in, and I found that music has all of them —�writing, storytelling, performing, the collaboration aspect of it —�music became a solid thing, because it had all of these other things I was doing. I’d like to think I listen to every style of music, because I’m just always interested in what everybody’s doing and how to be better.”

Q. What does the rest of 2020 look like for you?

A. “I started a hip-hop duo in Akron called Free Black. So I’m currently working on the second album for that. As far as solo stuff, I’m very much in a year where I’m gonna play gigs that are fun and interesting to me, like the Canton Symphony gig. Outside of that, there’s no real ambition for 2020. It’s the beginning of the decade, and I’m just kind of going where the energy takes me and just creating and collaborating. 2020 is really just about where the energy feels right and seeing where i can make some noise.

Q. Where would you like to be five years from now?

A. “I probably been saying this for a really long time, but at this point I just want to be in a space where I’m always taking something to the next level. From a sustainability standpoint, it’s kind of like being a start-up, I just want to stay out of the red. If I can continue be Floco Torres for a living, whatever that means at the time and space that I’m at, that’s all I’m really concerned with, and everything else works itself out.”

frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen>

Reach B.J. at 330-580-8314 or bj.lisko@cantonrep.com

On Twitter: @BLiskoREP