Trendsetter is thrilled to welcome critically acclaimed underground Orange County rap sensation Phora to the 2017 roster! In case you missed it, Phora just debuted the new video for “God” off his sixth full-length album and first for Warner Bros. Records Yours Truly Forever.
Check it out here
Purchase or stream the album HERE.
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22-year-old Anaheim-raised rapper, songwriter, and artist Phora—aka Mario Archer learned about the hustle at a very young age.
“My dad was an independent rapper, and he recorded music, put it on CDs, and tried to pay the rent by hustling them out of his trunk the old-fashioned way,” he recalls. “Wherever we went, he would talk to people at the grocery store, gas station, drive-thru, or swap meet, and try to get them interested. I saw the struggles he went through. That made me respect the hustle. Everyone else’s dad worked in a cubicle, and I loved watching. I learned a lot of the dos and don’ts from him, but mostly the don’ts as I like to say,” he smiles.
Before Phora formally picked up a microphone, he was an in-demand and successful tattoo artist by the time he could get a driver’s license. Inspired by J Cole, Common, Atmosphere, Kanye West, and DJ Quik, he wholeheartedly turned his attention to rapping at 17 in 2011, funding his career by tattooing.
“I was making good money from tattoos, but my heart was focused on music,” he admits. “I started devoting more time to music and less to tattooing. It was a sacrifice and a risk, but it was worth it. There are so many songs that lifted me up. There were times where I either wanted to do some crazy things to other people or to myself. Many artists made me stop, listen, think, and realize I wasn’t alone and life shouldn’t be taken for granted.”
He didn’t waste a moment either. With an emotional delivery, powerful bars, and cinematic storytelling, he independently released projects at a relentless pace, starting with 2012’s Still A Kid. The record spawned his first track to crack a million views on YouTube, “Gotta Move On,” as he cultivated a fan base by booking his own shows and performing everywhere. He followed that up with “one album per year”—One Life To Live [2013], Sincerely Yours[2014], and the successfully crowd-funded Angels With Broken Wings [2015].
Fueled by his intense dedication, that fire translated into his art. He garnered acclaim from LA Weekly, DJ Booth, and Power 106 for confessional and catchy narratives. Walking away from a horrific car crash in 2016, he delivered the fan favorite With Love. The effort captured #1 on iTunes Top Hip-Hop/Rap albums chart, going toe-to-toe with A-list heavyweights and coming out victorious. Songs like “I Think I Love You” impressively generated 2.35 million Soundcloud plays and 3.2 million Spotify streams, while “Fake Smiles,” “I Think I Love You,” and more all surpassed the 2-million mark. A worldwide fan base enthusiastically embraced Phora and his Yours Truly movement, proudly sporting the clothing line and supporting his independent label.
“There’s a relatable story behind it,” he goes on. “It’s about a kid going through a rough patch in life, not letting it break him, and still having a little bit of hope. That’s me. The response has been incredible, amazing, and humbling.”
After logging six years without a record label, manager, or publicist, he inked a deal with Warner Bros. Records in January 2017.
Ultimately, Phora finds truth in the grind and gives it back to millions everywhere. “I hope listeners can find themselves in what I do,” he leaves off. “I want to give them the harsh reality of what certain people are going through in certain areas. At the same time, I want to uplift them. We’re all going through something. The next man is fighting a battle you don’t know anything about. Respect and relate to each other. That’s my message.”