PRESS: Urban Vault Interviews – Fortunato
Urban Vault caught up with Toronto, Canada based emcee Forunato to ask him some questions about his latest album MDCXVII, and more…
~~
urbanvault.co.uk/2018/11/27/urban-vault-interviews-fortunato/
MDCXVII is the Roman numeral equivalent of 1617, the address where Fortunato was born in Toronto's west end. MDCXVII is a deeply personal album that focuses on Fortunato's depth of experience in the Hip Hop game, and specifically how it has affected his life. Inspired by his travels to western Canada during his coast to coast tour, MDCXVII showcases beats, guest appearances, and engineering from solely west coast artists, including Kryple of the Edmonton based group Doom Squad, Mugg Shot and Madchild. “I met so many talented artists out there that I decided to work with them exclusively on this project", he says. The album is primarily produced by Scopic, whose repertoire includes the hard-hitting record Against All Authorities from Onyx, was mixed and mastered by the engineering guru NATO, and features cover art by the multi-disciplinary artist, Mad Dog Jones. MDCXVII will be distributed via URBNET, and will be available Friday November 9th on CD, vinyl, and digital.
BIOGRAPHY
Born and raised in Toronto, Fortunato is known for his gritty raps and ferocious flow. In addition to citing the staple rap group Onyx as his influence, Fortunato’s creative process is comprised of equal parts preparation and experience, with his vocabulary and versatility being what differentiates him from other rappers. His live performances encompass all elements of Hip Hop, and usually feature a DJ and B-boy, which he has maintained while extensively touring. Fortunato has an impressive tour history, which spans both national and international stages. He co-headlined the “L.S.D” tour this past summer which included 36 shows across Canada from Prince Edward Island to Vancouver Island, and has also performed with Onyx in Europe. Other notable performances include the Halifax Hopscotch Festival, Team Back Pack cypher and the A.F.R.O. show in Halifax.
Fortunato recently collaborated with DJ IV on the album 2 Bad Dudes, which was nominated for best Hip Hop/Rap recording at the 2018 ECMA's and also reached the #3 spot on Earshot's National Hip Hop Charts. He won best International Hip Hop video at the Golden Sneakers Film Festival in Hamburg, Germany for his song "Dead in The Streets" from his upcoming album MDCXVII.
released November 9, 2018