[Passion to Purpose] Meet Recording Artist, and SiriusXM Radio Host, Torae L. Carr

Torae believes there are many ways to turn your passion into profit just as he did.

“I think the most important thing is to have a desire, and a passion about something. Once you discover it, figuring out ways to turn it into a career will come,” he tells BE Modern Man. “If you like to cook you can become a chef or a restaurateur, and if your strong suit isn’t business then get a partner. If you just like to eat you can become a food critic. There are so many ways to pursue your passion.”

Being able to play multiple positions within the industry has benefited Torae immensely and separates him the rest of the crowd.

“If you need a performer for a show, a host or want to promote live on the radio, I’ve got all of those angles covered. My passion for entertainment naturally prepared me to be able to execute in any capacity.”

The ability to seamlessly navigate in different lanes within the industry is no easy task, but the hard work is paying off. Despite an issue with physical CDs not being available on the release date, and 200 Kickstarters pre-sales unaccounted for, Torae still made it to #23 on the charts.

“Seeing my latest album Entitled on the Billboard charts is one of my greatest professional achievements and I did that 100% independent.”

Professional achievements are only eclipsed by his love for family, which he holds dear to his heart.

“My family is very high on my list of great achievements,” says Torae. “Being able to do things with and for my kids that I couldn’t as a child is a gift in itself. I take pride in those things.”

Focusing on long-term success, as opposed to short term gains, Torae leads by example by being a disseminator of information to enable everyone with the opportunity to win in the game.

“There’s nothing I dislike more than a hoarder of information. The more you give away, the more you gain. There are guys who are way more ‘famous’ or ‘popular’ than I am, but they’re broke. I try to show how you can finance your project, market and release it, and reap the benefits of your hard work. Rather than just take a check that’ll run out, you have to focus on the long tail. You can make 100 dollars or 100 million, but if you don’t budget right you’ll still be broke.”

For Torae, life and business is all about how you finish the race; not how you start.

“I came from the projects and, like many, I grew up without my dad. I have had numerous obstacles in my path, but regardless of all of those things you’ve got to push through. You’ve got to keep grinding until you get it because the only thing that can stop you is you.”

With every barrier that we break down there is a new road being paved for the younger generation to explore. Torae believes that these stories are the catalyst which sparks creativity, peaks interest, and helps to redefine what it means to be a man of color in the world today.

“Although I chose entertainment as my profession, there are so many multifaceted young men out there that don’t want to dribble a basketball or spit hot fire. Sometimes people confuse fame with success. You can have one without the other. I’d much rather be successful and have a profitable business than to be famous and in the red.”

While sitting in his car outside of a Coney Island barbershop, Torae experienced a very real moment as we watched 3 kids walking to school in the morning.

“They each had on a backpack from the school supply & backpack drive I put on back in September,” says Torae. “It showed me that real families, and real lives were impacted. Seeing children use the stuff we supplied lets me know that they realize there’s someone from the community that cares.”

“A BE Modern Man, to me, is a man willing to take risks, face adversity & follow through until he reaches his goals. A BE Modern Man understands that the only person stopping him is the person in the mirror, but that person is his biggest supporter so he knows anything is possible. He has honor, values; the desire to win, but most importantly knows that there is a higher power and has a relationship with him.”

The BlackEnterprise.com team salutes Torae L. Carr for elevating himself within the entertainment industry on his own terms. As he continues to build upon his music career, we are also excited about the moves he is making in film. Stay tuned for great things to come from Torae!

It’s our normal to be extraordinary. Follow @blackenterprise and join the BE Modern Man conversation using #BEModernMan.