MASK OFF Ep 20: TORAE

MASK OFF Ep 20: TORAE

Author: Hawaii Mike May 10, 2025 Duration: 1:21:54

In the Season 3 debut episode of The Mask Off Podcast: the intersection of life, mental health and Hip-Hop, Hawaii Mike sits down with Brooklyn’s own Torae — rapper, SiriusXM host, songwriter, actor, culture carrier and father — to talk about his life journey.


From traversing the streets of Coney Island to navigating the evolving landscape of Hip Hop and fatherhood, Torae reflects on how life prepared him for everything he’s doing now.


He drops gems on:

   •   Knowing when to pivot, and, always take the meeting

   •   Building legacy through intention and independence

   •   The importance of using every tool in your toolbox


This isn’t just about his career — it’s about mindset, manhood, a strong mental, and making it on your own terms.


🎙 Hosted by Hawaii Mike @hwmk

🎬 Produced by: Hawaii Mike, Cynical Smith & Zenobia Simmons

✂️ Edited by: @GeneralSteele

🎵 Music by: @BudaDaFuture

📍 Filmed at Fly Private Social in Brooklyn by Bucktown USA Productions.


👇 Drop your thoughts in the comments:

What part of Torae’s story hit home for you?


📲 Follow Torae: @Torae

🔗 Follow Mask Off: @maskoffpod

Follow @hwmk


#MaskOffPod #Torae #HipHop #Brooklyn #MentalHealthAwareness #KnowledgeofSelfisthekey #FlyPrivateSocial #SelfMastery 



0:00 - Intro

1:06 - Coney Island, the foundation 

4:44 - I’m not gonna be in the starting line up 

6:24 - Getting schooled 

9:46 - got my first producer at Mcdonalds

11:41 - DJ premier, DJ Clark Kent and rapping for my life

16:24 - Maxing out my credit card pressing vinyl 

18:40 - I would stand outside of Hot 97

22:44 - Running with Cam’ron and Jim Jones

28:33 - learning how to make records with DJ Clark Kent

33:39 - First tour I ever went on

38:35 - unprotected sex = Kids

42:28 - I’ma deliver pizzas on the way to the studio 

46:11 - The Hustlers on my block 

51:18 - Who the F doesn’t want to be paid? 

55:11 - Fat Beats changed my life

1:01:33 - Working with LL Cool J

1:04:40 - Always take the meeting 

1:09:57 - Relationships are key

1:14:30 - Dedication to the craft

1:17:58 - The most beautifullest sh!t in the world



Hosted by Hawaii Mike, Mask Off with Hawaii Mike exists at a vital crossroads where daily life, mental well-being, and the powerful influence of Hip-Hop culture meet. The conversation around mental health remains particularly difficult in many communities, a reality Mike understands firsthand after navigating his own unexpected struggle with depression. His decision to speak openly about it revealed a shared, often silent, experience among many. This podcast builds on that moment, creating a space where those unspoken stories can finally be heard. Each episode uses the raw honesty, lyrical depth, and resilience found in Hip-Hop as a lens to examine our inner lives. You’ll hear candid discussions that strip away the stigma, moving beyond statistics to the personal truths of getting through the day. The aim is to foster a genuine cultural shift, one honest conversation at a time. By blending personal narrative with broader cultural commentary, this podcast offers both solidarity and practical perspective for anyone who has ever felt the need to hide their struggles. Tune in for a series that is as much about finding strength in community and art as it is about confronting difficult topics head-on.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 33

Mask Off with Hawaii Mike: The intersection of life, mental health and Hip-Hop culture.
Podcast Episodes
MASK OFF EP 11: Greg Yuna [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:24
I met Greg when his "Mr." movement was just poppin off and he was looking for a manager at the same time I was thining about not being a manager anymore. He went through a big break up almost two years ago and has since…
MASK OFF Ep 10: Just Blaze [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:55:33
Just Blaze is one of the best producers in the game. Someone I connected with in the late 90s and remained friends since. We may not see each other regularly but if he, or I, ever need anything, we're always there. For i…
MASK Off EP 9: Lenny S. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:27:14
Where do you start with someone like Lenny? He's a integral part of the RocaFella/Rocnation family, arguably the most influential team in hip hop. Yet, he's one of the most genuine, humble people you will ever meet, espe…
MASK OFF Ep 8: DJ Clark Kent [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:51:25
You know the saying "if you do something you love you'll never work a day in your life"? Well my guest for this episode is the epitome of that. He's one of those rare people who never seems bothered, gets everything he n…
MASK OFF Ep 7: BK The Artist [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:52:09
I am super happy I was able to sit with BK for this conversation. Though we've only known each for about 3-4 years, we tend to end up in deep conversations about life, current events, and being entrepreneurs, so I knew w…
MASK OFF Ep 6: BUN B [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:44:41
This is my friend Bernard Freeman. We met in the music biz while I was at The Source magazine and he was in a group you may have heard of: UGK. I was, and am still, cool with a lot of recording artists but this friendshi…
MASK OFF Ep 5: Touré [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:35:55
For the many years I have known Touré, his ability to be himself, unapologetically comfortable in his own skin, has been something I have always admired. No matter if it was hip-hop, political figures, twitter quarrels,…
MASK OFF Ep 4 Victor Cruz [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:57
I’ve been lucky enough to meet and become friends with a lot people that are, through their profession, sometimes larger than life. This episodes guest Victor Cruz is one of those people. Although we’ve known each other…
MASK OFF Ep 3 Wayno [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:31:20
This episodes guest is Wayne Clark aka Wayno. Wayno and I met, and became friends, through a client project I hired him for. Through that, and working with him and Dave East on a music project, we became friends and have…
MASK OFF EP 2 KRONDON (Pt 2 "Why not me?") [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:20:03
Back with Pt 2 with Marvin Jones III aka Krondon. He lays it all out, from South Central to Hollywood, Def Jam to the becoming Krondon and more, check it out. Follow us on social media: @maskoffpod