Barrel Brothers Detail Their Mixtape Ode to New York City

The Barrel Brothers—a project from rising New York City-based rappers Skyzoo and Torae—recently released their self-titled debut, featuring production by the one and only DJ Premier. In this latest episode of Fuse's digital series The Mixdown, Esteban Serrano sits down with the duo to get some deep insight into the project's origins.

"We were just doing records to have fun," Skyzoo says. "But we said, 'You know what, we're both at a point in our career where we put our flags in the dirt separately. This is our first full length as a duo.'"

Along with discussing the album's origins, they also reveal how each other's talent ups the game in the studio. "In the back of our mind, it's like, 'He gets busy. I can't take a bar off,'" says Torae. "But that's why we're crew, why we're fam." 

The two also take time to go over a few of their favorite tracks, including "Blue Yankee Fitted," their self-described "ode to the most infamous fitted cap in the world."

"The goal wasn't to be a throwback or retro album at all," Skyzoo says. "But to make something that felt like the city we grew up knowing and loving." 

Check out the full episode above and for more of The Mixdown, click here.