Tor Cesay is a UK rapper, formerly known as Tor. She works in hip-hop and grime, and develops a style based on melodic delivery and rapid, forceful MCing.

Career

She appears at major UK live events, including Glastonbury 2007 on the BBC Introducing Stage, a performance with the BBC Concert Orchestra at Urban Classic, and the live performance for the Olympics 2012 winner’s announcement. Her work also reaches radio and television platforms, with a live session recorded at Maida Vale for Radio 1 and a video for “Back On The Endz” placed on MTV Base daytime playlist “Brand Spanking New”.

Tor signs a five-album deal with Go!Beat Records, but the label later dissolves because of financial matters. She then uses her business experience to set up the independent label Pinch of Salt Records after building a studio and travelling with the Red Bull Academy in 2006.

Releases

Her debut single is “Strivin’”, released on IRB Records. “Back On The Endz” follows in July 2007, and “Beatz in the Capital” is a mixtape mixed by Show ’N’ Prove. That mixtape includes “Black girls”, a remix of Bashy’s breakthrough track. A later compilation, “Beatz International”, is licensed from Pinch of Salt Records to File Records in Japan and is later prepared for UK release. Another track, “Going home”, is produced by Rapid of Ruff Squad, and “You don’t know” features Tawiah with Mark Ronson.

Collaborations and features

Her collaborations include Ms Dynamite on “When I Fall in Love”, Bugz in the Attic on “Move Aside”, and Soundbwoy Ent on a remix of “Never Wanna Say”, a top 20 hit. She also features on Blak Twang’s album Speaking from Experience, on Estelle’s “Nu Nuh”, and on Mongrel’s album Better Than Heavy, alongside Jon McClure of Reverend and the Makers, Matt Helders of Arctic Monkeys, Drew McConnell of Babyshambles and Lowkey. She also performs fresh interpretations of Syd Barrett songs for The City Wakes, a tribute directed by Simon Gunton.

Industry support

Her supporters include Zane Lowe, Mary Anne Hobbs, Dynamite MC, Dan Greenpeace, Gilles Peterson and MP Steven Hepburn. Radio 1 also predicts that she is a recipient of a BRIT Award for Best British Female Solo Artist.

Style and profile

Tor Cesay works with vocalists and producers from Poland, South Africa, Brazil and Argentina on Beatz International, giving the project an international range. Producers associated with her work include Rashard Smith and DJ Mentat, whose credits include work with Lauryn Hill, Biggie, Erykah Badu, Nas, Roots Manuva and Skinnyman.