Hailing from Canada but based out of New York, Marco Polo relocated to the States shortly after the millennium and found work as a studio engineer. His first high-profile production was for Brooklyn O.G. Masta Ace, and before long he was one of the city's most in-demand beatmakers, working with Boot Camp Clik, Pumpkinhead, Torae, and countless others. Heavily influenced by the golden-era greats (Premier, Pete Rock, Lord Finesse, etc.), Marco's tracks are anchored by classic boom-bap drums and brimming with well-flipped samples. Best known for projects like Port Authority and The Stupendous Adventures of Marco Polo, he's up there with Statik Selektah when it comes to next-generation practitioners of traditional East Coast hip-hop. Cali pioneers MC Eiht and King Tee appear on "West Coast Love," but for the most part it's NY to the fullest, with strong appearances from Large Pro, Inspectah Deck, O.C., and Tragedy ("Astonishing"), Talib Kweli (the tribute "G.U.R.U." with Preemo), and a reunited Organized Konfusion on the jump-off single "3-O-Clock."