by Andrew SilversteinWhile many performers could make solid cases for being key players in Tampa’s underground hip-hop scene, newcomer Chris ‘Temp’ Caro has taken some attention-worthy strides since breaking into the games less than two years ago. A two-pronged force working as an emcee and promoter, Temp boasts a potent inner cocktail of lyrical agility and business acumen that makes him a unique figure in the scene today.
The former led him to link up with influential Brooklyn DJ Doo Wop for his debut 2012 mixtape, Empty Stages, a sonic powder keg of heady rhymes and surgical-precision delivery that’s all the more impressive considering the now-37-year-old hadn’t written or rapped at all for over a decade before its creation.
Out of the faith of longtime friend and influential figure in the scene, Devron Kelly, Temp penned and tried out a verse on fellow artist Eyeznpowa’s song, “Ignore Pain.”
“That was the first one I had done in years and it came out really good, so I just got the itch again and started writing,” Temp says.
Since then, Temp has continued writing, booking and performing at a steady clip, recently booking (and opening for) New York underground rapper Emilio Rojas at the Orpheum in June. With a steady roster of indie and national-level MCs, he’s confident, but tight-lipped about booking in future months. “[Temp] reminds me of my energy when I was first getting started,” DJ Sandman comments. “He’s taking risks by bringing artists into the market that he admires and supports. I did the same thing back in the day, booking people like Black Moon, KRS One, and Camp Lo.”
