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AllHipHop.com Tonedeff Interview
ToneDeff is the product of evolution. His belief in making “good, middle of the road, hip-hop,” has made him a staple in the underground. Having grown up in the Chicago and Miami scene before transferring to New York, Tone has a diverse pallet of skills and beliefs.
Popularly known as the man who invented the “Internet Battle,” Tone has revolutionized the Hip Hop cyber world. At the same time, his recent works with KRS-One have made some serious, and controversial noise. ToneDeff is a man who understands Hip-Hop in all its’ variations. This artist/designer adds his unique and aptly titled, “Happy Fuck You Songs” to the culture that he wants to tell you about it.
AllHipHop.com: You’re kind of a cyber-legend. I know that’s an asset and a flaw for you. Break it down for me…
Tonedeff: It’s kind of funny: the whole Internet thing. I’ll hear that often. The truth is, I was really just bored for a year. I decided to use what I saw online as a way to get heard. I’ve been doing this since I was like twelve years old: recording professionally, and performing. It’s a stigma. Now, the whole “netcee” thing is a stigma. It’s sort of like now, how ‘backpacker’ is negative. I’ll take partial responsibility for blowing it up the way that it has. When I started recording these Real Audios, and shit like that for Rapmusic.com, it was basically because I just got my equipment in my house, my own personal studio. This was an excuse for me to start rhyming, just as a way to record. I was seeing all this ‘keystyle’ shit, but nobody was doing a real battle. It was ridiculous, what the fuck is this? How is this skill worthy? I remember being bored; they were offering some money online. So I just did it. I recorded my verse as well as typed it out. Next thing I know, everybody [follows my trend].
AHH: You’ve lived in Chicago, Miami, and now New York. Coming from the first two, and entering, as a newcomer is the New York underground really the way that it’s portrayed?
TD: Absolutely. New York is by far, the Mecca of Hip-Hop. There are a lot of negatives [too], as far as being here. The scene here is so crudded with other rappers that they are spoiled. It’s much easier to rock a show outside of the state, than it is in New York. [Other places], there’s a lot more love. In New York, everything is a competition.
AHH: Speaking of shows, you did the past Rocksteady show. How was that?
TD: That whole weekend was insane for me. It’s an honor. That was the weekend where we really debuted QN5 as a label. It’s made us a little more prestigious. We’re not just another underground label. Since then, we get a lot of love in New York City.
AHH: As an MC, you really have a steady balance between content and lyricism. Most MC’s today have one or the other, rarely both. How have you honed that skill?
TD: A couple things have actually happened in the past year and a half. We’re still feeling the effects of the whole thug rapper movement from like ‘96-’97. But ever since Eminem came out, and started doing the things he’s been doing, all the thugs had to do punchlines and rhyme schemes. So the thugs are doing the styles we were doing four years ago. It’s funny to watch. When Common’s “Resurrection” came out, my whole style changed. Having clarity, and just the way of rhyming, came from Fresh Prince and LL. Common gave me the inspiration to really start doing wordplay. Since then, I’ve incorporated my speedy Miami flow that I got freestyling over Miami bass.
AHH: How can a netcee find his or her place in Hip Hop?
TD: They need to get out of their house and pay some dues.
AHH: Describe to me how it felt to work with KRS?
TD: That was an honor. My man Domingo who I work with for QN5, he’s done a lot work with [Kris]. So, when he [offered me the opportunity], I was like, “You’re kidding, right?” The whole thing just kind of popped off right. As far as the whole Nelly thing goes, I have no idea how that happened. The minute [the track] leaked online, it just turned into a media frenzy. If I knew that we were dissing Nelly on that song, my verse would have been totally different. I would have ripped that dudes head off, to pieces, lyrically. I had no idea. I thought I was just rocking some whatever shit. My appearance on the song was overshadowed by the beef. I would get mixed out after the first verse (laughing).
AHH: How can Hip Hop repair itself?
TD: I’ve felt that we’re in a transitional state right now. We’re looking for a leader. We have all this thug and drug rap. If you’re not on some Neptunes produced shit, or some thug or drug, fucking my bitch in the back of the club shit, it’s (mimics beatnik poet). You’re either a conformist or an extremist. It’s one or the other. Right now, motherfuckers need to concentrate on making good, middle of the road, Hip-Hop. Solid shit, with some straight up traditional boom-bap, and push it to the next level.
AHH: What do you feel was your most triumphant battle victory? Can you remember the bat that won it?
TD: My favorites were always on corners of streets. There was this one chick…it was just funny. It was the Hookt [cipher] battle. She was a big girl (laughing). She was trying to do her best Charli Baltimore impression. I [spit] “Stepping to me bitch, are you serious?/You’re like a goalie, you only change your pads after three periods!” That was the clincher.
AHH: Your label, QN5 has a unique and truly wonderful philosophy and mission-statement. Can you share it?
TD: QN5 is trying to do excellent traditional boom-bap, but pushing it to the next step. We’re just trying to make great music. We really want to have a great foundation with our supporters and fans. We have a relationship with all these kids. They tell us what they want, and we give it to them. We’re trying to get out of the whole stigma of posing. There’s a lot of cats concerned with posturing. We’re not afraid to be ourselves. We’re normal cats, we live Hip-Hop, this is what we do. We’ll get on a cover, and put a thumbs-up and a big ass smiley face. The music speaks for itself. We’re trying to make being normal cool.
AHH: Your next big release: Happy Fuck You Songs is certainly a creative title. How did it come about?
TD: Me and [Pack FM] came up with that. We did a song called, “Arrogant” on the DJ-JS1 compilation. It’s a bouncy, shuffly, happy beat. We’re saying, “Fuck you” all through the background. We make happy, fuck-you, songs. We curse 213 types on this record (laughing).
AHH: You’ve been rocking stages for ten years plus. I interview a lot of artists, but few have logged the hours on stage as you. How has the crowd changed in the last ten?
TD: People are sheep. The one thing I’ve noticed, if the song is good, they all respond to it. It’s when you try to get [presumptuous], for some reason it doesn’t work. If you hit them with them some other shit they’ve never heard, they love it. Don’t try to conform to the audience, because they’ve seen what you try to give them.
