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HipHop HeadQuarters Interview
Witty…sharp delivery-unmatched or copied..underground legend and all around dope emcee. Theres not much more you can hope for when rockin mics. Tonedeff grew up on the streets of chicago where hip hop was an early influence in his life..later he moved to miami to continue his dreams with much success and respect earned before ending up in new york. they also say fear lasts longer than respect in either case if you’ve ever heard a tonedeff track you know he should be feared as well as respected…just a slice of the qn5 talent pie superforce tonedeffs track list alone would give most emcees daymares…
sar: Whats good tone thanks for your time i know you are a busy man, hows life treating you?
tonedeff: No problem, man. Everything is one step at a time right now. But I’m alive, and I’m happy for that.
sar: Ah man a lot going on with the album coming out how is that turning out, also now that its out and you can sit back and look at it, what most impressed you about the album and what do you still feel you need to work on with your next solo release?
tonedeff: Yeah, man. Archetype is definitely on the slow sizzle right now. It was definitely a post-mature release and heads were getting restless, so we decided to drop record regardless of our budget situation. So, the album dropped with no marketing budget whatsoever. To my surprise, we’re still selling out the mom & pop shops off of word of mouth, so I’m really happy about that. It shows that hard work pays off whether you got Bow Wow’s budget or not.
In all honesty, there’s really nothing I would change about Archetype. As far as my next release, it’ll be a joint project with Kno called ‘Chico & The Man’, so it’s going to sound completely different from the last one.
sar: Some of the production credits include Elite, Kno, Domingo as well as tracks featuring Wordsworth, Rise, PackFM, Substantial, Session and Supastition. I know Domingo is always a choice for you but when you look for production what catches your ears since your beats seem to be fitted to your style and are always different. Also the same with featured artists those are great choices how did you feel about the support from them and was there anyone you wish you could have had on the album?
tonedeff: QN5 has the most talented production team in Hip-Hop, hands down. I like to brag about it because I can. (laughs). So, I’m really fortunate to have that kinda of team backing me up on the music. I’m always listening to music, so I’m always on the hunt for something new and sonically exciting for myself AND the projects that executive produce for the label.
When it’s something for myself, I always look for something that’s somewhat traditional but edgy and progressive at the same time. Overall, the shit has to KNOCK and it can’t be no drum-machine-thrown-down-the-stairs type shit – so it has to have a strong melody to it for me to get the urge to rhyme on it.
As far as everyone else’s shit, if I hear a track and I automatically conjure up someone’s voice over it in my head, then I always try to pair the two up.
sar: Yeah for those that dont know when you cop the album there is a bonus dvd full of dope emcees including immortal technique and poison pen. Care to speak a little about the dvd as a whole, what it has on it and how was it filming it and getting to see it as a final copy?
tonedeff: Well, I put the whole thing together by myself, so it wasn’t any surprise about how it came out. I’m real happy with the response though, cause I think it really helped people look past the surface of the album, which was exactly the point of making the DVD to begin with.
People don’t bother taking the time to really dig into albums anymore, they hear it for 10 minutes on winamp, pick their favorite songs and forget the rest of the album. I wanted to retrain heads on how to LISTEN to an album again.
sar: lets talk about other media spots you have earned i myself have seen you in numerous interviews including the source, but what other publications are you credited to being in and how does it feel when you see yourself in a magazine for your talents.
tonedeff: It’s a blessing, considering how I’ve ended up in all those spots. You gotta remember, like I touched on in “Politics” on my album, that “Everything you see and hear was paid for” these days. Well, I didn’t pay for shit, so I’ve let the music do the talking and the word of mouth spread in order to build my fanbase. I’ve never had the luxury of having established atists co-signing me or shopping my shit to majors, etc. It’s all been blood, sweat and tears. So, when I see myself or one of the camp members getting love in a magazine, it’s a beautiful thing – because I know we’ve earned it fair & square.
sar: i’ve spoken with you and packfm before real down to earth cats, do you feel that maybe a lot of artists let fame take away from how they speak to people and interact with them on a regular basis and how do you feel about interacting with fans?
tonedeff: No doubt, I mean… I try to stay in contact with the blue schoolers (re: QN5 fans). It’s part of our grass-roots approach to the label, and it’s resulted in the most thorough fanbase in indie-hip-hop. I understand how things can get busy for an artist when they reach a certain level, and sometimes you might not have time to talk to everyone. But no matter what, if you’re totally ignoring the people that put you where you are, you’re a prick.
sar: growing up in chicago can you tell us who some of your earlier influences were and how it was to come up in the windy city?
tonedeff: Chicago is what instilled me with my love for Hip-Hop. I grew up on the northeast side of the city in Edgewater. When I was a kid, the culture just surrounded me everywhere I looked…so natutally, I began outputting however I could. First, it was as a b-boy, had a failed attempt at graffiti, and then I learned how to rhyme.
Chicago holds a special place in my heart. I learned a lot there and I saw a lot there. But thank god my fam moved cause I would have ended up with A LOT of problems as a kid cause I was getting into some dirt. Still, I look forward to the day I get to go back and rock for the city that raised me.
sar: then you moved to miami what brought about that change and also what can you say about the miami hip hop scene and some things you accomplished there
tonedeff: We moved cause my pops cause deathly ill and we had to move to better weather. Another harsh Midwestern winter woulda killed him. So, Miami was the next step. When I got there at the end of ’89, there was NOTHING there except a couple strip malls and the everglades. But now it’s an overpopulated tourist spot.
I used to live out in Kendall, and I started a crew called RBM with a couple homies from school. We were pretty much one of the first underground style groups in the city at a time where Hip-Hop=Miami Bass Music. It was annoying. We put in mad work, and landed a couple different management and development deals but nothing ever happened with the crew. After high school I decided to move and go solo cause the scene there was pretty much nonexistent.
Fast forward to now, and everybody that used to be quiet when we were doing it back then, are now rappers. It’s kinda funny, but that’s just the way it is all around the country, so I’m not surprised. But there’s a few talented dudes doing it down there. I check out the305.com to stay up on the scene from time to time. Props to Jiggs & SLP.
sar: in your bio it reads at the young age of 21 you were already making a name for yourself so this is nothing new for you winning well known battles such as braggin rites and da cypha battles and even at that age you were having high profiled feature artists such as
Common, Royce Da 5’9, Beatnuts, Brand Nubian and Rahzel. that’s pretty impressive at that age how did it feel working with such artists was it a learning process? Not only that but is that a time when it hits you that i really am good at what i do?
tonedeff: It’s always beneficial to watch the masters at work. You can only learn from them. I’m a perfectionist, and everyone that knows me will tell you that – I’m always on the quest for the perfect track and the perfect show, etc. So, it’s imperative to learn from those who really KNOW how to move a crowd. It will only make you better.
As far as “feeling myself,” I’m not a haughty cat, so I don’t bask in any sort of accomplishment. But I’m generally happy when the crowd is lit up and giving me the right feedback.
sar: Speaking on the battles, i always like to ask this, I’m sure you have battled a great amount of emcees but was there ever a match where after it was over you were just like damn my opponent was really competition?
tonedeff: Not really, no. It’s not smart to underestimate anyone to begin with.
sar: You also did a commercial for mtvs hip hop week, are you more of the in the cut cat or the one whos ready to be all over tv?
tonedeff: I’m ready for anything. Of course, I’d love for my music to be beamed into suburban households every 5 minutes, but I’m only interested in doing my music my way…if that becomes something record executives want to throw millions of dollars behind, then rock the fuck on.
sar: what about movies can we expect to see tone in any feature films on the big screen and if so what part do you think would fit you the best?
tonedeff: I love movies, but I don’t act and I’m not actively pursuing an acting career. I wouldn’t mind directing one day, though. Tell Scorcese or Tarantino to holla at me.
sar: speaking of movies give us a couple that are must sees no matter when you were born and what movies this year caught your eye?
tonedeff: Movies has blown donkey-ass this year. Thank god for Netflix.
My favorite movies at the moment are:
Boogie Nights, Godfather 2, Amelie & Sin City.
sar: Stay at home and watch movies or hit the club and party?
tonedeff: Stay at home and watch movies… but I never get a chance to do that.
sar: Yeah, I cant imagine you get that much off time, constantly making music as well as other things, to develop your career. But on your off time what are some things that Tone likes to do just to relax and switch the pace?
tonedeff: I like to sleep, other than that… I like listening to music.
sar: A lot of cats may not know that you sing as well as rap, (not on some lovey dovey i wanna hold your hand shit), it’s just the whole hip hop music vibe with a spin on it. Did you know that you could sing before you knew you could rhyme and which one do you feel is harder when being creative and developing new concepts?
tonedeff: Actually, I didn’t start singing till I was 16, and I didn’t start playing the piano until I was 18. I’m definitely a much stronger MC than I am a singer, but I sing from the heart just as much as any other singer/songwriter, so I’m proud of the music I make. I personally enjoy both equally as much, which is probably why Archetype is such an even mix of both. It’s just part of who I am.
sar: Wide ranges of songs topics for days, from battle rap to politics the subjects are well rounded and thought out. How does tonedeff keep it original and switch topics so frequently and not half step at all?
tonedeff: I basically write my life, and I’m a fairly complicated person… which I think we all are. I people-watch like a motherfucker too. I’ve been through a lot of shit in my life, and continue to do so…as long as I’m alive, there’ll be songs to reflect where I am. I figure, that way, I’ll never run out of something to say.
sar: Oh man, I gotta clear this good rumor I heard: I actually heard that you had taken a speaking class in order to delivery your rhymes so well. Care to comment on that?
tonedeff: 100% False. Practice makes perfect.
sar: On September 24th, 2005, there is a show featuring yourself, PackFM, Pumpkinhead, & Mistah sinistah, that’s an impressive and must see line up. Do you prefer live performance to studio time because you can see how people react to the music or is it overwhelming sometimes to perform for your fans because they expect so much from you?
tonedeff: I prefer both. There’s nothing like the rush of an amped crowd, and I have a deep love for the recording process. I’m a studio rat…I stay making music all day long. So each has it’s drawbacks.
I never really feel overwhelmed for shows… I just go up there and do what I do best. I’m an entertainer at heart, so I’m there to give folks a show. What more can I really expect of myself, that to do what I do, ya know?
sar: Ok now for some ups and downs. which moment in your career was your worst and you felt like a complete idiot if there was one, and on the up side what moment made you the proudest?
tonedeff: Hmmm. My worst moment had to be watching J-Lo win an MTV award for best Hip-Hop video. That was a low blow. Thus far, my best moment would have to be holding a finished copy of Archetype in my hands after all those years of hard work and being able to share that with my girl.
sar: im gonna let you handle this one which question are you never asked and you expect to be asked when doing an interview? Something you want people to know they just never ask about tonedeff? of course the answer to it as well..
tonedeff: At this point, I’m almost 99.9% it’s all been asked, most likely by the auralarians (re: tonedeff fans) @ qn5.com. So I dunno.
sar: A lot of events happening in the world some good some bad… on a negative note the victims of hurricane katrina still need the total support of the country in order to rebuild. how do you feel about the delayed reactions in regards to our country but the quick response we have to fixing other nations?
tonedeff: I think what happened finally made it PAINFULLY OBVIOUS to people that our government is inept and way to full of itself to be effective (Like every other government on the planet). Sadly, at the end of the day, though, people will only care as long as it’s on the news. But I strongly encourage people to do what they can to help, because it’s obvious our government doesn’t give a shit.
QN5 started a Katrina Relief auction to do our part. We’re auctioning off ULTRA-RARE items in the QN5 Catalog to raise money for Habitat For Humanity. For more info, visit: http://www.qn5.com/katrina
sar: besides music you also have a couple sites whats going on with emceebattles.com that by far is one of the greatest sites ive seen for battles period. what are some things we can expect and can you give us a pretty close estimate to when we can expect it up again?
tonedeff: We’re actually, nearing completion on it soon. I’m HOPING it’ll be up by the end of the year. The message board is still going strong and it has the most REAL BATTLERS posting on the site than any other site online. Our shit is official, and the talent knows that, and we’re happy to provide them with an avenue of exposure to get their name out while they keep the tradition of battling alive.
sar: tell the fans what we can expect from tonedeff in the future with this album completed and out already
tonedeff: You can expect a lot of envelope pushing in the future and a lot of shit that will make your jaw drop. The New Hip-Hop is in the building.
sar: what about crew members albums to look out for in the future and anything else to keep our eyes and ears on
tonedeff: Absolutely, QN5 Music got plenty of craziness in the works. Be sure to peep the album of the year, “A Piece of Strange” by CunninLynguists and the forthcoming PackFM album, “whutduzFMstand4?”. I’m currently working on a joint project with Kno called Chico & The Man. A new QN5 compilation called Asterisk:Four is in the works as well. So, stay posted, y’all.
sar: give us a couple fuck yous whether generalized or not….
tonedeff: Fuck you to anyone using hip-hop culture SOLELY to make money off it and not to contribute. Fuck anyone mimicking someone else’s steez, you’re all biters. Fuck anyone that isn’t coming from the heart. Fuck all them MySpace bitches for putting 895 blinking graphics on their pages and freezing my machine.
sar: Last but not least, you’ve been to the site what do you have to say to those who are apart of it in regards to what they are doing and the artists who are up and coming and really have a strong love for the music itself?
tonedeff: My best advice is to be yourself and don’t be afraid of doing a ridiculous amount of hard work. Cause if you can’t keep up, then you don’t need to be doing this with your time. Get a real job and you’ll be much happier in life, trust me. Not everyone is supposed to make beats or rap. Try college and a job.
sar: Any last words
tonedeff: “Nah.” Does that count?
