There have been a few threads on this amazing brother. He is a gospel artist whose sound and amazing voice has been compared to Prince. But at the same time his voice kinda reminds you of Stokely Williams, the lead singer of Mint Condition. In 2002 , he had a great hit on gospel stations called "God Has Not Forgot"{from his album O2}. Like Prince, this guy runs through musical genres like water, he does hip-hop, neo-soul, soul, r&B, jazz and rock. Also like Prince, he is very prolific, he has recorded a large amount of material. Some of it has been considered too risky for release by major gospel/Christian recording labels, including this 2-CD set called Oak Park: 92105. 92105 is the zip code in San Diego, CA where he is from. He has received a reasonable amount of press over the last 4 years including coverage in USA TODAY.

I can't even begin to tell you my reaction after hearing this underground 2-CD set. Tonex wanted this album to have an air of mystery to it. So when you receive the CDs there are no tracklistings, no credits or anything. Just two CDs and the cover art. The leadoff track is a tight banging hip-hop track in which Tonex sings the hook...."I tried to warn you...I'm from California"...right off the bat you know there is not gonna be your traditional gospel-Christian record.


He was upset because his major recording gospel label wouldn't release it, "I really felt this album could have helped alot of people". The 2-CD set is supposed to be an overview of his life growing up in San Diego. But simply put, there is no way Verity(his record label) was gonna release this project, which have lyrics like....."I'm here smoking trees, when I should be down on my knees, this is not me...this is not where God wants me to be".....Then on another track called "Alone"..(I'm just guessing at the title, because as stated earlier there are no tracklisting with these 2-CD), he says....."I just want to be alone...I wish these niggas would stop calling me on the phone". Then he goes on to say that he doesn't feel like going to church, don't feel like picking out anything to wear. The album is really REAL lyrically, and those who have heard the album who are not even Christians says that they appreciate the "realness" of it. On a couple of tracks he addresses problems him and his wife are having in their relationship/marriage. But then comes back on another track and pays homage to her saying that even though they have had some rough times in their marriage, she is still the love of his life. BTW his lovely wife is Yvette"Mrs Tonex" Williams who is a powerful anointed vocalist in her own right and she has a new gospel spiritual CD coming out in July

On another jaw-dropping track, he talks about watching pornography and mastubastion, then going amongst his brothers and sisters in church and "trying to be cool" as if he's ok and that he is not driven by addiction. These lyrics are definitely bold and upfront. The musical backdrop is amazing on this these two CDs and you won't find yourself getting bored. There are several songs{the last 4 tracks actually} in which you can hear the Prince influence, particularly "Pain" on disc number #2. If you didn't know any better, you think that was Prince singing the lines....."Pain...Pain.....God knows about your pain", but make no mistake. like Prince he has a style of his own too, even though he is influenced by certain artists. BTW, he turns in his most amazing vocal peformance on this cut. I was recommeded this underground recording by some dear friends of mine, I'm glad I bought this recording. Color me impressed and blessed by the talents of this young brother.

The CDs have a raw feel and a few cuts sound like they were done in one take, but I think you'll find these two CDs very rewarding. I give the album a letter grade of A just for the fact that NEVER before have a Christian/Gospel artist had the nerve to talk about topics and taboo issues as Tonex discusses on this underground project. He surely kept it REAL on this. And he should be recommended. These underground recordings are sort of like the gospel equivalent of Prince's 1987 underground/bootleg album The Black Album. Except Tonex found an alternate means of releasing the discs. The website where you can go to order these 2 CDs is www.nureau-underground.cjb.net

Keeping with his prolific ways, he is releasing a 2-CD set(consisting of 36 tracks) on his actual gospel record label Verity Records called Out The Box on May 18th. It is one of the most heavily anticipated gospel recordings this year. And former Prince associate Shelia E plays on a couple of tracks from the upcoming release. I look for this brother to break through and have major success even on the secular music scene.


Peace,
Brother 9/15
[This message was edited Thu Apr 8 11:59:11 2004 by BRO915]

Tonex is the future. I'm going to have to cop those discs.

Tonex can sing his butt off!!! I'm just glad he's decided to tone down on the Prince look. He's the only cat that can put that off.

okaypimpn said:

Also, there are a couple of songs on Oak Park:92105, in which he alters his voice like Prince does on "Erotic City" and "Bob George". The music on these two discs are tight. Also at the website that I provided, there are a few more underground Tonex CDs, I'm gonna get a couple of more of them. And I am definitely picking up Out The Box on May 18th. I've heard three cuts off of it and if this 2-CD set is anything like these 3 songs then the recording is gonna be powerful.

...

i'm-a have to check these out... tonex is one bad mutha... and he puts on a hell of a show, too...

EllisDee said:

More controversial lyrics from this project.....

"I'm with power and anointed
But it's hard to minister the word when you feeling kind of horny"

"I'm taking ya'll niggas back to church old school style with them B3s
You niggas don't even know what I'm talking about...organ player show em what we talking about" or something like that he says. I wonder what Shirley Caesar would say if she heard these "real" lyrics.......

By the way, one of his concert from his last concert tour will be released on DVD a month after his Out The Box CD drops.

BRO915 said:

Tonex really doesn't have to speed up his voice...he can just sing that high if he wanted to!

okaypimpn said:

I know right!!!! Also check for his wifey CD coming out too.....It's gonna be good and plus he got some rugged rappers that he is bringing out like AppleJaxx that are gonna rip it up in the name of the Lord.

Peace and God's Blessing Upon U and all who view this thread,
Brother 9/15

BRO915 said:

You mean Ms. Tonex? Yeah, I heard she can blow! I'll have to check for her. God Bless you, too, Bro.

OK Tonex fans, here is the tracklist for his new 2-CD set Out The Box.
He has it broken down into sections.


SECTION 1 - DISC #1: Hi Energy/Dance/Rock

01.yolanda adams introduction
02.overture
03.out the box
04.the trust theory
05.alive
06.alive 2

SECTION 2: Progressive Gospel

07.fundamentals
08.work on me
09.games
10.endangered species
11.the children’s bread

SECTION 3: Tonex Throwbacks

12.real with u
13.taxi overture
14.taxi
15.personal jesus
16.why?
17.God has not 4got (feat.kirk franklin on piano)

SECTION 4: Studio A

18.God is love
19.ain’t

SECTION 5 - DISC #2: Dance / Praise

20.nureau ink
21.believer
22.todos huntos (w/sheila e.)

SECTION 6 - Prophetic Worship

23.your word (w/morpheus)
24.freestyle worship
25.the spirit realm
26.make me over

SECTION 7: Grafitti / Hip Hop

27.since jesus came (w/kirk franklin)
28.bout a thang (horton plaza remix)

SECTION 8 : Studio B

29.syng
30.doesn’t matter (w/applejaxx)
31.thank Q. (w/t.bizzy)
32.closing interview
[This message was edited Mon Apr 12 7:08:28 2004 by BRO915]

Ok folks, as stated in the other Tonex thread, I'm totally impressed with this guy's talent. And Oak Park: 92105 is simply masterful. This is definitely one of the best CDs I've heard this year. This 2-CD set is like his Sign O The Times. He goes through so many styles on this and he writes all of the materlal and plays mostly all of the music on it. This album contains r&B, hip-hop(the brotha got 5-mics skills for sure), jazz, blues, gospel, electronica etc. Just a superb album. The 2 cd set are $30 dollars, but TRUST me it is worth it and you won't be disappointed. This brother can be vocalize Prince and then two seconds later go into Michael Jackson mode then 2 or three seconds later be in Stevie Wonder mode. But although he is influenced by those big three artsts, he still has a vision and style that is all him.

I just got another one of his underground unreleased CDs Protransalutionary in the mail yesterday and have only played 4 cuts and all 4 cuts blew me away. This is a serious experimental electronic type album. The first track I can't stop playing is the first track which is a nice Stevie Wonder influenced mid-tempo R&B/pop number. There are no tracklistings for these underground CDs and the second track is just off the hook.....an unorthodox jam called "3/4"(I'm guessing at the titles}, in the song he talks about how everybody uses the same beats 4/4 but want some "3/4". This is a tight experimental jam. I just got a tracklisting for Oak Park:92105 and I will post it later on, just in case some of you have gone to the website and purchased the CDs since I dropped this thread a few weeks ago.
[This message was edited Fri Apr 23 5:12:57 2004 by BRO915]