Tony E strives to be the voice of the people, and it’s safe to say that he is.
Coupling emotional vulnerability with words to live by, the New York-based artist garners admiration from coast-to-coast. His resonating lyrics often scratch the surface of depression, relationships, and the work behind turning a dream into reality. Likewise, Tony E expresses the ordeals he’s been in with himself, family, women, and foes. As he interjects his Puerto Rican roots into his overall musical styling, Tony E symbolically tells fans never to forget where they came from.
“The overall message in my music would be to be yourself,” he adds. “Don’t worry about what anybody else has to say. If you think it’s dope, then it’s dope.”
Rest assure that audiences can lean on his songs in times of comfort or uncertainty.
Tony has been making music for quite some time now.
“My father was a DJ when I was growing up, so he used to let me mess with his DJ equipment. Shortly after, that led into me freestyling and producing,” he adds.
The musician finds inspiration in everything he experiences. Artist-wise, he admires Kanye West, Travis Scott, and Charles Hamilton, to name a few.
To the upcoming artists out there, he advises you to be yourself,
“DON’T BE AFRAID TO STAND OUT AND BE DIFFERENT!!! Too many people are doing what they think people will like, and not enough people striving to stand out. LET’S PUSH THE BOUNDARY!” he says.
His 11-track project, La Tienda, shows Tony E’s pride for his heritage by carrying Spanish flair at the beginning of almost every song.
“There’s a store in Puerto Rico that is right around the corner from where a lot of my family live. When I was growing up, I visited multiple times a year and even lived there for a little. We used to go to that store all the time, so I thought it would be cool to use that as a theme for my album and show love to my roots,” he adds.
At the same time, La Tienda showcases Tony E’s personal growth as he uses inner-directed bars to explain his dealings with doubters, phonies, ex-girlfriends, family, and battling demons. Through it all, Tony E also gives cred to God for getting him out of a rut.
Standout tracks include “252,” “Red,” and “Hennessy Kisses.”
The first song, “252,” is a somber R&B offering that carries a heavy bassline, synths, and harmonic cries. The lyrics at hand see Tony E speaking about the discrimination against Blacks. He raps, “They just locked up my brother who Black/if he white, they would lighten the sentence.” Elsewhere, he opens up about being wary of trusting others and what he’s learned from prior relationships. All-in-all, Tony E is focused on being a leader and accomplishing his goals. Regardless of everything he’s dealt with, he keeps a smile on his face.
On “Red,” Tony E addresses the haters and those who put on a facade. Over the colorful trap offering full of xylophone riffs, a heavy bass, and other playful elements, Tony details his ways with women, chasing the bag, and going through the motion with others who carry uncertainty. As the song continues, he forewarns naysayers, spitting, ” “Nothing but red/Oh, you ain’t thought we ain’t know where you live? We pull up to the front of your house.” Throughout “Red,” Tony E uses an unbothered flow.
Carrying a musical styling akin to Drake’s “Hennessy Kisses” sees Tony E in full transparency mode. In a nutshell, he speaks about the changes that occurred in previous relationships as well as the one with his mother. “I felt like she was lying; she could’ve made time,” he delivers. Additionally, Tony E raps about his battle with depression, his upbringing, and the time he puts in to make his dream into a reality.
“Stuck inside this dark phase, this dark love. Got me going through heartbreak with hard drugs/Better off for us to part ways, I’m bad luck.”
Make sure to listen to Tony E’s La Tienda below:
