On the grind with Tonio from the Top

Alright, I know that I have been gone for a while. But, sometimes the kill is not as easy to track as other times. Introducing Tonio from the Top. A true cypher champ and my good friend. The best way that I can describe Tonio....Well, really the best way is to just let him describe himself. And, this is what it sounded like.

NG: How would you describe yourself Tonio? I mean...what sets you apart?

Tonio:A lot of dudes are just real phony....like 1 sided I am just genuine. Nobody is 100% anything! I'm out in these streets! I mean my boys ain't gon get the same thing my kids get. And my Lady Friend gets a different me than my boys....but I'm always gon be ME! GENUINE 4 REAL!

NG: That's whats you know a lotta dudes don't talk about there kids....They don't even take care of there kids!

Tonio: Just because you are a Hustler doesn't make you a Gangster it just makes you a nigga who hustles. Most of them bitch niggas anyway.
That's for real though! I coach football too! I have got into a fight about that shit with my homeboy! I coach there kids and they can't even come around the corner to watch there kids practice, Fucking shame!!

NG: Well, we've all seen "I am baby momma" right?

Tonio: I ain't seen shit! You gotta put me on!

NG: I got you! First off, I would like to talk about certified

Tonio: Certified is what it is.....See a lot of rappers just sit at the house...writing on the pad...Then they look in a mirror and see a bitch! It's just like slavery! A house nigga belongs in the house! A lot of these rappers are scared of being exposed cuz' they have something to hide.
When you listen to my music; You hear my life! A lot of it I'm not really proud of....But, you can hear it! You can hear that I'm a good Father. You can hear that I sold drugs. Just hear it!

NG: I just love your freestyles! It's so surreal! It's like the cypher!

Tonio: Whoa! I was so drunk when we did that!

NG:Well, dig deep in your memory's eye & try to remember what you were thinking of in the hotel scene where you talk about your strong arms,lol!

Tonio: Truthfully, nothing was going down in my mind. We were at Rams Live....that's like a big spot down here in Baltimore. We dropped like 25K for that spot! It was a real live venue...we had like Models and, People from Bad Boy were there...couple of Def Jam peeps...It was actually my label buddy Los's mixtape release party. We had started drinking since earlier that day. Honestly, in my opinion Los is the hottest thing on the East Coast right now as far as music goes!

NG: You need 2 tell Los about me!

Tonio: I definetly will...That's my fam I definetly will!

NG: Afterall we do ALL have to eat!

Tonio: That's definetly right!

NG: So why did you call your CD "Grind Hard or Find GOD" Why can't you do both?

Tonio: You can do both! Theres not a reason why you can't. What I was saying is that there are some dudes that are out here...and they ain't built for all that. Kinda like "If you scared go to church" cuz' we out here on our grind! If there is ANYTHING in you that feels like you can't deal with the consequences of being out here...you need to find something else to do!

NG: I love U MAD! You wanna talk about it?

Tonio: U MAD is talking about haters! But, everybody say's haters...why not just say they mad? You mad about my girl,my car,my kids! My kids especially! You're jealous SO WHAT!?! Aahhhh Ha! Everybody really talks about the third verse though! That's the one that I mainly talk about my kids...Nobody really does that nowadays. They just talk about what they've got...They're car,clothes, whatever...and don't even see they're kids! Posin' up with some chick stuntin like they doin what they aint even doing for real! The game is so fucked up right now! Riding around in they Man's car frontin' like it's HIS! Ain't no future in your frontin' I'm just so mad right now!

NG: I love the Aaaaahhh Haaa! You are truly funny!

Tonio: That be what it IS! Sometimes you can only laugh at it!! Sometimes when you tell the truth the reason why people laugh is cuz' they can identify someone in they're life that is just like that...and, all they can do is laugh. I got a song called "You don't go Hard" It was actually produced by a dude name Fo from Poland...The song basically like is an introduction of myself. I start with that song @ every performance...That's how Baltimore IS right now! Gettin' Hustlers mixed up with being a Gangster...Just because you are a Hustler doesn't make you a Gangster it just makes you a Bitch assed nigga! Just because you sell drugs.....Don't make you no hustla.

NG: I'm gonna guess that not too many people mess with you.

Tonio: I don't really mix with too many crowds. When I was younger I was wild so.....those memories kinda stick around with people. I'm just living off of the reputation that I built up from when I was younger.

An Excerpt from Tonio's Bio goes on even further:

Tonio signed to Da Bloc in 2006. CEO Jermal (Marty) Jones heard him featured on a song by Da Bloc artist M.Blox, and invited him to the studio. At the time Tonio was so rough and raw, but managed to still get the nod from not only Marty, but Da Bloc’s other artist LOS, Skarr Akbar, and D.R.O.P after only 2 studio sessions. Being around such good artist helped polish his flow and give him a better understanding of the business. His mixtape “Grind Hard or Find God” was released in 2008 under Da Bloc Inc/Crown Jewelz Ent. and went on to sell over 2,000 copies in Baltimore.

I know that I feel safe on the streets with Tonio in tow. And my ears love to hear his freestyles flow!

Till next time....I'll be starving to feed you with the swagger that we all love.

~Nydigritti
The Swagger Hunter

IMAGES & BIO THANKS TO: Tonio & Under Da Bloc Inc/ Crown Jewelz Ent.