The Spiritual Genius of Tonex

I am moved and encouraged. I am touched and inspired. I am too many things to explain but if you’ve ever felt the spirit of the Lord and know without doubt that it’s that spirit to sustain and keep you, you know a little of what I am feeling this morning. Actually, this post is so long overdue but as they say, right on time. If you need to be uplifted, if your spirit needs some healing, go pick up the new CD from Tonex titled “Unspoken.” I’ve only had it for two weeks but no other CD has jumped to my Top Ten All Time Favorite CD List so quickly than “Unspoken.”

In my personal journey, I’ve often asked, “If I can’t take what I’m truly going through to church and leave it at the altar, then where can I go?” Tonex’s music understands this and reminds you that church and gospel music should intersect with the truth of ones journey, not just the saved & sanctified Sunday morning front that’s all forgotten by Sunday evening. Isn’t that the ministry of gospel music? That an anointed singer can communicate a crafted song of His Word married with explicit lessons helping us to walk a closer walk with Him. Why listen to gospel music if it doesn’t teach, uplift, & truly bring you closer to God. That’s ministry. And that’s Tonex’s music to me.

Imagine removing hypocrisy from organized religion and putting that impossibility to song – that’s the music given to us by Tonex. There’s a multi-leveled Word for you about true trials we experience after Sunday morning and Tonex is unmatched in bringing you that Word. I am so thankful for Tonex’s gift this morning. God is all up in it and I thank him as an artist and I thank God, the ultimate artist of them all.

Last, I’ll just say it will take you a minute to catch up to the genius of Tonex. This man has released over 24 CDs in just 14 years. I read a newspaper review that said this CD “Unspoken” is his first CD in over five years. I was initially confused because I had purchased six or seven recent projects over the last few years on iTunes alone. Wikipedia www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonex notes that Tonex has at least 15 projects in the last five years. So clearly what the review failed to mention is that this is his first CD on a “major” label in five years and I still don’t know if that’s even true. He’s been continuously releasing music through various websites and on his own label Nureau Ink. A label and an artist achieving this alone, that's major. I went to Tonex’s website to purchase a few releases you can’t buy on iTunes (they arrived this weekend) and purchased the remaining CDs I didn’t already have from iTunes and spent most of my weekend catching up. Naturally, if you love music like I do, then you understand when an artist moves you, you have to have everything they have put out. I’m probably 95% there - over 270 songs rockin' my iPod of what's at least available to purchase. I’m sure Tonex has hundreds more in his personal vault and as soon as I can get my hands on it, I will add to my now definitive collection of Tonex's music.

What has me so lifted this morning is that I created a playlist on my iPod and titled it The Genius of Tonex. Last night, I put 16 of Tonex’s best songs (my opinion) in an order that moves me most and listened to it this morning for the first time as a collection of songs. I felt like this was cheating because there's so much music to choose from - again over 270 songs. My favorite place to hear music is in the car (gym next). Folks must have thought I was crazy “goin’ in” and “losin’ it” to The Genius of Tonex. WOW! Hearing all my favorite Tonex tracks back to back has me flying. I’m wired! This playlist “The Genius of Tonex” was a fast track for me to reconnect to God’s glory and grace. I’m so thankful that I know Tonex’s music because it reminds me how thankful I am that I know and love the Lord. Now ain’t that gospel music at it’s best?

You already know what to do! When you go to download that PHYRE new project by Anthony Antoine titled "Who's Rockin' Ur iPod" off iTunes and other download sites, pick up Tonex's "Unspoken." You will surely be blessed by doing so.

Vogue's First Acceptance Letter to College

I really wanted to write something deep and introspective about another milestone in my daughter Vogue's life (my life too). But honestly, I think the title, video and pictures speak for themselves. You can file this one under "Proud Dad" folder on your desktop! Last, I will say, what I would give to have moments like this captured on video from my teen years. I tell Vogue all the time that she's gonna be thankful that her corny dad always pulls out a camera for these moments. LOL! Enjoy!

My New CD & Music Video: The Dream Continues 03-01-09

my 9th CD release - official release date March 17th (available on iTunes & more)

my friend Deede picked up her copy immediately - truly one of my biggest fans

Excerpt from “The Original Dream” – written 08-24-08

Right before I left Atlanta, I had an old favorite captured moment of my life converted to DVD and posted on YouTube. It was my very first music video “Swing” by The Deff Boyz featuring Tony Mac (one of the pseudonyms I recorded under living in London). I originally had the tape converted to American format VHS tape back in 2000 but much has changed even since then. YouTube has taken America and the rest of the world by storm and if it’s not preserved on YouTube, then did it ever happen?

So my goal of the past few weeks was to load some of my treasured moments to YouTube. I started with my very first music video “Swing.” More than the idea as an artist of being in a music video for one of my songs, my very first video was on regular rotation on MTV Europe. At age 17, that was a part of my wildest dream. I couldn’t have been more close to the dream than (age 21) sitting at home chillin’ and there it was, without direct prompting on my part, my video was being played. One of those times, I had enough sense to capture the moment by dropping a tape in my VCR and recording my own video being played all over the country on MTV.
“My Dreams Continue”

Speaking of a lot has changed, MTV wouldn’t even be the premier dream to have my new music video played and noticed. The ultimate air time for my new music video that promotes my new single “Who’s Rockin’ Ur iPod?” would be 106 & Park or LOGO’s The Click List. Well, okay, naturally Chelsey Lately (my new television obsession), Tyra Banks and of course, Oprah. (Did you see Steve Harvey thank God on Friday when Oprah had a bright idea to have him back on the show because they simply didn’t have enough time to promote his new book). Like Steve Harvey, I pray for that day when Oprah blesses anything I have produced. Yes, I too dream big.

But it’s not just a dream for me. My dreams have walking shoes and can grow wings. What I know today is that it’s simply one foot in front of the other, each moment, every effort is a step closer to the destination. And that it’s not just one destination but many destinations along the way that I must honor, milestones that keep me going and makes me - ME. I am fully present in the journey of it all. I pray this for you and your dreams. It was my first single “Swing” and the video being played on MTV. It was the birth of my daughter Vogue. It was falling in love and someone choosing me at the same time I chose them. It was meeting Sheila E. It was changing someone’s life forever by passionate work and a calling. It was completing my first novel. And now, it’s the birth of my 9th CD project “Who’s Rockin’ Ur iPod? EP” and my new music video supporting the single. Can you believe it? I can’t believe it. Nine CDs! What artist can say this?

My friend Khalid told me to download a song yesterday – Donald Lawrence’s “Happy Being Me.” That’s me these days, just happy being me. “No one else I’d rather be.” God I’m so thankful for my exact life. God, I’m so thankful that my dreams continue.