Tone Mason
Encyclopedia
Tone Mason is a Grammy
-nominated Canadian
hip-hop
and R&B
production
team from Toronto
, Ontario
. The group is composed of Aloysius Brown, Don D., and Mellenius. Their music speaks to a deep-rooted dedication to craftsmanship, quality and originality.
As a collective, they have contributed their eclectic brand of music to MuchMusic & MuchVibe (theme music for The Vibe, The Downlo) The 2009 Sundance Film Festival, EA Sports Def Jam "Fight for NY", Sun TV's Echo, BET's Iron Ring, Russell Peters' Red, White and Brown DVD & upcoming documentary and many more.
They also contributed their production skills and music to many major label-recording artists such as Drake, Jay-Z, Fantasia, Busta Rhymes, Outkast, Talib Kweli, Kardinal Offishall and The Game. The group’s production will give you diverse musical styles mixed with new flavours of today’s growing fusion of pop music. Tone Mason's depth of music in pop culture ensures that they are here to stay.
group Nefarius. He served as the group's DJ
and producer
. After the tragic passing of group member MC Kwesro in 1999, he and MC Collizhun (the other member) released an EP
before eventually parting ways. Before the demise of Nefarius, Aloysius Brown and Mellenius met Don D., and the three acted as "production protégés" for each other. Don D. thought it would be shameful for their material to go unheard, so they formed Tone Mason.
In 2003, the group produced "Back Where I've Stayed" for Choclair
's Juno Award
-winning album, Flagrant. However, they are mostly notable for producing Fantasia Barrino
's hit single "Hood Boy
" from her Grammy Award
-nominated album, Fantasia, in 2006.
Television and DVD appearances
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
-nominated Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
hip-hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
and R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
production
Hip hop production
Hip hop production is the creation of hip hop music. Though the term encompasses all aspects of hip hop music, it's most commonly used to refer to the instrumental, non-lyrical aspects of hip hop. This means that hip hop producers are the instrumentalists involved in a work...
team from Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. The group is composed of Aloysius Brown, Don D., and Mellenius. Their music speaks to a deep-rooted dedication to craftsmanship, quality and originality.
As a collective, they have contributed their eclectic brand of music to MuchMusic & MuchVibe (theme music for The Vibe, The Downlo) The 2009 Sundance Film Festival, EA Sports Def Jam "Fight for NY", Sun TV's Echo, BET's Iron Ring, Russell Peters' Red, White and Brown DVD & upcoming documentary and many more.
They also contributed their production skills and music to many major label-recording artists such as Drake, Jay-Z, Fantasia, Busta Rhymes, Outkast, Talib Kweli, Kardinal Offishall and The Game. The group’s production will give you diverse musical styles mixed with new flavours of today’s growing fusion of pop music. Tone Mason's depth of music in pop culture ensures that they are here to stay.
History
Don D. began his career in the 1990s as a member of underground hip hopUnderground hip hop
Underground hip hop is an umbrella term for hip hop music outside the general commercial canon. It is typically associated with independent artists, signed toindependent labels or no label at all....
group Nefarius. He served as the group's DJ
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
and producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
. After the tragic passing of group member MC Kwesro in 1999, he and MC Collizhun (the other member) released an EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
before eventually parting ways. Before the demise of Nefarius, Aloysius Brown and Mellenius met Don D., and the three acted as "production protégés" for each other. Don D. thought it would be shameful for their material to go unheard, so they formed Tone Mason.
In 2003, the group produced "Back Where I've Stayed" for Choclair
Choclair
Kareem Blake, better known by his stage name Choclair, is a Canadian rapper. He helped develop Canadian hip hop in the 1990s, as a member of the Circle.-Career:...
's Juno Award
Juno Award
The Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
-winning album, Flagrant. However, they are mostly notable for producing Fantasia Barrino
Fantasia Barrino
Fantasia Monique Barrino commonly known as Fantasia, is an American R&B singer, Broadway and television actress who rose to fame as the winner of the third season of the reality television series American Idol in 2004. Following her victory, she released her debut single, "I Believe", which...
's hit single "Hood Boy
Hood Boy
"Hood Boy" is the first single from Fantasia Barrino's second album, Fantasia . Produced by Tone Mason, it features a guest appearance from Big Boi from OutKast and has peaked at #21 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart at #3 .The song was written by R&B singer...
" from her Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
-nominated album, Fantasia, in 2006.
Production credits
- "Light Up" – DrakeDrake (entertainer)Aubrey Drake Graham , who records under the mononym Drake, is a Canadian recording artist and actor. He originally became known for playing Jimmy Brooks on the television series Degrassi: The Next Generation....
ft. Jay-ZJay-ZShawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010... - "Hood BoyHood Boy"Hood Boy" is the first single from Fantasia Barrino's second album, Fantasia . Produced by Tone Mason, it features a guest appearance from Big Boi from OutKast and has peaked at #21 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart at #3 .The song was written by R&B singer...
" – FantasiaFantasia BarrinoFantasia Monique Barrino commonly known as Fantasia, is an American R&B singer, Broadway and television actress who rose to fame as the winner of the third season of the reality television series American Idol in 2004. Following her victory, she released her debut single, "I Believe", which...
ft. Big BoiBig BoiAntwan André Patton , better known by his stage name Big Boi, is an American rapper, song-writer, record producer and actor, best known for being a member of American hip hop duo OutKast alongside André 3000. His work in the duo has produced six studio albums. During the duo's hiatus, he and André... - "We Got the Streets" – Busta RhymesBusta RhymesTrevor Tahiem Smith, Jr., better known by his stage name Busta Rhymes ,Smith is an American rapper, producer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the alias Busta Rhymes after NFL wide receiver George "Buster" Rhymes...
ft. PapoosePapoose (rapper)Shamele Mackie , better known by his stage name Papoose , is an American rapper.-Biography:Born March 5, 1978 in Brooklyn, New York City by Sierra Leone and Native American parents, Papoose made his first attempts at rapping at the age of 7. He was given his name by his grandma Vivian because of...
, Spliff StarSpliff StarWilliam A. Lewis Raised in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, New York, he is of Trinidadian descent, better known as Spliff Star, first appeared alongside Busta Rhymes as the Flipmode Squad in 1996 on his album The Coming....
, Labba, Reek da Villain, Rah DiggaRah DiggaRah Digga is an American rapper. Well known as a long time member of the Flipmode Squad, a hip hop group led by Busta Rhymes, she parted ways amicably with the group in 2007. She has been called "one of rap's most prominent women MCs" by Allmusic and "one of hip-hop's most skilled female MCs" in...
and Yummy BinghamYummy BinghamElizabeth T. Wyce Bingham a.k.a. Yummy is an American R&B/hip hop singer, songwriter. She sings soprano with a 4 octave range.-Biography:Elizabeth "Yummy" Bingham was born on January 7, 1986 to Dinky Bingham and Patricia Wyce... - "High Speed Chasin" – Rah Digga ft. Mobb DeepMobb DeepMobb Deep is an American hip hop duo from Queensbridge, Queens, New York, U.S., that consists of Havoc and Prodigy. The duo is "one of the most critically acclaimed hardcore East Coast hip-hop groups." The group is best known for its dark, hardcore delivery, as exemplified by the single "Shook Ones...
- "Hot Like the Summer" – SaukratesSaukratesKarl Amani Wailoo , better known by his stage name Saukrates , is a Canadian rapper, singer, and record producer of Guyanese descent. He is the co-founder of Capitol Hill Music, and lead singer of hip-hop/R&B group Big Black Lincoln...
ft. Andreena Mill - "Soundtrack of My Life" – DeemiDeemiTahu Jessica Aponte , better known by her stage name, Deemi, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer.-Biography:...
- "Black Girl Pain" – Talib KweliTalib KweliTalib Kweli Greene , better known as Talib Kweli, is an American hip-hop artist and poet from Brooklyn, New York. His first name in Arabic means "student" or "seeker" ; his in Swahili means "true"...
ft. Jean GraeJean GraeJean Grae , born November 26, 1976 is an American hip hop artist who hails from South Africa. She rose to prominence in the underground hip-hop scene in New York City, and has since built an international fanbase.- Early life :...
and Yummy Bingham - "My Girl" – Lloyd BanksLloyd BanksChristopher Charles Lloyd , better known by his stage name Lloyd Banks, is an American rapper and member of the rap group G-Unit. Raised in South Jamaica, Queens, he dropped out of high school in 1998. G-Unit released two albums, Beg for Mercy in 2003 and T.O.S. in 2008...
- "Magic Hour" – AZAZ (rapper)Anthony Cruz , better known as AZ is a Grammy-nominated American rapper of Dominican & African American descent. He is known for being a long time and frequent rhyme partner of Nas, and also a member of hip-hop group The Firm alongside Nas, Foxy Brown, Cormega and Nature.In a countdown of the 10...
ft. CL SmoothCL SmoothCL Smooth is an American rapper, poet, and is best known as the vocal half of the hip-hop duo Pete Rock & CL Smooth.... - "Boom Bye Yeah" – Sean PriceSean PriceSean Price is an American rapper and member of the hip hop supergroups Boot Camp Clik and Random Axe. He came to fame as one-half of the duo Heltah Skeltah, performing under the name Ruckus, or in short Ruck, along with partner Rock. He also is featured in the video game NBA 2K11 as a playable...
- "Lil' Bro" – Ric-a-Che
- "Fire in Ya Eyes" – JB ft. The GameThe Game (rapper)Jayceon Terrell Taylor , better known by his stage name Game, formerly The Game, is an American rapper and actor. As a member of G-Unit, he rose to fame in 2005 with the success of his debut album, The Documentary, which earned him two Grammy Award nominations...
- "Back Where I've Stayed" – ChoclairChoclairKareem Blake, better known by his stage name Choclair, is a Canadian rapper. He helped develop Canadian hip hop in the 1990s, as a member of the Circle.-Career:...
- "Filthy" – RascalzRascalzThe Rascalz are a Canadian hip-hop group from Vancouver, British Columbia, who played a crucial role in the artistic and commercial development of Canadian hip hop. The group consists of MCs Red1 and Misfit, and DJ Kemo. Breakdancers, Zebroc and Dedos were also part of the group.Formed in 1991, the...
- "A New Day" – Rochester
- "Struggle" – EterniaEternia (rapper)Eternia is a Canadian rapper.-Biography:Born in Ottawa, Ontario, Eternia released her first full-length album, It's Called Life in 2005. It was subsequently nominated for Rap Recording of the Year at the 2006 Juno Awards...
ft. WordsworthWordsworth (rapper)Wordsworth is an underground hip hop MC from Brooklyn, best known for his freestyle rap.Wordsworth grew up in Brooklyn. A graduate of the State University of New York College at Old Westbury, Wordsworth recorded with his partner Punchline on A Tribe Called Quest's The Love Movement and on Mos Def...
and Kenn StarrKenn Starr (rapper)Kenn Starr is a rapper from Suffolk, Virginia, currently residing in the Washington, D.C. metro area. Starr is a member of the Low Budget Crew and also the duo Isaac Jones. His solo debut, Starr Status, was released in mid-2006.- Recording history :... - "God Only Knows" – Point BlankPoint Blank (hip hop group)Point Blank is a Canadian hip-hop group from Toronto, Ontario. Formed in 1992, the group is composed of six emcees—Imperial, Trouble, Stump, Kidd, RPD, and Jackal—and one producer, Pikihed...
- "Salt n Pepper" – SaukratesSaukratesKarl Amani Wailoo , better known by his stage name Saukrates , is a Canadian rapper, singer, and record producer of Guyanese descent. He is the co-founder of Capitol Hill Music, and lead singer of hip-hop/R&B group Big Black Lincoln...
ft. Rich Kidd - "Time" – Theo 3
- "Blaow" – Frank n DankFrank n DankFrank n Dank are an American hip hop group from Detroit, Michigan. They also go by the names Frank Nitt previously known as Frank Nitty and Dankery Harv. They are mainly known for their many collaborations with the late J Dilla...
ft. Lindo PBlack JaysBlack Jays is a Canadian independent record label, production company, and musical collective, specializing in hip-hop, R&B, and reggae music. Founded in 2000 by rappers Kardinal Offishall and Solitair, it was originally known as Silver House and the Girl . In 2004, the group came to prominence... - "Reach" – Frankie Payne
- "Full Nelson" – Redman ft. Ready Roc, Runt Dawg and SaukratesSaukratesKarl Amani Wailoo , better known by his stage name Saukrates , is a Canadian rapper, singer, and record producer of Guyanese descent. He is the co-founder of Capitol Hill Music, and lead singer of hip-hop/R&B group Big Black Lincoln...
Television and DVD appearances
- Theme/Intro Music for MuchVibe (TV channel) and TV series
- Theme/Back Drop Music for The Score Television Network and Cabbie Unlimited
- Back Drop/Soundscape Music for BETBlack Entertainment TelevisionBlack Entertainment Television is an American, Viacom-owned cable network based in Washington, D.C.. Currently viewed in more than 90 million homes worldwide, it is the most prominent television network targeting young Black-American audiences. The network was launched on January 25, 1980, by its...
's Iron Ring - Back Drop/Soundscape Music for Russell Peters: Red, White, and BrownRussell Peters: Red, White, and BrownRussell Peters: Red, White, and Brown is a stand-up comedy album by Russell Peters, filmed at the WAMU Theatre in Madison Square Garden on February 2, 2008. It was released in Canada in September 2008 and in the US on January 2009. Peters will also have a television special by the same name.The...
DVD Extras