I first heard Tone on WPRB back in 1989 when flipping through local radio stations, looking for something to listen to. I was 13 at the time and absolutely obsessed with hip-hop. Back then in the Philly area, there weren’t a whole lot of stations playing hip-hop, so when I stumbled on a college radio show that was not only playing dope music, but also laying into the commercial crap at the time like Young MC, I instantly fell in love. Over the next four years, I’d listen faithfully every week to Club Crush/Raw Deal, taping almost every episode.

Tone’s presence on the show was always very big. He would never step to the mic and sound tired or bored. He was always hyped up about pushing his latest production or promoting an upcoming PRT show. Any time there was a Thursday Night Live session, he was in the thick of it, freestyling or dropping verses that would later show up on his solo album or the Crusaders for Real Hip-Hop project. You could tell there were times where he had some disagreements with Easy M or G along the way (like when his name was mysteriously chopped out of drops for the show), but he would always find his way back on the air and make some noise.

Back in 1990 I sent Tone my first (very) crappy demo tape and then pestered him for several weeks to see if he had listened. He told me one week that he had received it, and a few weeks later he told me that he didn’t have it. “It was in my bag,” he told me, but either he had lost it or it had been stolen. Looking back now, I realize that he was just being polite to a 14-year-old kid who had sent him a seriously awful demo. Rather than telling me I sucked and crushing my dreams, he chose the higher road and didn’t say anything. I really appreciated that courtesy, once I realized what he did.

Post-PRB, I kept up with his music and periodically listened to my old PRB tapes for old times sake. Then, in 2003 or 2004, I dropped him a line and we started talking about music and the radio show. He joined up with Paul from WPRB and co-DJed the “Tenth Planet” show for a while in 2004. His involvement there was unfortunately cut short — I think he said it had something to do with management. I ended up a recording a bunch of those shows as well.

When I launched Normal Bias, Tone was absolutely psyched. Anytime I posted a new show, I’d let him know and he’d download it. We chatted about behind-the-scenes stuff with the show and he’d share new tracks he was working on. Word is that there was even a “Raw Deal” reunion in the works. How great would that have been? I’m going to miss those chats.

The audio included here kind of goes against format in that it was recorded off of a stream directly to an MP3 file rather than cassette, but it’s a great 3-hour set from the September 11, 2004 edition of “Tenth Planet.” Tone’s on the wheels the entire time. The playlist for the show is still online (and included in the comments ID3 tag on the MP3).

RIP, Tone and deepest condolences to your family.

(Also, a few things you may have missed: comments from Tony here on Normal Bias: 1 2, and memories of Tone from G: 1 2 and Pumis.)

However, I have what may be a better episode for this week of tributes to Tony D. This episode is from February 8, 1990. Easy M was off DJing a party somewhere in Jersey, so his partner from “Too Smooth” (later “Sounds from the Underground”) Fresh J filled in as a co-host. Easy’s absence meant that Tone was given a full two hours on the wheels. And, man, was Tone in full promotion mode. Tons of great Trenton acts, special announcements about groups that were to become legendary, and even some MC Serch references. This really is a classic episode.

So, side by side:

Side 1 (10:05-10:48pm)

The show kicks off with some technical difficulties, but Tone steps up to the wheels to kick off his two hours and displays some nice turntable work when he starts things off with Gang Starr’s “Words I Manifest.” From there, he moves into Marky Fresh’s underrated “Mack of Rap” and then hits a couple of Trenton cuts from Too Kool Posse (“Music Makes You Move”) and YZ.

During the first break, Tone pimps an upcoming show for the first of many times. The show sounds like a killer, put on by the Awesome Two in New York City at Quando’s (which was on 9 East 2nd Ave). It featured A Tribe Called Quest, LONS, Freshco and Miz, Robbie B and DJ Jazz, Poor Righteous Teachers in their first NY appearance, and Tony D. When Tone mentions Tribe, he asks G, “Have you heard of those guys?” and G replies that he has but has trouble remembering the name of their first single. Seems weird now, huh?

Among the tracks in the next set are “The Gas Face,” which surprised me not only because they didn’t cut out the repeated “Oh shit”s, but because that was the track that kicked off the Tony D-Serch feud (quick recap: Tone mistook Serch’s dis to “Tony Dick” as a shot at him and then fired back at Serch on vinyl). Debuted on the show is one of my favorite all-time cuts that’s nearly impossible to find, 360 Degrees’ (made up of Prophecy and Gusto) “The Harmony.” Back in December, Tone was selling the EP for $500 on eBay.

Side 2 (10:49-11:35pm)

Some great banter on this side (“Lance, Lance with the dookey stain pants”). Tone hints at a possible “Serch vs. Tony Part 2″ and the upcoming New York show (“If Serch comes…”).

Also on this side, a Tony D-voiced ad for the “Sound of Trenton” record store, an 8-minute anti-apartheid song with Black Rock and Ron, Brand Nubian, and many others (can’t find what this song might be — any help?), the premiere of “Listen to Me Brother,” and more Tony D, Blvd. Mosse, and PRT goodness.

Side 3 (11:35pm-12:15am)

At the end of the night, Tone debuts a new track with PRT that didn’t even have a name yet (it later became “Can I Start This?” and kicked off PRT’s Holy Intellect). They also play the top track in their new countdown and close out the show with some funny back and forth between Tone and Fresh J before it kicks into Fresh J’s “Too Smooth” underground house show.

Here’s a recent one of Tone talking about his production credits:

And if you haven’t seen it, his video from a year or two ago, “The Boss is the Boss”:

I’ve made so many relationships and formed so many close bonds with so many really good people in the music industry but not very many can compare to the love and respect I have for my friend, mentor and big brother Tony D.

My other big brother from another mother YZ introduced me to Tone a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away called Ewing NJ. He took me to Tone’s when I was about 14 before we worked on the Sons of the Father album. I spit something for Tone and he was like we gotta do an album on you too! Knowing his rep as a dope DJ and the songs him and Z were coming up with I was bugging that he thought I was nice let alone record an album with him.

I recorded my very first full songs at his mom house called “I’m the Principal” and from there we made so many really good records. Some got shine, most of them were overshadowed by label politics and bullshit but definitely left a great impression on Jersey as well as the world.

When we worked on the Funk Family project in ’91, Tone was one of the people who convinced me that I could be a star. He gave me some of his hottest tracks and I remember the feeling I got when we recorded each of them as feeling free and that we were doing something amazing that would change hip-hop. I always welcomed the opportunity to go verse for verse with Tone. I knew that even though he loved making beats he was a true Emcee at heart and we did some classics together like “Lose’em” & “Dummy Move.”

All throughout my career, even when I started making beats for myself, Tony said go for it and honestly, I merely considered myself a beat maker until he gave me the thumbs up. Tone has always been my measuring stick for music. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for him because he kept me focused always believed in me even when I didn’t. I wouldn’t know as much as I know about this industry and the reason why I should stay true to myself as an artist even if it means you aren’t number one on Billboard because of him.

His legacy is deep from YZ, PRT, Blvd Mosse, Suicide Posse, Black Prince & Asiatic, Too Kool Posse, Crusaders for Real Hip-Hop, Shawn Lov, Kaaos, Scott Lark, Unfound Flavors, Almighty & KD Ranks, Mo Flex, The Funk Family, Baby Chill & the Secret Squirrels, Blaque Spurm, Sworn Secrecy and so many other dope Jersey MCs. He was a pioneer and his sound is the blueprint for the J-Dilla’s (RIP), Mad Libs and 9th Wonders of today. Didn’t matter that he was just a cool ass Italian cat from Trenton, he was our big homie that blew our minds every time he tapped the SP1200 or MPC and I will always be grateful for having him in my life.

I miss you already big bro. RIP!

(ETA: Be sure to check out Rock the Dub’s interview with Bobbie Fine.)

• The Trentonian: Trenton hip-hop legend dead at 42 – This Trentonian piece is outstanding (much better than the initial piece on nj.com that had no clue who Tony D was).
• Ukut.com: A Salute To Tony D – Includes a nice selection of his production and MC credits. be sure to check out the Shawn Lov track “Can’t Complain,” possibly Tony D’s last vocal appearance. It’s really great.
• Dan Charnas: White Devil Becomes White Angel – Tony D. R.I.P. (1966-2009) – Touching tribute from Dan Charnas, who worked with Tone at Profile. (Also here.)
• Cold Rock Da Spot: Tony D…R.I.P. – Another good round-up of Tony’s music.
• Philaflava: R.I.P. Tony D (also, on the forums).
• Cocaine Blunts: R.I.P. Tony D
• Rock the Dub: RIP Tony D – Good collection of coverage up to this point (and source for many of the links here).
• Fat Lace: Legendary producer Tony D (a.k.a. Anthony Depula) dies in car accident (R.I.P.)
• Strictly Independant: R.I.P Tony D aka Anthony Depula aka Harvee Wallbangar – A nice line-up of Tony D videos.
• Tony D R.I.P. – Note that the time of death listed is incorrect (it was April 4th).
• Paul Rosenblog: R.I.P. Tony D.
• Austinsurreal: RIP LEGEND TONY D!
• Wake Your Daughter Up: RIP Tony D
• Rap Radar: R.I.P. Tony D
• Hip-Hop Battlefield: Rest In Peace Tony D – Tony’s wife Marcy writes in on the comments.
• Just Blaze: =(
• Press Rewind If I Haven’t…: Jackin For Beats : Tony D in The Source (1992) – A scan of the 1992 piece in The Source (see also the Droppin’ Funky Verses ad)
• MC Serch
• Chairman Mao
• StevieG (see also his audio tribute)

Let’s start with a few select Tony D moments from this tape (1991-1992). Every week when I tuned into WPRB, I hoped for a Thursday Night Live session, not just for the guests but to see what Tone would bring to the table. He was often trying out new lyrics that either wound up on “Droppin’ Funky Verses” or the Crusaders for Real Hip-Hop album.

Here are just a few minutes of my favorites…

A more thorough retrospective will be forthcoming here and, I’m sure, over on Philaflava’s blog.

RIP, Tone.