Normally, when a rapper says they are going to bring us to his hood, they are talking about a street or block with a row of homes or apartment buildings. Scores of people line the sidewalks or clog the roads to stand behind their local hero a.k.a. emcee. However, Fat Tony isn’t your typical rapper nor does he want to be.
Tony is from Houston, Texas, which has been steadily churning out solid hip hop acts for years. He follows many local customs, playfully renaming his hometown Screwston, in honor of the famous elixir popularized in the region. Nevertheless, he tries to distant himself from many of his peers through his lyrics and personality. His mixtape, entitled Smart Ass Black Boy, shows that he isn’t only focused on partying and having a good time. Instead, Tony relies heavily on his intellectual side for guidance through the treacherous world around him.
He released a video for the title track from his latest mixtape, Smart Ass Black Boy, which highlights his uniqueness. Rather than bringing us to downtown or South West Houston, Tony takes us to Congressman Maurice Duhon’s ranch. There he chills with his friends, messes around with a shotgun, and hangs out with cows. It is an interesting look into a side of Texas that most hip hop fans don’t get.
Tony is a lyrical monster, albeit a little odd at times. There were multiple times where I had to rewind the track to hear exactly what he said, because I couldn’t believe it the first time around. For a rapper to proclaim their joy at hearing that their girl is pregnant is a little unusual. Even though he maintains a swaggy air, he still manages to be positive about life. It is a refreshing break from a lot of the hip hop made today.
He really is a smart ass black boy and I think he is a solid musician. His rhymes are crisp, he has a cool personality, and the fact that he decided to chill at a ranch for the video shows that he has a little sense of humor. Keeping an eye on him might be a wise decision.