Recent from talks
B.Slade
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
B.Slade
Anthony Charles Williams II (born May 16, 1975), better known by his stage name B.Slade and formerly known under the gospel moniker Tonéx (/ˈtoʊneɪ/ TOH-nay), is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, rapper, dancer, producer, and activist from San Diego, California. He has gone by various names and aliases, but his primary stage name of choice had for years was "Tonéx". In 2010, he began using the stage name B.Slade to rebrand himself.
Williams has released several hundred songs on dozens of albums throughout his career, has also produced several others for both gospel and secular artists. He has won six Stellar Awards, a GMA Award, and received two Grammy nominations: one for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album for his 2004 gold album, Out the Box, and another in 2009 for Best Urban/Soul Alternative Performance for his single, "Blend", from his 2009 mainstream (albeit theoretically Gospel) album, Unspoken.
Known primarily for his gospel recordings, his musical efforts blend a wide range of styles, including pop, R&B, jazz, soul, funk, hip hop, rock, Latin, electro, punk and trance. His primary influences include Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, Prince, Michael Jackson, Walter Hawkins, David Bowie, and Janet Jackson. His distinct sound and eclectic style of music led him to describe his own music as a genre he called "Nureau".
Born in 1975, Williams grew up in the San Diego, California area. His father, Anthony Williams, was the Senior Pastor of the Truth Apostolic Community Church in suburban Spring Valley and served as a district elder in the California District Council of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World (PAW). His mother, E. B. Williams, was a licensed minister in the PAW and served the church as an Assistant Pastor. Anthony was the youngest of the Williamses’ six boys. Gospel music was the preferred choice at home, but other sounds made their way into Williams’ environment. His father played saxophone for James Brown and Jackie Wilson, his mother sang in various girl groups, and his older brothers sneaked in funk and R&B recordings at home. Deciding early on a musical career, he took the name "Tonex" by the time he was 13, sometimes spelling it "Tonéx"; at the age of 16, he and his parents hired his first personal manager, Benjamin Jimerson (also known as Benjamin Jimerson-Phillips), in 1991. Jimerson, who has since become a film producer, stated: "From the first moment I saw Tonex and he sang his first note, I realized I was dealing with a young man destined to become a major celebrity."
Rescue was still a small label, and Pronounced Toe-Nay was issued in a limited production run and distributed mostly from the back of Williams' car. Young gospel fans, however, quickly caught on to the innovative variety of music on Pronounced Toe-Nay. The album's producer, T. Boy, was an alter ego of Tonéx himself. The album was divided by style into seven sections: hip-hop/rap, retro/funk, the future, jazz, mellow grooves, soul/gospel, and bonus tracks. In the recordings of Kirk Franklin and others, hip-hop had previously made inroads into gospel music, but this kind of wild eclectic mix was completely new. At the time, the digital reproduction of music was in its infancy, and rare copies of the album became prized possessions. The album garnered the attention of the producers at the 14th Annual Stellar Awards, and Tonéx was added to the lineup. His performance made a strong impression and has been noted by critics for its impact, drawing comparisons to Michael Jackson's performance at the Motown 25th Anniversary Special in 1983.
By this time, national labels had come calling. Tonéx was signed to an unusual three-way deal that affiliated him with the successful and growing gospel label Verity, the pop imprint Zomba, and the durable hip-hop label Tommy Boy. Tonéx made his national debut with a re-release of his most successful independent album, Pronounced Toe-Nay, in 2000. His first high-profile television appearance was performing a medley of "Trinity" and "One Good Reason" on the Stellar Awards, which was a coup as Tonéx was relatively unknown at the time. He dubbed his particular genre-spanning musical style "Nureau".
Upon its release, Pronounced Toe-Nay bore 5 different record label logos: Rescue Records, the independent label that originally released the album; Mo' Soule Steppyn Records, Tonéx's then-active vanity imprint label; Tommy Boy Gospel, the label to which Tonéx was signed as an artist; Verity Records, the label to which his independent label Rescue Records sold his album's masters; and Jive Records, the mainstream umbrella over Verity Records. All of the material was produced, arranged, composed and performed by Tonéx, with guest appearances from his mother E.B. Williams, and the rapper Big J.
Some executives wanted to develop Tonéx's career in a secular direction, but he turned them down and kept to religious themes. "There are a lot of people who do similar things to what I do in R&B, but I wanted to use gospel lyrics," he explained in an interview quoted on the Sphinx Management website.
Hub AI
B.Slade AI simulator
(@B.Slade_simulator)
B.Slade
Anthony Charles Williams II (born May 16, 1975), better known by his stage name B.Slade and formerly known under the gospel moniker Tonéx (/ˈtoʊneɪ/ TOH-nay), is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, rapper, dancer, producer, and activist from San Diego, California. He has gone by various names and aliases, but his primary stage name of choice had for years was "Tonéx". In 2010, he began using the stage name B.Slade to rebrand himself.
Williams has released several hundred songs on dozens of albums throughout his career, has also produced several others for both gospel and secular artists. He has won six Stellar Awards, a GMA Award, and received two Grammy nominations: one for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album for his 2004 gold album, Out the Box, and another in 2009 for Best Urban/Soul Alternative Performance for his single, "Blend", from his 2009 mainstream (albeit theoretically Gospel) album, Unspoken.
Known primarily for his gospel recordings, his musical efforts blend a wide range of styles, including pop, R&B, jazz, soul, funk, hip hop, rock, Latin, electro, punk and trance. His primary influences include Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, Prince, Michael Jackson, Walter Hawkins, David Bowie, and Janet Jackson. His distinct sound and eclectic style of music led him to describe his own music as a genre he called "Nureau".
Born in 1975, Williams grew up in the San Diego, California area. His father, Anthony Williams, was the Senior Pastor of the Truth Apostolic Community Church in suburban Spring Valley and served as a district elder in the California District Council of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World (PAW). His mother, E. B. Williams, was a licensed minister in the PAW and served the church as an Assistant Pastor. Anthony was the youngest of the Williamses’ six boys. Gospel music was the preferred choice at home, but other sounds made their way into Williams’ environment. His father played saxophone for James Brown and Jackie Wilson, his mother sang in various girl groups, and his older brothers sneaked in funk and R&B recordings at home. Deciding early on a musical career, he took the name "Tonex" by the time he was 13, sometimes spelling it "Tonéx"; at the age of 16, he and his parents hired his first personal manager, Benjamin Jimerson (also known as Benjamin Jimerson-Phillips), in 1991. Jimerson, who has since become a film producer, stated: "From the first moment I saw Tonex and he sang his first note, I realized I was dealing with a young man destined to become a major celebrity."
Rescue was still a small label, and Pronounced Toe-Nay was issued in a limited production run and distributed mostly from the back of Williams' car. Young gospel fans, however, quickly caught on to the innovative variety of music on Pronounced Toe-Nay. The album's producer, T. Boy, was an alter ego of Tonéx himself. The album was divided by style into seven sections: hip-hop/rap, retro/funk, the future, jazz, mellow grooves, soul/gospel, and bonus tracks. In the recordings of Kirk Franklin and others, hip-hop had previously made inroads into gospel music, but this kind of wild eclectic mix was completely new. At the time, the digital reproduction of music was in its infancy, and rare copies of the album became prized possessions. The album garnered the attention of the producers at the 14th Annual Stellar Awards, and Tonéx was added to the lineup. His performance made a strong impression and has been noted by critics for its impact, drawing comparisons to Michael Jackson's performance at the Motown 25th Anniversary Special in 1983.
By this time, national labels had come calling. Tonéx was signed to an unusual three-way deal that affiliated him with the successful and growing gospel label Verity, the pop imprint Zomba, and the durable hip-hop label Tommy Boy. Tonéx made his national debut with a re-release of his most successful independent album, Pronounced Toe-Nay, in 2000. His first high-profile television appearance was performing a medley of "Trinity" and "One Good Reason" on the Stellar Awards, which was a coup as Tonéx was relatively unknown at the time. He dubbed his particular genre-spanning musical style "Nureau".
Upon its release, Pronounced Toe-Nay bore 5 different record label logos: Rescue Records, the independent label that originally released the album; Mo' Soule Steppyn Records, Tonéx's then-active vanity imprint label; Tommy Boy Gospel, the label to which Tonéx was signed as an artist; Verity Records, the label to which his independent label Rescue Records sold his album's masters; and Jive Records, the mainstream umbrella over Verity Records. All of the material was produced, arranged, composed and performed by Tonéx, with guest appearances from his mother E.B. Williams, and the rapper Big J.
Some executives wanted to develop Tonéx's career in a secular direction, but he turned them down and kept to religious themes. "There are a lot of people who do similar things to what I do in R&B, but I wanted to use gospel lyrics," he explained in an interview quoted on the Sphinx Management website.