“[Smart Ass Black Boy] brims with equal parts smarts and swagger.”
- New York Times

http://nyti.ms/YCmKq4

NYC tomorrow (Friday 5/10) - Me & Tom Cruz play Downtown Festival supporting Black Hippy (Kendrick Lamar, Ab-Soul, Schoolboy Q, Jay Rock) at the Capitale! We on at midnight and Black Hippy at 1am.

Hella great artists are playing this festival over the next couple days including my people Cities Aviv, Antwon, Mess Kid, Mr. Muthafuckin eXquire, and more. Get your passes & tickets @ http://www.thedowntownfestival.com/

They’re selling limited tickets for select individual shows too including my gig w/ Black Hippy. Get ‘em now ;) 

I made a mix for the Downtown Festival premiered by Complex today featuring Antwon, Earl Sweatshirt, Kilo Kish, Trash Talk, and more. See me rip it w/ Black Hippy at the Downtown Festival: NYC edition on May 10!

Enjoy the mix at http://www.complex.com/music/2013/05/premiere-fat-tonys-downtown-music-festival-mixtape and read up on why I picked each song.

Downtown Festival’s Fat Tony gives us a breakdown of his favorite festival-inspired tracks.

1. Antwon - Sittin in Hell
[Prod. by Big Baby Gandhi]
Antwon is the homie. He’s getting real freaky on this one. This past weekend I played San Marcos, a lil college town in Texas. I was chillin poolside with a couple homegirls when their friend walked up on us. The friend said she drunk dialed a dude last night and got super provocative. She passed out before she could go to his place so she was on her way to see him now, just stopped to say hello to us. 10 minutes later, we get a call that the same dude ended up having a heart attack. I bet whatever she said to that man was as nasty as Antwon’s lyrics. Big Baby Gandhi is a very ill producer too. Beat reminds me of Big Baby’s really good first mixtape.

2. Ab-Soul - Illuminate (feat. Kendrick Lamar)
[Prod by. Skhye Hutch]
Ab-Soul is so cool. He’s a real rapper’s rapper. Reminds me of everything I loved about California underground rap back in high school, keeping a CD player on me at all times to jam artists like Murs and Souls of Mischief. I’m loving his album Control System. I can listen to the whole thing all the way through almost daily. This song samples my favorite Madonna song ever, “Live to Tell”. Jealous that I didn’t rap on a beat that sampled it first. Shit.

3. The Clash - Straight to Hell
Last year on tour with Cadence Weapon, we drove from some city to some other city late at night in total darkness listening to this song. I’ll never forget that. Intensely peaceful.

4. Earl Sweatshirt - Chum
My favorite Earl song of all I’ve heard yet. Answers everything the fans and onlookers was wondering while still rhyming off the chain. Beats with pretty pianos like this make ya boy :’) and fall deep into the sofa.

5. Fat Tony - Hood Party (ft. Kool A.D. and Despot)
[Prod. by Tom Cruz]
In the summer of 2011, I went to New York to link up with Tom Cruz and begin making a new album for my buddy’s label. I was supposed to create the album in a month on a measly budget of $1,000. Not much money at all but I was eager as always to make more music and dive wide eyed into the music business. Well, that $1,000 never came. Tom Cruz ended up getting robbed and lost his apartment. I ended up getting kicked out of where I was staying for the month. We ended up losing what little money we both had left when putting a deposit down on a new place which ended up being nothing but a scam. We were both left assed out and ended up staying at our good friend Jason’s apartment in Jersey City, New Jersey. We occupied two couches and set up a makeshift studio desk using cardboard boxes and styrofoam and began making music. Our time was cut short when I got the awful news that my grandmother was very sick. After a week that illness became her death sentence. I couldn’t deal with my grandmother, whom pretty much raised me my entire life, dying while I was away from home. I rushed back to Houston as fast I could but unfortunately didn’t make it back in time to see her alive. This is one of the few songs that ended up surviving those sessions at Jason’s house.

6. Big Moe & Big Pokey (DJ Screw) - Southside We Roll on Choppaz
Legendary Houston underground song by one of the most beloved artists to ever come out of my neighborhood Third Ward, the late Big Moe. It took me years to realize that this song is a reinterpretation of the Biggie Smalls tribute track by The Lox, “We’ll Always Love Big Poppa”. Can’t believe they turned a memorial song into an ode for cars hahaha. R.I.P. Big Moe and Notorious B.I.G. Two awesome obese men that have always inspired me.

7. Kilo Kish - Goldmine
[Prod. by Star Slinger]
I’ve got a note for Kilo Kish. All she’s gotta do is circle Yes or No. ^_- xoxo

8. SZA - Country 
[Prod. by Brandun Deshay]
I hear this and run to the bar to close my tab. Good music to kiss to in the dark corners of a club.

9. Fat Tony & Tom Cruz - Denim Guinness Boys
[Prod. by Tom Cruz]
Know your history.

10. Trash Talk - Explode
Strikes you with a fury from the very beginning, then serenades you with a lullaby of a bridge. Perf.

very regal meeting of the minds right here y’all. tom cruz on the beat & a verse, fat tony on the hook & a verse, cancun shawty chingo bling gettin crunk, and kool a.d. gettin funky.

“concubine” from tom cruz’s album top gun thats out right now for free ya bish.

jump on it: http://tomcruz.bandcamp.com or http://www.datpiff.com/Tom-Cruz-Top-Gun-mixtape.474163.html pass it on.

She tell me that she need me and she really want it (she want it!)
She waiting on the day that she can get up on it (she on it!)
She ain’t Southwest but she a GetAway (yeah!)
I gotta say I want that girl to stay (for life!)

She tell me that she need me and she really want it (she want it!)
She waiting on the day that she can get up on it (she on it!)
She sweet like candy, a PayDay
And in my home, she’s a mainstay

When I’m out with Chingo Blingo
Girls be acting single
They ask about my single
They asking if I’m single
She whispered to me, “if you got a minute may we mingle?”
“I promise I can get it poppin like a can of Pringles”
You can often see me in Austin tossing back about cinco
Cervezas with lots of gringos till I gotta go tinkle
I’m with my people and we watching Batman, the sequel
The one with Danny DeVito, getting high as a steeple
Or high as a eagle, feeling low like a beetle
But I feel so throwed when Nicole come through
With a new do and something see-through
I peeped you, you peeped me
I think I’m bout to take a dive in the deep sea

NEW YORK — MAY 10: Come see me rap the first day of Downtown Records’ Downtown Festival. Gonna rock w/ Black Hippy (Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q, Ab-Soul, Jay Rock) at the Capitale!

Get tickets + info: http://thedowntownfestival.com

Second single from Smart Ass Black Boy premiered today on Pitchfork!

They call it “dark [and] contemplative”… WHOA THERE.

http://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/15315-i-shine/

[Fat Tony]
When niggas ain’t got no leader
They go out and drink about a liter
Tryna deter all the feelings that we fear cause we here
Been around a long, long, long time
But got twisted by the dismissive folks that control what’s mine and yours
And his and hers, I think it’s really silly how they think we think all willy nilly
When actually we know how to rise above catastrophes
And there’s been more than a few casualties,
Some travesties that never had to be
But right now I’m in Caroline’s mouth
And I feel a little bitter when some people say nigga
But I feel a little better when I’m in Susan’s Jetta
Gettin head and I don’t mean lettuce,
I knew the Lord would not forget us
And even though I have bad credit I still got leverage
Shut up, hoe
Fuck yo ideology
If you don’t think all people should be equal you shouldn’t speak to be probably
Unless you properly wanna pay a nigga
I know some assholes that might hate a nigga
But in these times, sometimes, they gotta obey a nigga

We runnin shit, they had us on a ship
Fuck everything they did, that’s why we never quit
And we up in this bitch, yeah we up in this bitch

You had our body for a long time
Keep trying but you’ll never take my mind
Cause I shine, why whine?
Nigga, I shine
She pour the wine, close the blinds
Nigga, I shine

Since genesis we all done had our own nemesis
Tryna make our lives limited
Sometimes they hit us with a few little benefits
But fuck this, let’s go off on a pilgrimage
Just like the pilgrims did and get up out this bitch
Cause if you think you get thrown in the clink
And if you dare to speak, they probably poison your drink
Or they’ll probably blink, I swear it tickles me pink
How they can tell somebody who they can marry
I bet they wouldn’t yell that shit at Katy Perry
How they gon tell a woman when she can carry?
A baby that may be, frankly, making the lady weary
She ain’t ready, it’s scary
When they tell me not to smoke, I don’t trip or fall
I hit the weed and then proceed to say “fuck all of y’all”
Y’all thinkin small when you think you ball
The third world don’t revolve around anything y’all involved in
Since the begin we was meant to win
And with God’s blessing, we overcame oppression
He was testing, what a lesson

So now we runnin shit, they had us on a ship
Fuck everything they did, that’s why we never quit
And we up in this bitch, yeah we up in this bitch

You had our body for a ling time
Keep trying but you’ll never take my mind
Cause I shine, why whine?
Nigga, I shine
She pour the wine, close the blinds
Nigga, I shine

Tom Cruz’s debut solo album Top Gun out today! Featuring me, Chingo Bling, Kool A.D., Blunt Fang, and 10ille! Full of jams to keep y’all entertained until my new album Smart Ass Black Boy is out June 11th! Includes epic ballads like “Spanish Girl” and “Aye Jason” plus bangers like “Concubine” and “Top Gun”. 

＼(^o^)／

Get it now!
DatPiff: http://bit.ly/15jmDnm
Bandcamp: http://tomcruz.bandcamp.com/album/top-gun


A lense fixates on the tiny lavender umbrella caressing the edge of golden skinned broken hearted young woman’s mojito glass, we cut to her relaxed extended body and smirk concealing a frenzied distraught mind that is wandering from new york to houston to LA to whereever he is. 

Tom Cruz, producer/visionary/rhymehighpriest, who brought you FAT TONY (HOU), SUPREEME SUPREEME (ATL), & who showed me how to remix well before I met the plug, enters the race for the GRAMMY’S OF LIFE dude with TOP GUN. The backing score shows Timbaland what he should try to do in 2013 as opposed to picking up right where My Love/whatgoesaround left off. It is lush dense color wheel of tropical mango/green coconut fantasy decadence at moments then block chilling cerulean at others to a degree that would make the Alchemist flinch at his own shadow. The craft here has been cultivated to an over ripened curdle. 

Cruz has been playing fantasy football with A&Ring records since he was youth in his Diddy phase. As evidenced by his graceful usage of guest verses/vocals from frequent/longtime collaborators and new true cameos from 10ille, Chingo Bling, Kool A.D, Bluntfang, & Fat Tony. 

TC’s lyrics strike at the heart and mind with honesty, clarity, reinvention of cliche, wit, & candor. One can play these songs over and over at extreme volumes to reveal elaborate sonic depth and intricacy buried beneath a Real Nigga Pop JIGGAMAN/FACEMOB/SANCHEZ/VYBZKARTELTRICKSTER aesthetic. 


http://twitter.com/tcruzcontrol
http://soundcloud.com/tomcruzakatopgun
http://tomcruz.bandcamp.com

All songs produced, instruments played, and drums programmed by Tom Cruz

A&R: Jason Scott Henderson
Photo by Shirley Yu
Styled by Jon Daryn & Sheila Apolinario
Art Direction & Design by Effie Liu @ Pinkbutter Creative
Recorded by Daniel Lynas @ Ishlab Studio (Brooklyn, NY) & Paul Katzman @ Katzman Sound (Atlanta, GA)
Mixed by Tom Cruz & Paul Katzman
Mastered by Paul Parker

All stunts performed by @tcruzcontrol & @fattonyrap

nathanaelturner:

Fat Tony $ Tom Cruz

2012 in Los Angeles behind our old house.

[Photo: Sarah Frankie Linder]

Brooklyn Vegan got sick pics from the Panache Agency Boat Party last Monday in Austin. Dig in: http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2013/03/milk_music_fat.html

Produced by Tom Cruz

[Fat Tony]
I’m at the hood party, even white people know that it’s a good party
Look around your hood, they probably rent a couple properties
Around my block I hear they’re building buildings with a lobby
It ain’t a hobby, it’s a way of life
For Ricky, Bobby, Ronnie, and Mike
Who been living in this area like all of their life
And never learned how to use a hookah til Sue moved in with Stuart
She went from River Oaks to the Cuney Homes, and
You know she don’t live alone, and
She got a bike, she don’t need no ride
She went to Ricky mama house and learned the “Cha Cha Slide”, aye!
She don’t carded, she get awarded
Went to my performance and she loved the artist
She disobeyed her parents cause it’s apparent I’ma go the farthest

I met her at the hood party, even white people know that it’s a good party
Look around your hood, they probably rent a couple properties
Around my block I hear they’re building buildings with a lobby
It ain’t a hobby, it’s a way of life
For Ricky, Bobby, Ronnie, and Mike
Who been living in this area like all of their life
And never learned how to use a hookah til Sue moved in with Stuart

[Kool A.D.]
Ayo, shouts to the TyTys sippin Mai Tais at the sideline
What school you went to? Skyline? (oh, interesting)
I heard Tom Hanks went to Skyline (true)
You like Forrest Gump? Thank Skyline
Read the headline and the byline
Wanna hear “Red, Red Wine”? Aight, fine
Your weed high funny? Try mine
You see my money? That’s my dime
You need that money? Then try crime
You could feed that money but why climb?
I see Mad Money and Nightline occasionally too
Yo, Jim Cramer look crazy, my dude
Money’s so crazy, my dude
They say it’s wack and I would say that that’s basically true
You didn’t know? Well, then act like you basically knew
Pays to be amazingly flavory, gaze into my Dazed and Confused Blu-ray
I’m Drakein’ it for the Blue Jays, makin’ it one of two ways
Breakin’ it in ‘em, Lupe Fiasco, I lack dough
I’m Plies, I need a shirt
I’m lying, my feet hurt
I’m tappin’, I’m Savion
I’m rappin’, I’m Sufjan Stevens
I’m Rick Stevens, free me
“All I care about is money and the city that I’m from,” that’s dumb
Isn’t that exactly like the Tea Party platform?
Swag surfin’, new millennium, AstroTurfin’
Another brew, bro? Sure thing
Go girl, go, go, go it’s your thing
I don’t wanna think right now, my head hurt, B
Shout to Despot, he said “dead is the new 30”
Lettuce is too dirty, how you think it got here?
Money move fast, why would it stop here?
Money should last but it does not, weird
2012, a real hot or not year
2Pac back, Heather Locklear
Fubu back, who do that?

[Fat Tony]
I’m at the hood party, even white people know that it’s a good party
Look around your hood, they probably rent a couple properties
Around my block I hear they’re building buildings with a lobby
It ain’t a hobby, it’s a way of life
For Ricky, Bobby, Ronnie, and Mike
Who been living in this area like all of their life
And never learned how to use a hookah til Sue moved in with Stuart

[Despot]
Stop asking where Brooklyn at coulda just looked on a map
Half the cats yellin back ain’t where they’re from just where they’re at
Runnin from their stubborn dads, lunches that their mothers bagged
Hunches that they gon be something good for nothing college grads
New in town boo I’ll vouch for you keep up
Doo doo brown boomin loud out the speakers
Move her gown up and pound on her keester 
I’ll do her like just back home under the bleachers
Prom queen shit, home field advantage
Corn fed damsels, forget their manners
Forfeit their class, their folks get embarrassed
Broke heir apparents dropped by their parents
Rent high allowance low and she can’t cope
Dad spoke about the woes of the crack smoke
Found his little princess with a fist in her asshole
Found me by her sink washing my dick with the hand soap

[Fat Tony]
I’m at the hood party, even white people know that it’s a good party
Look around your hood, they probably rent a couple properties
Around my block I hear they’re building buildings with a lobby
It ain’t a hobby, it’s a way of life
For Ricky, Bobby, Ronnie, and Mike
Who been living in this area like all of their life
And never learned how to use a hookah til Sue moved in with Stuart
She went from River Oaks to the Cuney Homes, and
You know she don’t live alone, and
She got a bike, she don’t need no ride
She went to Ricky mama house and learned the “Cha Cha Slide”, aye!

VICE announced my new album Smart Ass Black Boy today! It’s entirely produced by Tom Cruz and out June 11th on Young One Records. They also premiered the new single “Hood Party” [feat. Kool A.D. and Despot].

Listen at http://www.vice.com/read/vice-premiere-hood-party-by-fat-tony

Catch me & Tom Cruz at these Texas shows below, including SXSW!

03-08 Denton, TX- 35 Denton Festival
03-09 Houston,TX- Rice University
03-11 Austin, TX- Lady Bird Lake ~
03-12 Austin, TX- Tillery Park (2:30pm) *
03-15 Austin, TX- Nice & Easy Car Wash (5pm) ^
03-15 Austin, TX- Hotel Vegas: Vegas Room (1:15am) #
03-16 Austin, TX- Austin Convention Center: Exhibit Hall 4 (5pm) %
03-17 Austin, TX- Beerland: Floor Stage (6pm) $
03-21 Houston,TX- Fitzgeralds !

~ Panache Booking, Seaport Music Festival, and Hot Burrito Present Bruise Cruise
* Panache Booking SXSW Kick-Off Party
^ Chuck Inglish Presents SOUNDS LIKE FUN Block Party
# Panache Booking Official SXSW Showcase
% Young One Flatstock Stage
$ Panache Booking Hangover Party
! w/ Riff Raff

Got 2 Texas shows this weekend right before the SXSW chaos erupts on Monday, March 11th. >_< I’ll list all my SXSW shows soon but for now, my fellow Texans, let’s get it in, in Denton and my home sweet home Houston!

35 Denton // Friday, March 8th // DENTON
Haven’t played Denton since 2011 and it’s my first time at the 35 Denton festival. My buddy Antwon is on the bill too so it’s sure to be a rager. I’m on 11:30pm sharp at Hailey’s! INFO: 35denton.com

KTRU Outdoor Show // Saturday, March 9th // HOUSTON
Haven’t played Rice University since 2011 too! Great daytime concert organized by the H’s beloved college radio kings KTRU. Free for all and open to the public! B L A C K I E is playing too so it’s finna be a lil family reunion. INFO: ods.ktru.org

P.S.
I’m on tonight’s (Monday, 3/4) COAST2COAST show on the University of Houston’s COOG Radio! I’ll be rappin and yappin live, on air all about the new music me and Tom Cruz are gonna unleash soon. Listen up 7pm-9pm: http://www.coogradio.com/live or search “Coogradio” via the TuneIn app on ya smart phone.

Chopped it up with Longhorn Hip Hop last month at my show in Austin. Nice fellers.

Headlining the Vegas Room at Panache Booking’s SXSW showcase on Friday, March 15th! ^__^

https://www.facebook.com/events/107506489419845

Happy Valentine’s Day! ;P

“Young Girl” by Fat Tony & Tom Cruz featuring 10ille from Double Dragon. Produced by Tom Cruz.

Directed and edited by Maya Margolina.

“Young Girl” tells the tale of two video game developers working on the late night tip at the office. The young man has a serious crush on the babe game developer and hopes tonight is the night a lil love connection can be made. Unfortunately for him she’s scooped up by her boo and he’s left alone to finish up their work. He slowly falls into a deep slumber while listening to Fat Tony & Tom Cruz’s mixtape Double Dragon and we journey into the dreams of a hopeless romantic.