Customer Reviews

Pronounced Toe-Nay

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This cat is talent. Plain and simple. I first caught him on the Apollo. I had the sound turned down and was talking on the phone when he came out onto the stage. He reminded me of Raphael Saadiq in his appearance and I was like "Who is this fake Raphael Saadiq fool?" Then I turned the volume up and my phone friend and I were amazed at the song PERSONAL JESUS. Kid rocked it! I was hooked. I then went on a search to find out who this cat was.

After I got the name pronounced right, it was on! Now, I'm not a gospel-listener, but this cat ain't ya traditional "gospelist." He is an amalgamation of Prince, Kirk Franklin, mixed with neo-soul. Nice. He breaks his CD down into the different genres of music. His Hip-Hop section is very adequate for a cat that is also talented as a singer, that's rare. But where he shines at is Retro/Funk section withTHE GOOD SONG and aforementioned PERSONAL JESUS. His Jazz section is truly the bomb as well with REAL 2 ME and WAITING. The Mellow Grooves section will play at ANY soul get-together and no one will knwo the difference. TAXI is powerful as it speaks to his temptations with a woman. But the powerhouse section is the Soul/Gospel: CRY NO MORE had me feelin' the ghost and RESTORATION had me looking into the local churches. I REALLY needed Jesus after that! Incredible.

He takes risks. I like that. Best part is, he preaches to you in such a cool, undemanding manner that you can't help but listen to him. He pushes the envelop with some of his word usage, but that's cool. He wouldn't be real if he didn't have a few demons to exorcise. Get this CD. Trust me. And you can play it at a cool get-together and folk will be asking you his name...and then you can simply reply...It's pronounced Toe-nay...

This is Tonex's first big label commercial release, but he's a real veteran of Gospel music. Pronounced Toe-Nay, first was released a few years ago in a very independent way, but since the world of Gospel has discovered Tonex and he has gotten the distribution that he deserves. This new release is better than its original form. It has new songs and I love how the album is sectioned in different musical genres. Say for example you can satisfy every listening mood whether it's hip hop, quiet storm, jazz, futuristic, or just simply old fashion Gospel music. "Personal Jesus" is a classic, and one only needs to see Tonex perfom "Cry No More" in concert to know that this song comes from the soul. Tonex is a gifted artist who has blessed the albums of young and gifted gospel artists Kelli Williams and Tarralyn Ramsey. Both of whom have outstanding albums.

This album is not like regular gospel music. It's more contemporary and it's straight forward and not beating around the bush like some gospel albums do when striving for that commercial appeal. Tonex's album has that commercial appeal, but at the same time it's true to the one he serves and that's Jesus Christ. Steady listening to this cd will have you enlightened and entertained and it'll open a few more doors of spirituality to you. This is an album you can play in your jeep on Saturday night while cruising because of the beats, and play on Sunday morning before church because of some of the praise songs. I suggest you give it a try, because the album will grow on you. Tonex is like Prince (the Artist) of gospel music. God is Love!

I am also a singer/songwriter who recognizes quality work when I hear it and I must say this project is too much for me. I am not interested in getting technical so I will just say that Tone'x is a genious and God has really gifted him in a very unique and progressive way. He is a man of many colors and he wears each one of them to it's richest potential. I would reccomend this CD to anyone who enjoys clean production, profound lyrics and awesome vocals.

I seriously slept on this young man for the longest. While I passed up his cd's to pick up the more commerical artists that we constantly hear on the radio and see in the videos, something just brought me back to the Tonex style of gospel.

Once I saw him on BET's sunday morning gospel program with brother Gerard, I had to go cop the album...and was I suprised.

This album is jamming...it is downright funky!!!!! Thats why I said its not bigmomma and dem kind of gospel. It has far more appeal to the younger generation and just goes to show you that you can mix hip hop type grooves all along while praising the Savior.

My favorites on this cd are : Its on like that, in which Tonex sounds like a young version of Prince, Personal Jesus, One good reason, the sexy sounding Taxi, which could have been a crossover secular hit, as I played and restoration which brings it back home. Additionally, the remix of one good reason and his bonus track pt 2001, where Tonex throws down some "hard" rap lyrics are classic.

If you dont have this CD, I highly recommend that you go pick it up right away and listen to it a couple of times all the way through first and then form an opinion on it.

Pronunced Tonex is in my cd player right along with his other cd, O2, Carlton Thompsons Azuza's greatest hits and WOW Gospel 98, 99, and 2004! I cant wait for Tonex's new cd, Out the box, to come out in May which features the song "make me over" that he sang on the BET gospel special back in early march.

All of the tracks on the album were written at least 3 years ago and in 2000 (or 2001), most people have not even started to catch up with this guy. Under the monikers of T. Boy and Tonex (what, u didn't know?), a classic has been born. There are a couple of tracks on here that aren't all of that, almost prompting me to give this album 4 stars, but everything from the production to the vocals and everything are unparelled in most music today, and with 7 different catagories of music (including 2 remixes), there is something for everyone. Prince, Mint Condition, Timberland, R. Kelly, Andrae Crough, and even Rahsaan Patterson fans will especially find a treat here. Even though his hip hop tracks (1st couple of sections) are cool, he is at his strongest, to me, when he does the jazz and melow grooves sections, with "Waiting" and "Why" topping the list as my fave songs. The honesty on here is of note too, when He talks about dissappointing God by "staying up late and getting high" and then you listen to the remix of "One Good Reason", you know that the boy was telling the truth. All joking aside, this is the standard with which all gospel/ r&b albums will be measured this side of the milennium. Did I say that this was a re-release??? The song "Jambo," that was on the first issue, isn't on here. Therefore, if you are lucky to get any of the remaining copies of the original, you are in for a treat.

God bless the man and his wife with their success!!!!

This Cd is great, God has laid it upon my heart that I needed to change the type of music I was listening to as a christian. So I'm like what am I going to do so it made me just finally go out and get Tonex and I was beyond satisfied.

Tonex touches every music genre that I would have listen to in secular music from R&B to Jazz to Hip hop. Therefore it makes it easier to give up the stuff I loved because it gave me a little of that flava plus not only positive lyrics but spirit filled lyrics that coincide with the type of christian I stive to be.

Only negative I have about the CD is the use of some language like the N word and saying things like "smokin holy indo" I feel that some things just should not cross over into gods world but that is just me some saints disagree with christian hip hop as a whole where I say thank god for it, so maybe that reaches those that would smoke indo in the first place.

Other than that it is awsome as the title reads:)

THIS BROTHER IS DEEP HE REALLY GOES DEEP IF JUST LISTENED TO THE MUSIC U WOULD GET LOST WHICH MEANS YA MIND IS NOT ON JESUS SO IF U OWN THIS CD LISTEN TO WHAT THE BROTHER IS SAYING BUT HIS WORDS HAVE SO MUCH MEANING SO MUCH I LOVE THE WHOLE CD GOD BLESS U T-BOY U JUST PUT OUT A SLAMMIN UNIT

It is almost impossible to believe that someone could record a WHOLE album in their BASEMENT and have it come out this banging. After a listen to the track "The Good Song", you'll understand what I'm talking about. But as always, Tonex never ceases to amaze with his versatility, his vision, his multiple talents, his music, his voice, his dress, everything. The first two tracks I heard from this LP were "Personal Jesus" and "Make Me Right". I had only heard them in passing and I didn't catch on to the Tonex vibe yet. After hearing those two songs I figured he was just a gospel artist trying to copy the neo-soul sound. Yes people, I was a lost soul at one time. But I was converted!

I heard O2 (Tonex's follow-up LP to this one) first and was literally blown away by that album, so I decided to listen to this one and while it's not as good as O2, it's still a phenomenal debut. The aforementioned track "The Good Song", is one of the best tracks on the album, and one of the best songs I have ever heard period! For all neo-soultologists like myself, the songs "Taxi", "Waiting", "As I Played" and "Why" are really soothing to the ear, and I believe it could rival the sounds of say, D'Angelo maybe? Or maybe it's just me. But the soul/jazz section is really good, especially "Taxi", which is speaking about falling into sin via fornication.

The hip hop flavored tracks aren't bad themselves, however Tonex is one of those few people who rap and sing equally well. That's an impressive feat to pull off. The beat on "U Send Me", is really funky. I love it. And "P.T. 2001", that one is intense. I think he should take all these gospel hip hop artists who are struggling and help em out because it seems like he knows good hip hop when he hears it. Other notable tracks are "Restoration", "Cry No More", and "One Good Reason", in which Big J says "Pull yo pants up, this is a church!!!" I love that.

Oh yeah, and there is a song called "Jambo" that got left off of the re-release of this album because it couldn't get sample clearance in time. You can find the song on the net. I got it off Kazaa. It's a hot song, trust me.

Where can I start? Well, this CD is off the hook. Tonex is in a league of his own. He's like Prince of gospel--he beats to his own drum and has great songs. I advise everybody to buy it. It will touch your soul, mind, and heart. My top favorites are Restoration and Real With U. Next, It's On Like That and One Good Reason. Last, ALL THE REST! This whole CD is TIGHT! Buy it and all of his albums. Check out 02, too. That's off the hook as well, but Pronounced is a little better.

Well saints, it's what we've all been waiting for, the re-release of Tonex, well let's not tarry let's get straight into it. This is why this album is a classic. The album starts off with "Radio" a 19 second interlude in which a listener is flipping through various Gospel Radio stations to find Tonex [only if Gospel stations we're that abundant]. Once Tonex is found, the second track starts, which is the blazin' title track "Pronounced Toe-Nay", a short one minute rap in which Tonex lets us al know how to pronounce his name. Then there's "It's On Like That" featuring female rapper Jaz, this song is hot! and the hit "One Good Reason" in which Tonex thanks God for not only his success but his life. Then there's Tonex's other hit "Personal Jesus" which is really fitting in the Retro Funk section of his album. Once we hit the futuristic section of the album there's the opera meets Internet flavored "Trinity", which just made it past interlude status into songdom. Then there's more hot joints "U Send Me", which is about how a relationship with God can change your life and the most creative Gospel song I've ever heard, "The 1 U Need", which has a sample from the Flintstones theme song.

As Tonex slows it down then come the hits "Taxi", Tonex's new single from the album which he's presently filming the concept video for in New York, "Real With U", which was made popular from it's inclusion to the WoW Gospel 2000 compilation and "Restoration", perhaps the most meaningful song on the album. The album ends with two bonus tracks for the re-release "One Good Reason [92105 Mix]" and "P.T. 2001", which are both blazin. This CD is hot, a classic, and worth the wait!