Big Tone pens “The Art Of Ink”

Rapper/producer Big Tone will release his second album The Art Of Ink on Tres Records. The album will drop digitally March 17, and then via CD and vinyl (alas, no cassettes) on April 14. A lead 12-inch single, “Business” comes out on February 24. Guests include the ever-present Blu, Ta’Raach, Guilty Simpson and Breezly Brewin from the Juggaknots.

Here’s part of the bio:

2005 marked a breakout year for Big Tone as a producer. Behind the boards, Tone produced his first full length international release on ABB Records entitled, “The Drought”. Trademarked by the gritty chopped drum breaks and mangled soul samples, The Drought displays Tone’s gift to create instrumental backdrops as visual as the rhymes over them. The opportunity to travel, perform, produce, and collaborate with artists on a worldwide level helped to broaden Tone’s perspective as well as his vision. A decision to relocate to New York played a role in this development. Bonds made in the Big Apple, as well as strong ties in California with labels such as ABB and Tres Records have given Tone coast-to-coast recognition. Given his early success and promising future, Tone launched his production imprint, Mojoe Music System, LLC. “Mojoe is a celebration of the artistic lifestyle,” Tone explains. From the music, the preservation of culture, the appreciation of art, Mojoe Music System is about pushing the creative envelope. “The music is what makes everything else we do cool, and everything else we do is what we inspires our music,” Tone explains. That statement is the very definition of hip-hop. That statement is the very definition of Big Tone.

• 1. “Skin Deep” (feat. Monica Blaire)
• 2. “Business”
• 3. “Pedigree” (feat. Guilty Simpson)
• 4. “Scapegoat”
• 5. “Paid, Laid, and Played”
• 6. “A Song Called Triumph” (feat. Blu)
• 7. “Chocolate” (feat. L’Renee)
• 8. “The Look” (feat. Ta’raach & Phoenix)
• 9. “Squo”
• 10. “Broken Logos” (feat. Breeze Brewin)
• 11. “Folktale”
• 12. “Peace, Progress, God Bless”