Regular Columnists

Artist: Tony Vic
Album: "Vic[s]tor[y]: Testimonial Music"
CD Review: Genre: Rap
Sounds Like: ?
Technical Grade: 9
Production/Musicianship Grade: 10
Commercial Value: 8
Overall Talent Level: 9
Songwriting Skills: 9
Performance Skill: 10
Best Songs: Putta A Li'l Pimpin' In It, Round 2, This World Of Mine, Everything U Like
Weakness: ?
CD Review: San Francisco Bay Area rap artist, Tony Vic, makes a grand entrance onto the commercial hip-hop scene with panache. His debut project articulates the Vic story with power, eloquence and detail that will strengthen allegiance from existing fans, and gain him new ones in the process. Using a winning combination of musicality, melody, and strong production, Tony adds venomous talent and performance skills which fuel a vehicle that is built to transport him to long term success.

The CD starts with a blazing introduction ("The Introduction") that serves a dual purpose in unleashing his fury and setting the stage upon which he will star, during a 15 act musical that affords him the opportunity to expound upon on all of the issues that he broaches from the outset; including the reason he feels like his "9-5 is like an everyday suicide and feels pain inside of his brain, inside of his heart, and inside of his soul and inside of his mind...and is running out of time."

Clues to his angst can be found most prominently in "That's The Shit," "Get Mad Back," "Peaceful," and "Everybody Rap Now," where he makes the keen observation that "every brother rap now...every girl model...ain't nobody leading that's why everybody follow..." he continues." I know that feeling when you see a weak artist with a deal...they got a brand new spot or a brand new set of wheels..."

Issues aside, Tony has dilemmas that many music artists wish they had - like a plethora of hot tracks that are commercially viable and radio-friendly. The 50 Centesque "Putta A Li'l Pimpin' In It," and "This World Of Mine," are simple and brief and therefore, are the most accessible and memorable, but other stand out tracks such as the up-tempo party track "Round 2" and the Ashanti-flavored "Everything You Like," featuring rising Bay rising Area female vocalist, Jimmie Reign, are sure to appease R&B audiences who prefer musical grooves with their deep bass lines.

This review would be incomplete without calling special attention to the superlative production efforts and expertise of Kev Choice, Damien Taylor, Aristotle The Great, and Mike Auberg. This group of preeminent producers and musicians didn't take this project to another level - they took it to another dimension! Great job.

This is sworn testimonial music that every music lover should hear.

Advice: Promote and license these tracks! The musicality of this project lends itself well to peformances with a live band that can infiltrate traditional R&B markets and venues.

Official Website: www.tonyvic.com

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