To some, growing up in the rough streets of West Philadelphia could be a great effort, to someone like Tone Trump it was the beginning of his destiny. Growing up Tone Trump’s family had a strong musical background and his natural ability to excel at almost anything made him a musical force easily at an early age. His passion and motivation came from his influential mother, a mother that expressed both belief and hope in everything he set out to accomplish.
A multi faceted man, Trump was also a natural basketball prodigy. But not being able to resist the temptations of the streets, his basketball career fizzled after being expelled from high school. Although at the time it was devastation, it was exactly what helped him decide to focus his attention on music. Thanks to his solid foundation instilled as a child, Trump fought through the strife and quickly managed to become a Hip Hop Icon.
Influenced by such legends as Schooly D, The Fresh Prince, E.S.T., Cool C and Spade-O, Trump brings a new energy and a new life to the Hip Hop genre. Not only a brilliant artist, Trump is a devoted community activist. In addition to his annual clothing drives, he has spoken at numerous press conferences regarding violence in Philadelphia, and in 2007 was invited to speak at City Hall on different occasions to lend his voice to the community. Trump furthered this notion to end senseless crime in Philadelphia by appearing in and recording music for the soundtrack of “Close to Death”, a Docu-Drama about the murder rate in Philadelphia. He has gone on a National Tour with the “National Exodus Council”, which included performances in Prisons, Schools, and venues across the country to continue getting the message of non violence to his fans and the community.
In February of 2007, he was picked as a “Favorite Philadelphian” along with Jon Bon Jovi and Chase Utley in the Philadelphia Weekly. He has been featured on MTV’s T.R.L., Fox29, NBC 10, ABC and WYBE. In 2008 he was voted “MySpace Artist of the Year” at the Philadelphia Hip Hop awards and also received the award for “Clothing Line of the Year” for Merk Material. He has been nominated for the “Philadelphia Music Awards” and the “East Coast Hip Hop Awards”. His career has been followed by media so frequently that Trump has been featured on nearly every major Hip Hop website and publication such as Ozone Magazine, Foundation Magazine, AllHipHop.com and more.
Not only a rapper, athlete, and activist, Trump defines the word Entrepreneur. A partner in the Merk Material Clothing Line, Trump also formed Top Notch Inc. in 2007 with his partner Jon “Tinsel” Lis. Today Top Notch Inc. consists of 6 artists and successfully dominated the local scene with a flood of mixtapes and live performances.
For most people this would be enough, for Tone Trump it is simply the offspring of his first passion, music. Having been featured on major radio stations across the county, Sirius Satellite Radio, and numerous Internet Radio Stations, Trump continues to release single after single, all gaining critical acclaim. Having worked with some of the top producer’s in the country, his latest works have dominated the internet and radio waves. He has opened for top names in the business such as 50 Cent, Lil Wayne, and Gym Class Heroes. His live performance is truly a testament to his illustrious personality and unparalleled energy.
There is no doubt that Tone Trump is a legend in the making and 2009 may prove it. With a movie he co-wrote on the way called “Bustin the Traps” and his new album entitled “New Blood”, plan on seeing a lot more of the tattoos, big beard, and swag that can only define the awe-inspiring Tone Trump.
Youtube.com/Tonetrump
Myspace.com/Tonetrump
Twitter.com/Tonetrump
Topnotchrap.com
