Fire Starter: Tone Trump
Essential info: It's no secret that Philadelphia is a hotbed for hip-hop talent. In the 1980s, it was Schoolly D who helped put Philly on the map with his 1986 hip-hop classic "P.S.K. What Does It Mean?" Of course, the Fresh Prince followed a few years later, then the Roots. In the late 1990s, Jay-Z introduced Beanie Sigel to the world, and Maybach Music's Meek Mill is currently the city's most recognizable rap figure.
Still more and more raw rap talent continues to break out of Illadelphia's borders, and the latest contender, Tone Trump, was handpicked by Young Jeezy. These days, a street rapper can't get a bigger co-sign.
"A couple of days ago, I officially signed my deal with Young Jeezy, CTE World, and [it's been] a lot of years of hard work, blood, sweat and tears, risking my life," Trump told Mixtape Daily when he was in New York on Wednesday. "I make street music and I just signed with the biggest street artist in the world."
"It would've been a dream come true to get a so-called record deal with any label probably, but not too many artists get to sign with their favorite rapper or their favorite artists," he said with much admiration. "When I was in the mix and coming up in the grind, his music got me and mines through a lot."
After TT and the Snowman collaborated on Trump's 2011 street single "Afghan," rumors began to swirl of a CTE signing, but the pair finally announced their union earlier this week. Jeezy, Trump and their now-unified crews celebrated over drinks. "It was a toast; it was a boss' toast," Tone said, setting the scene. "Snow, he bought about 40 bottles for the whole crew and it was like all rosé and it was one bottle of Ace of Spades, he put that to the side and gave it to me."
More than the deal, it was Jeezy's commitment that the Philly spitter really admires. "He said a few words, that I'm gonna keep private forever, that really touched my heart, and it meant a lot," Trump said. "I even took the bottle back home like a trophy."
Is Tone Trump's deal with Young Jeezy a good fit for the Philly rapper? Let us know what you think in the comments!
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