Tony D is the name used by more than one artist, but one entry refers to Tony Depula, a hip-hop and electro DJ and producer from Trenton, New Jersey. He is born in 1966 and dies in 2009. He begins making beats after a trip to the Bronx in 1985, where he buys drum machines and starts developing his production style.

Hip-hop production and recording

Tony D debuts as a rapper and producer with Droppin' Funky Verses in 1991 on 4th & Broadway. The album is produced by him and includes the singles “E.F.F.E.C.T.” and “Check the Elevation.” After that release, he works mainly as a producer for several years.

In the mid-1990s he returns with Flav (Beats) From the Cave on Contract Records. He also produces for other artists including WC, Wise Intelligent and Kwest tha Madd Ladd. In 1997 he records Pound for Pound for Grand Central, which is both Grand Central’s first release and its first solo artist album. He later moves to Rufflife and records Master of the Moaning Beats in 2001.

Collaborations and production style

His production is associated with hard drums and bass from an EMU SP1200 drum machine. His records feature raps by YZ and Lo-key, as well as vocals by Veba and Spikey T. He also works with Poor Righteous Teachers and produces tracks on their classic albums, including “Shaqila.”

His work is also linked to disputes over beats that are later used by Naughty by Nature and Heavy D, with those cases settled out of court.

Other Tony D entries

Other artists use the same name, including a German rapper Tony D, also known as Tony Damager, who is associated with Aggro Berlin and Sektenmuzik, and a blues-based performer who records albums such as The Size of Your Shoes and The Jook Joint.