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Mr. Toledo

Hype, aka Tony Toledo, is an earnest rapper with big dreams. His goals for the next year include playing a whopping 250 concerts, performances at music festivals across the country, and the release of his debut album, 'Jago Blair.' An energetic, talkative midwestern kid, Hype first moved to Toledo from Biloxi, Mississippi, when he was just 12 years old. He spent his childhood dreaming of becoming a hip-hop artist—he claims that he started rapping when he was just 4 years old.

"My dad used to tell my friends, ‘Don't let him become a rapper, he takes it too seriously,’" says Hype. "He thought that I was too obsessed with the idea."

Fortunately, Hype didn't follow his father's advice, and his debut album 'Jago Blair' is set to drop on September 11. The record is a fusion of classic rock and hip-hop—loud distorted guitars shred over 808 drums and deep bass drops, with Hype's energetic rhymes completing the sonic landscape. The lyrics discuss a diverse set of topics, ranging from childhood problems and family issues, to life on the streets and the world of crime.

"I came up with the concept for the album about a year ago," says Hype. "My brother RJ plays guitar and is really good at coming up with his own riffs. We started jamming late at night; after partying for a little bit, I would freestyle bars over his guitar playing."

The two teamed up with sound engineer Randy Wilson and began laying down tracks in April. Hype records using a combination of free-styling and pre-written verses that are finished after the backing track is recorded.

"The album opens with a full minute of instrumental guitar with no vocals," says Hype. "This is intentional. We wanted people to know right away that even though this is a rap record, there is going to be lots of guitars. We wanted to do something completely different than what everyone else is doing."

The end result is an aggressive album that recalls the instrumental sound of Rage Against the Machine but with a smoother, more southern-styled lyrical flow. Hype's rhymes have the same boastful swagger that makes rappers like Lil Wayne great—the album is infused with braggadocio and taunts towards other rappers.

The name of the album, 'Jago Blair,' has a unique backstory as well.

"When I was little, I used to draw cartoons," says Hype. "Jago Blair was the main character to all of my cartoons. He was basically everything I wished I could be—a rapper, a hero, a badass. Now that I am finally here releasing my first album, I thought it was appropriate to name it after Jago."

Hype plans on throwing a CD release party here in Toledo at a yet-to-be determined venue. The rapper will be performing live with a full band—he recently hired freelance musician Dominic Perna to play drums with the group and his brother RJ will play guitar. He plans on releasing the record independently on the internet and seeing where it goes from there.

"We are trying to take a step and open up the game for conversation. At this point, there are new areas that need to be explored."

Hype, aka Tony Toledo, is an earnest rapper with big dreams. His goals for the next year include playing a whopping 250 concerts, performances at music festivals across the country, and the release of his debut album, 'Jago Blair.' An energetic, talkative midwestern kid, Hype first moved to Toledo from Biloxi, Mississippi, when he was just 12 years old. He spent his childhood dreaming of becoming a hip-hop artist—he claims that he started rapping when he was just 4 years old.

"My dad used to tell my friends, ‘Don't let him become a rapper, he takes it too seriously,’" says Hype. "He thought that I was too obsessed with the idea."

Fortunately, Hype didn't follow his father's advice, and his debut album 'Jago Blair' is set to drop on September 11. The record is a fusion of classic rock and hip-hop—loud distorted guitars shred over 808 drums and deep bass drops, with Hype's energetic rhymes completing the sonic landscape. The lyrics discuss a diverse set of topics, ranging from childhood problems and family issues, to life on the streets and the world of crime.

"I came up with the concept for the album about a year ago," says Hype. "My brother RJ plays guitar and is really good at coming up with his own riffs. We started jamming late at night; after partying for a little bit, I would freestyle bars over his guitar playing."

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The two teamed up with sound engineer Randy Wilson and began laying down tracks in April. Hype records using a combination of free-styling and pre-written verses that are finished after the backing track is recorded.

"The album opens with a full minute of instrumental guitar with no vocals," says Hype. "This is intentional. We wanted people to know right away that even though this is a rap record, there is going to be lots of guitars. We wanted to do something completely different than what everyone else is doing."

The end result is an aggressive album that recalls the instrumental sound of Rage Against the Machine but with a smoother, more southern-styled lyrical flow. Hype's rhymes have the same boastful swagger that makes rappers like Lil Wayne great—the album is infused with braggadocio and taunts towards other rappers.

The name of the album, 'Jago Blair,' has a unique backstory as well.

"When I was little, I used to draw cartoons," says Hype. "Jago Blair was the main character to all of my cartoons. He was basically everything I wished I could be—a rapper, a hero, a badass. Now that I am finally here releasing my first album, I thought it was appropriate to name it after Jago."

Hype plans on throwing a CD release party here in Toledo at a yet-to-be determined venue. The rapper will be performing live with a full band—he recently hired freelance musician Dominic Perna to play drums with the group and his brother RJ will play guitar. He plans on releasing the record independently on the internet and seeing where it goes from there.

"We are trying to take a step and open up the game for conversation. At this point, there are new areas that need to be explored."

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