Tony Beyond just sat down with Exposed Vocals in new interview

Tony Beyond was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio where he was often looked at as different. Usually quiet and mysterious he finds himself free in his songs almost like everything in the dark comes to light in a bold way. There are so many experiences to touch on and so many things to say and Tony seems to get it all out when he needs to. Very smooth and emotional tone with stories that keep you wondering what’s next.

Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?

I grew up in Cleveland to say the least. My mom and I moved all over the city. For the longest it was just us. The few times I did see my dad growing up we would ride in his Cadillac listening to music. One Christmas I had received a Bow Wow CD and I had one of his songs stuck in my head. When my dad came to pick me up we were riding in silence. This was rare. So I started rapping my own version of the song. I was still in elementary school at the time so my dad was impressed I could rhyme words so easily and keep rhythm so well at such a young age. Turns out my dad was a rapper back in the day by the name Dirty Chill. After listening to his music, I decided I’ll carry on the lineage and do it better than he ever thought he could.

Exposed Vocals: Since everyone was a start-up once, can you give any smaller or local bands or artists looking to get gigs and airplay some tips?

Don’t give up just because you only have a few plays or even no plays at all. Focus on your content and the quality of your sound. What message do you want to deliver to your listeners? What story do you want to tell? When you figure that out and stay consistent on releasing content every year make sure you evolve your concepts as you go along. Fans want a never ending story, so give them that.

Exposed Vocals: Do you ever make mistakes during performances? How do you handle that?

I’m human. I don’t like to, but of course I make mistakes. That’s what backtracks are for. If they can’t hear me they can hear the music. Some people call this glorified karaoke. I disagree. Typically the beat selection is chosen and sometimes even produced by me, as well as the mixing and mastering even if I have an engineer in the studio my hand is in how the final product will develop. So I’m proud of how my music sounds. I display that confidence during my performances even if I stumble over a word or two.

Exposed Vocals: Do you tour? Anything interesting happen on tour that you think our readers would enjoy hearing about?

Funny story: last year I had planned a regional tour and wanted to include a handful of my musical associates. The lack of support from my business partner ended up resulting in the whole thing being cancelled. But I’m still optimistic in another opportunity to revive the idea.

Exposed Vocals: Any planned studio upgrades? What are you working with now?

Throughout my career I’ve usually worked from a home studio. Literally a mic and laptop doing all my recording and mixing on the fly wherever I could get good acoustics. Now I record at the Lava Room and I couldn’t be happier.

Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?

Word of mouth. I can’t think of any other way. I let my music speak for itself.

Exposed Vocals: If you could perform anywhere and with any artists (Dead or Alive) where and who would it be with? Why?

If I could perform at Coachella or Rolling Loud with Kid Cudi or Lil Wayne I’d consider myself content with my success. Those two got me through some pretty rough times growing up in the hood being exposed to the hazing of gang culture and the influence of drug use. I don’t even think I would have the emotional capacity to deliver the lyricism I do now if it had not been for Man on the Moon and The Carter 3.

Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?

Oh I’m never done. I’ll be releasing my EP: Fall From Grace in May. There’s a visual preview available on YouTube now on the Beyond Earth official channel. You’ll just have to stay tuned to know more.

Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?

I’m a jack of all trades. I don’t just make music. I freelance my other skills as well. I’ve done odd jobs here and there to pay the bills like marketing, brokering, shipping, cooking, cleaning. Not to mention I am the incorporator and co-owner of Beyond Earth, LLC: parent company with the rights to my independent recording label subsidiary Beyond Earth Entertainment. So even if I wasn’t “making” music I would likely still have a hand in the entertainment industry maybe with film making, illustration or writing. I’m still thinking about publishing my own anime/ manga series.

Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in the next year or so?

Progression. Growth. Abundance. Honesty. Mystery. There is a lot of content I put out for free that is seperate from my premium catalog. I’ll be focusing on building a larger portfolio on the streaming platforms along with more shows as long as The Most High will it.

Exposed Vocals: Any Shout-outs?

Yeah, first off I want to shout out Exposed Vocals! Thanks for having me, it’s been real. Shout out all my supporters out there, the Plutonians! I would not be here without my listeners and if you’re catching this interview and made it this far I just want to say I love and appreciate you all so very much for sticking with me through this process of finding myself. It’s definitely been a long journey. I recorded my first song “Make You Mine” back in 2009 and that seems so long ago. Hard to imagine I’ve been at this for 10 years now! Time flies, but I’m still very young, only 23-years-old with my whole life ahead of me. I want to shout out my grandparents because without them none of this would be possible. Shout out my great-grandfather Theodore Porter, rest in paradise “Pop” I hope you’re looking down at me proud of how wise of a man you inspired me to be. Shout out my cousin Gerald, rest his soul, and his sons, mother and wife I love you all. Shout out my mom, Pam, for never giving up on me even when everyone else would choose to turn their back and allow me to fend for myself. You always made sure I wasn’t throwing my life away in the streets no matter how many times I came close to doing so. Shout out my big brother Chill The Fanatic, kept me solid. Even to this day he’s the only one that completely understands the true me and takes the time to help me get to the root of my problems. Shout out Yung Rham Dha Grheat, the little brother I always wanted growing up. We been homies forever bro, that ain’t ever gonna change keep spitting that heat like I taught you. Shout out Matt Key! My God-Brother, blood couldn’t make us any closer. It didn’t take the birth of my sister to know you were family brodie. Keep doing great things I’m always watching, admiring, and competing with you… Respect. Shout out all my younger siblings man it is way too many of y’all to name and I been rambling for long enough just know I’m trying to be the best example of a man as I can. Special shout outs to my auntie Kim, my cousins Ryan and Erica for keeping me humble and grounded I love y’all to death. On a final note, last but definitely, most certainly not least: Free Young B! Shout out to a real one, ain’t no one or nothin like B. You have not and will not be forgotten, see you when you get home bro. Just for discrepancy purposes, honorable mention to Lady Bee, you’ve been a big inspiration for a lot of my work. I’m sorry I couldn’t be the man you wanted and needed from the jump. Maybe if I did things would be much different but it is what it is. You were one of my very first supporters ever and the first woman I thought I would marry and start a family with. Oh, with that being said… Tinashe, if you find yourself stumbling across this consider the following statement as me shooting my shot: Imagine an amethyst on a ring with an aquamarine. Consider one day we take a night ride in a drop top RetsaM EnoT. Would I be wrong to guess we could find joy in creating a second volume of episodic series? How much harm could an Aquarius really do to a Pisces?