Tony A. Da Wizard

{{BLP unreferenced section|date=November 2022}}

Tony A. was born in Torrance, California.

At the age of 11, in 1979, Tony first saw what a DJ was when he went with his brother to Noah's Ark{{Cite web |title="Noah's Ark" |url=https://calisphere.org/item/a5b72078b4aa746aa6c773459234650d/}} in Long Beach. From that day forward he wanted to become a DJ. Shortly after he began working for Steve and Susan Yano at the Vermont Swap Meet in Gardena, California selling vinyl records and cassettes. He first started DJing at his Junior High School noon dances and then went on to DJ house parties, birthday parties and quinceañera's.

In 1987, Tony A. was featured on his first vinyl record single titled "You Better Think" by rapper Dazzie Dee, Produced by Sir Jinx on Thin-Lyne Records, the record label of the World-famous VIP in Long Beach, California. Allegedly, in 1988, Tony A. won 1st place at Battle of The DJs at Samerika Hall in Carson, California.

Tony A. has worked with many artists in the film and music industries including The Hughes Brothers, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, MC Ren, DJ Quik, Young MC, Tone Loc, JJ Fad, Sir Jinx (Lench Mob), Hi-C, 2nd II None, AMG, B-Real (Cypress Hill), Sen Dog (Cypress Hill), Mellow Man Ace, Teena Marie, Krazy Dee (N.W.A.), Lawless, Lil Rob, Kid Frost, Foesum, Slow Pain (G'Fellas), Nino Brown (G'Fellas), Dazzie Dee and more.{{cite web|url=http://uniqueaccessent.com/tony-a-shares-skanless-stories-with-hi-c-disney/|title=Tony A Shares Skanless Stories With Hi-C & Disney|website=uniqueaccessent.com|publisher=Victoria Hernandez|accessdate=January 8, 2019}} Tony A. and Hi-C were the first rap group signed to Hollywood Records.

{{See also|Indoor swap meet#Connection_with_gangsta_rap}}

In the early 1980s, Steve Yano{{Cite web |title=Steve Yano |url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/82759-Steve-Yano}} employed Dr. Dre of the World Class Wreckin' Cru to create mixtapes for him to sell at his booth at the Roadium Swap Meet.{{cite web |title=Calling Dr. Dre to Surgery: The Roadium Swapmeet Mixtapes |url=https://www.passionweiss.com/2015/08/12/calling-dr-dre-to-surgery-the-roadium-swapmeet-mixtapes/ |website=passionweiss.com |date=12 August 2015 |publisher=JEFF WEISS }} Mr. Yano was himself a mixtapes creator and a musician, and thus he inspired Tony A. to keep creating mixtapes.

Dr. Dre created the mixes and some of the rappers featured on them were MC Ren, Ice Cube, Eazy-E, Krazy Dee (N.W.A.), Sir Jinx, Dazzie Dee and more. In 1987, while Dr. Dre was producing various artists on Ruthless Records, he asked Tony A. if he wanted to take over doing the mixtapes for Steve. Soon after, Tony A. began creating the mixtapes. His first mixtape that was released was titled "Breakdown". In 1991, Tony A. released his final mixtape titled "Bullshit{{Cite web |title=Tony A.* – Bullshit |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/18843562-Tony-A-Bullshit}}" which featured Hi-C, DJ Quik, 2nd II None and AMG. During his mixtape career, he created 30+ mixtapes.{{cite web |title=Parental Advisory: Explicit Lyrics |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-apr-14-tm-37890-story.html |website=Los Angeles Times |date=14 April 2002 |accessdate=April 14, 2002}}

In 1989, Tony A. created and produced his very first song titled "I'm Not Your Puppet" on the mixtape titled Hi-C which featured the Compton, California Rapper Hi-C, who worked at the Roadium Swap Meet. After the success of the Hi-C mixtape, Tony A. created and produced "Sitting In The Park" on the mixtape titled Skanlist, which also featured Hi-C. These mixtapes led Hollywood Records in 1990 to approach Steve Yano with interest in signing the duo. After they signed, Steve Yano established his own label called "Skanless Records". They began recording their debut album titled Hi-C Featuring Tony A. at Audio Achievements in Torrance, California. There they recorded half of their album and eventually finished at Skanless Studios in Alhambra, California. This album was released December 10, 1991. The album peaked at 152 on the Billboard 200,{{cite web |title=Billboard 200 |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/Hi-C-Featuring-Tony-A/chart-history/billboard-200 |website=billboard.com |publisher=Billboard}}{{dead link|date=December 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}{{cite web |title=Billboard - Hi-C Featuring Tony A. |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/hi-c-featuring-tony-a |website=billboard.com |publisher=Billboard}} at number 21 on the Hot Rap Songs for the song titled "Sitting In The Park",{{cite web |title=Billboard - Hot Rap Songs |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/hi-c-featuring-tony-a/chart-history/rap-song |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180518152221/https://www.billboard.com/music/hi-c-featuring-tony-a/chart-history/rap-song |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 18, 2018 |website=billboard.com |publisher=Billboard}} at number 53 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums,{{cite web |title=Billboard - Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/Hi-C-Featuring-Tony-A/chart-history/r-b-hip-hop-albums |website=billboard.com |publisher=Billboard}}{{dead link|date=December 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} at number 3 on the Heatseekers Albums for 24 weeks.{{cite web |title=Billboard - Heatseekers Albums |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/Hi-C-Featuring-Tony-A/chart-history/heatseekers-albums |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180518143531/https://www.billboard.com/music/hi-c-featuring-tony-a/chart-history/heatseekers-albums |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 18, 2018 |website=billboard.com |publisher=Billboard}} In 1993, Tony A. (given credit as Tony Alvarez) produced half {{Cite web |title=Hi-C – Swing'n |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/513490-Hi-C-Swingn}} of the Hi-C album titled Swing'n.

In May 2017, Tony A. directed {{Cite web |title=IMDB - The Roadium Mixtape Documixery |url=https://m.imdb.com/title/tt10466358/?ref_=ttpl_ov}} the Roadium Mixtape Documixery. It was a docu-series shedding light on a collection of mixtapes created by Dr Dre of the World Class Wreckin' Cru, then Tony A. started creating 4 track mixtapes, which became very popular in the LA. The aim of the series was to show a history of hip hop development and spread in the 1990s in Los Angeles. The docu-series also was a tribute to Steve Yano, a musician and mixtape creator, who passed away in 2014.{{Cite web |title=Steven Gregory Yano {{!}} 1952 - 2014 {{!}} Obituary |url=https://www.fukuimortuary.com/obituary/2702987}} He was the man who first inspired Tony A. to create and distribute his mixtapes.

The documixery was a collaboration with John Elkins (JE Visual Studios), Daniel "DG" Jones (DG Media Clips), Carey Fujita (South Bay Drones), Roger "Lyve" Mera (RL Productions), Boomer Didit (The Remedy Yard) and Wiz1 (Blak Forest). The cast also included Tony A. himself, Warren G, Mister Cartoon, Violet Brown, 2nd II None, AMG, Hi-C, DJ Speed (N.W.A). American hip hop producer Sir Jinx, and football star Kelvin Anderson (VIP Records) also took part. The docu-series also included Ernie G (Proper Dos/Skanless Records), Big Citric (Brown Town Looters/George Lopez Show), DJ Jam, Alonso "Lonzo" Williams (World Class Wreckin' Cru), Cli-N-Tel (World Class Wreckin' Cru), Kid Frost, Mellow Man Ace, DJ Rhettmatic (The World-famous Beat Junkies), Break Beat Lou (Ultimate Breaks & Beats), DJ Thoro, DJ Money B, Greedy Greg and Arabian Prince (N.W.A).

Production{{Cite web |title=Documenting a Landmark of L.A. Hip Hop History: The Roadium Mixtape Documixery |url=https://ethnomusicologyreview.ucla.edu/content/documenting-landmark-la-hip-hop-history-roadium-mixtape-documixery-0}} of The Roadium Mixtape Documixery was started in 2017 and was quickly completed in December 2018. The series was set to release in 2019 but was allegedly postponed to 2020. The trailer was released in 2020 and is still available on Youtube The director's cut version is available on Youtube.{{Cite web |title=TONY VISION PRESENTS - THE ROADIUM MIXTAPE DOCUMIXERY - DIRECTOR'S CUT |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vh4nKY-WHpw}}

Tony A. is currently focused on directing films (Tony Vision) while DJing and producing music. He established Tony Vision (a Youtube Channel), in 2019, and since then he has been a Youtube podcast host at Roadium Radio.{{Cite web |title=Tony Vision |url=https://www.youtube.com/@TonyVision/videos}}{{Cite web |title=Tony Vision Presents Roadium Radio |url=https://eastsidemedia.tv/2019/12/03/tony-vision-presents-roadium-radio/}}

New Roadium Radio Episodes stream twice a week, on Wednesdays and Sundays at 7pm, PST.

{{reflist}}

• {{official website|https://www.documixery.com}}

Category:1968 births

Category:Living people

Category:Date of birth missing (living people)

Category:American DJs

Category:American film producers