Tony Touch

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Tony Touch

| image = Tony Touch.jpg

| caption =

| image_size =

| birth_name = Joseph Anthony Hernandez

| alias =

| birth_place = Brooklyn, New York, U.S.

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1969|7|2}}

| death_date =

| origin =

| genre = {{hlist|Hip hop|reggaeton| house

}}

| occupation = {{hlist|Record producer|singer-songwriter|break dancer|DJ|rapper

}}

| years_active = 1980s–present

| label = Touch Entertainment

| associated_acts = The Beatnuts
Big Punisher
Fat Joe
Flipmode Squad
Wu-Tang Clan
Statik Selektah
Sean Paul
B-Real
Nina Sky
D-Stroy
Big Daddy Kane

| website = {{url|tonytouch.com}}

}}

Joseph Anthony Hernandez (born July 2, 1969), professionally known as Tony Touch, is an American hip hop break dancer, rapper, record producer and DJ of Puerto Rican descent.

Career

Tony Touch began as a B-boy during the rap music renaissance era of the early 1980s.{{cite web|url=http://www.latinrapper.com/featurednews49.html |title=DJ Tony Touch Interview | Tony Toca Mixtapes |publisher=Latinrapper.com |access-date=July 23, 2013}} Heavily influenced by pioneers like Crazy Legs and the Rock Steady Crew, Grandmaster Flash, Red Alert, Little Louie Vega and Jam Master Jay, he quickly shifted his interests towards the turntables. Tony is known for his mixtapes the 50 MC's. His mixtapes have featured guest appearances from Boot Camp Clik, Eminem, KRS-One, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane, Wyclef Jean, M.O.P., Big L, and Mos Def.

In 2000, Tony released his debut album The Piece Maker on Tommy Boy Records.{{cite web|author=Michael Gallucci |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-piece-maker-mw0000058335 |title=The Piece Maker – Tony Touch | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards |publisher=AllMusic |date=April 18, 2000 |access-date=July 23, 2013}} It sold 400,000 units worldwide and featured guest appearances from Big Pun, Cypress Hill, Wu-Tang Clan, Busta Rhymes, Eminem, and Gang Starr.

In 2000 the single "I Wonder Why" featuring Total was released. The music video featured cameos from John Leguizamo, Rock Steady Crew, Grandmaster Flash, The Awesome 2, Marley Marl, and DJ Premier.{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-piece-maker/id405922773 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140125004134/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-piece-maker/id405922773 |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 25, 2014 |title=iTunes – Music – The Piece Maker by Tony Touch |publisher=iTunes |date=January 1, 2000 |access-date=July 23, 2013}}

Since then, Tony Touch has released The Piece Maker 2, which featured guest appearances from Puff Daddy, Fat Joe, Sean Paul, Snoop Dogg, and Ruben Blades.{{cite web|author=David Jeffries |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-piece-maker-vol-2-mw0000325103 |title=The Piece Maker, Vol. 2 – Tony Touch | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards |publisher=AllMusic |date=February 24, 2004 |access-date=July 23, 2013}}

Tony Touch is also known to represent the urban Latino community with his Spanglish lyrics and Salsa roots.{{cite web|author=Keith Nelson Jr (@JusAire) |url=http://allhiphop.com/2013/06/20/exclusive-dj-tony-touch-on-piece-makers-3-eminems-symphony-in-h-more-video/ |title=EXCLUSIVE: DJ Tony Touch on Piece Makers 3, Eminem's "Symphony In H" + More (VIDEO) |publisher=AllHipHop.com |date=June 20, 2013 |access-date=July 23, 2013}} This is the result of him growing up with salsa at home and hip-hop influence in his lifestyle.

In 2005 Tony signed to EMI records releasing a reggaeton album, ReggaeTony.{{cite web|author=David Jeffries |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-reggaetony-album-mw0000251564 |title=The Reggaetony Album – Tony Touch | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards |publisher=AllMusic |date=March 29, 2005 |access-date=July 23, 2013}} The lead single "Play That Song" featured Nina Sky and B-Real of Cypress Hill. The CD included collaborations with artists such as Tego Calderon, Zion and Lenox, Pitbull, Ivy Queen, NORE, Voltio, Mexicano, Thirston Howl III, and Soni. The album went gold, and EMI moved quickly to release ReggaeTony 2.{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/reggaetony-2-mw0002128369 |title=Reggaetony 2 – Tony Touch | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=July 23, 2013}} This CD featured Lumidee, Plan B, Joell Ortiz, Tru Life, Don Chezina, and the Beatnuts. To this date Tony has sold over a million records worldwide.

On July 16, 2013, his sixth album The Piece Maker 3: Return of the 50 MC's was released and featured guest appearances from Busta Rhymes, Reek da Villain, Roc Marciano, Lil' Fame, Too Short, Xzibit, Kurupt, B-Real, Papoose, Uncle Murda, Black Thought, Styles P, Sheek Louch, Jadakiss, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, RZA, Eminem, Twista, Bun B, Action Bronson, Prodigy, Joell Ortiz, Royce da 5'9", KRS-One, Crooked I, Redman, Method Man, N.O.R.E., and Erick Sermon.{{cite web|last=Paine |first=Jake |url=http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.23474/title.tony-touch-piece-maker-3-release-date-tracklist-album-stream |title=Tony Touch "Piece Maker 3" Release Date, Tracklist & Album Stream |publisher=HipHop DX |date=July 8, 2013 |access-date=July 17, 2013}}

In 2016 he paired up with Austin Brown to collaborate as CaliYork. They released the single "Show Up At My Place" in September.{{Cite news|url=http://youknowigotsoul.com/new-music-caliyork-austin-brown-dj-tony-touch-show-place|title=New Music: CaliYork (Austin Brown & DJ Tony Touch) - Show Up At My Place - YouKnowIGotSoul.com|date=September 16, 2016|access-date=September 29, 2017|language=en-US}}

Discography

=Studio albums=

2000: The Piece Maker
2002' The Last of the Pro Ricans
2004: The Piece Maker 2
2005: ''The Reggaetony Album
2007: Reggaetony 2
2013: The Piece Maker 3: Return of the 50 MC's

=EPs=

1998: The Rican-Struction

=Partial mixtape discography=

1991: Hip Hop Volume 1
1996: Power Cypha: 50's MCs
1997: Power Cypha 2
1999: Power Cypha 3: The Grand Finale
2002: B-Boy Breaks 3: James Brown Tribute
2003: R&B Volume 30: The Love Session
2010: Feel Good
2011: Feel Good # 2

=Collaborations=

1997: 5 Deadly Venoms of Brooklyn (w/ Evil Dee, Mister Cee, PF Cuttin and Premier)
1997: The Diaz Brother (w/ Doo Wop)
1998: Hip Hop 59 ft FunkMaster Flex
1998: Terrorist Activity (w/ DJ Khaled)
1999: The Diaz Brother: 2 for 5 (w/ Doo Wop)
2000: The Diaz Brothers: Live In Japan (w/ Doo Wop)
2002: The Diaz Brothers 3 (hosted by Kay Slay)
2003: Mucho Muchacho – Chulería

=Singles=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" \|+ List of singles, with selected chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2"\| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2"\| Year ! scope="col" colspan="2"\| Peak chart positions
scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"\| AUS {{cite Ryan\|page=283}} ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"\| UK {{cite web\|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/9716/tony-touch-ft-total/\|title=Tony Touch featuring Total {{!}} full Official Chart History\|publisher=Official Charts Company\|access-date=October 22, 2022}}
scope="row"\| "I Wonder Why (He's the Greatest DJ)" {{small\|(featuring Keisha and Pam of Total)}} \| 2000 \| 95 \|\| 68
scope="row"\| "Play That Song" {{small\|(featuring Nina Sky and B-Real)}} \| 2005 \| — \|\| —

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

|+ List of singles, with selected chart positions

! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Title

! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Year

! scope="col" colspan="2"| Peak chart positions

scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| AUS
{{cite Ryan|page=283}}

! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| UK
{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/9716/tony-touch-ft-total/|title=Tony Touch featuring Total {{!}} full Official Chart History|publisher=Official Charts Company|access-date=October 22, 2022}}

scope="row"| "I Wonder Why (He's the Greatest DJ)"
{{small|(featuring Keisha and Pam of Total)}}

| 2000

| 95 || 68

scope="row"| "Play That Song"
{{small|(featuring Nina Sky and B-Real)}}

| 2005

| — || —