Conscious Tone is a hip-hop artist based out of Denver, Colorado. His music is influenced by the various life experiences he’s dealt with and musical inspirations. He channels those experiences into hard-hitting lyrics. Such lyricism was presented to us in his release of “Questions”. The lyrical content in “Questions” was highly captivating and emotionally heart-rendering. Listening to this song you were able to connect with Conscious Tone on a deeper level than the music. He creates chemistry between himself and the listeners, allowing us in on his personal thoughts and feelings as if the music was his personal diary.
You see more to Conscious Tone underneath his wavy image and artistic brand.
Listening to "Questions" emphasized the authenticity in Conscious Tone. If you’re able to relate to the substantial lyrics and melodic hook then you will find this song to be mesmerizing more than it could be to the regular listener. “My work is a mixture of stories and life experiences that have changed and progressed my view of the world. I've spent significant time trying to figure things out and my music reflects the highs and lows of my journey." I took some time to listen to Conscious Tone other releases like “In My Bones” and I was intrigued and compelled by his story-telling skills. Utilizing his Mo-town roots and his admiration for storytelling through hip-hop, he has developed a unique sound of his own.
With slick delivery, refreshing word flow and an honest portrayal of life experiences, his cadence follows the emotions of his stories. His socially influenced context is delivered with the style of current hip hop artists including Grieves, Chris Webby, Mac Miller and G-Eazy to name a few. Conscious Tone is the next generation of hip-hop, and we’re excited to see his story continue to develop!
Listen to "Questions" below and get to know more about Conscious Tone in our interview below!
What inspired you to create the stage name “Conscious Tone”?
The name Conscious Tone sort of happened over a summer in 2011. When the name first came about, I was coming out of a pretty rough patch, I was trying to create a name that fit me as an artist and wasn’t just a gimmick. I’d had a bunch of people I knew calling me Young Tone and that’s kind of where it stemmed from. I woke up one morning and it sort of just hit me, I had been writing some very conscious and lyrical songs and I thought “that’s it, Conscious Tone”. I’m aware, I’m ready and I’m here to make it happen, and that’s pretty much where it came from. I went back and forth and for a little while I went by just Conscious but went all in onConscious Tone around 2012 and the rest is history.
Your music is beautiful! Have you ever found yourself struggling to open up about certain life experiences in your lyrics?
Yes, that definitely does happen from time to time. Just as writers block can get in the way of creating, putting certain life experiences in my music has its ups and downs as well. Sometimes it’s hard to find the right way to express that experience lyrically or find the right vibe to match the feeling I had in that moment in time. I feel that as I’ve grown as an artist my ability to open up more has grown as well though. I’ve always tried to create a feeling within my music, something that people can relate with and that can be hard at times. However, I’m in a position now where I can shed light on things and be a voice for those that may not have one so I thrive to create something real every time, even outside my comfort zone. It may be difficult to open up about struggles or experiences but it comes with the territory, so for me it’s all about getting past those roadblocks and finding a place where I can be genuine in my music and give one hundred percent.
The authentic nature of your artistry is compelling! How do you find balance in being true to yourself but fitting to the trends of today’s hip-hop culture!?
Honestly, I’m still finding that balance. I understand this culture moves fast so it’s important for me to do my research and to present something catchy in its own right. I always want to stay true to myself and my way of creating but I do see what’s going on around me and I have to adapt. I feel like today’s hip hop culture has reached a point where lyrical and trendy have found their own balance so to speak. It’s kind of like do your own thing and make it pop but just make sure it has that appeal on a higher level. Listeners need more now a days, it’s about bringing something new to the table. So, I've made a point to keep my music fresh and real but also engaging for my listeners. The most important thing for me is to keep that authentic vibe in my catalog, to keep evolving and to keep trying new things. To me it just means making good music that people can enjoy listening to, everyone likes something so it’s about finding that something within my music. I’ve never been super flashy, just a hip-hop head that loves writing and my style kind of reflects that. I’m still finding that balance but I’ve worked hard to create music that is diverse and appealing while still blending well with today's trends in hip hop. The culture is what you make it so if I can bring something beneficial to it, I think I’m on the right track.
Tell us a little bit about “Questions” and what inspired you to write this?
Questions is a special song to me, and it came from a very real place. I think it sheds light on my journey over the past few years. I’ve been working towards my goals at an almost obsessive rate, still never feeling finished. A job that never seems complete in a sense and is always being challenged by doubt, loss, setbacks and just life in general. I get stuck in my head sometimes and this song is a good representation of that. I’m not afraid to say what I feel in most cases and I think that creates a much more organic connection with my listeners. This song reflects my struggles with stress and anxiety in addition to the loss of people and opportunities around me. It also represents that drive and desire to make it through to the other side, no matter what. When I was writing this song, I wanted to portray a message that even when things seem so low, you can still be better. Life is tricky, but it’s important to see the bad with the good.
What can we expect next from you?
Next up is a new EP titled 87’ that I’ve been working on over the past few months. It’s set to release in late May and It’s going to be an 8 track EP that really explores some new vibes and sounds for me as an artist. I’m extremely excited to release this project and I think it'll have some really solid tracks on it. In addition I’ll be working with some amazing videographers at Creative Culture to create some dope visual content for the EP as well. I'm gearing up for a busy year musically and I think this 87' EP will be a great way to start it off.
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