The music industry has a great influence on everyday life all over the world not excluding us here in the Virgin Islands. There are positive genres, positive producers, and even musicians that put out efforts to keep the music they create clean for every audience to enjoy. Consequently, John Public doesn’t rate uplifting music. The protocol at the major radio stations is usually music your parents wouldn't approve are in heavy rotation, and then everything else squeezed in. Popularity in music comes from repetitious play and even though the music is censored the point gets across. This is a reality, one of our marquis radio personality struggles with this reality."Not everything I play on the radio I approve, because of it's influence on the youths, but that’s my job," says Tony T. I was able to sit with Tony T in his element at 105.3 Jamz production studio and reason. At the time Tony T and Jahseed from Red Lion and Fahrenheit Friday were in the studio doing their behind the scene work. I came thru, dapps up everybody, set up my equipment, and started my interview. I got-ta be honest; we talked for a minute before I officially started. We talked a lot about how things have changed over the years.
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For all who don't know Tony T has been a deejay since 14 years old and has not looked back. "It seems like I've been deejaying from when I start to know myself, but I've been doing it professionally and as a personality for the past 7 years" says Tony T."I'm currently the music/program director and a radio personality here at WVJZ 105 Jamz. I wear a lot of hats around here."Check fat! Shouted Jahseed(lol).After recovering from that laugh Tony T added, “my days here actually start from about 11a.m. where I would cut new commercials, go thru the daily programming, then at 2, I'm on air ‘til 6p.m., but it don't end yet, cause then I go into programming for Jamz and Kiss 101.3 fm." It’s evident, it seems like Tony T is always doing something in the production studio. I asked him who inspired him to focus on being a dj. Tony T leaned back in his chair and replied confidently, “that inspiration comes directly from family". He started explaining that his Dad was a deejay, and was well known for the end of the year parties out in Old TuTu, "I used to watch my father play music, and people enjoy themselves and I was so proud I always told myself, I was going to do it just like he did!"
I then changed up the pace and asked him to take it back to his earlier days."I was in a group named ‘KBK’ that spun off a former band called 'Irie Vibes'. The band had broken up and we took the equipment and formed a deejay group. Up till now I still respect those guys that made up the group, like Keith Lamata, Kelvin Parson a.k.a Kelly Beans, and Akeem the Dream, that’s my boy Bob, that’s where I saw the real experience of playing out, earning your own money, plus that’s where the name Tony T came about!" Speaking on the good times Tony T reflected on the high school jams, some hosted by Mrs. Parrot, some by Westline and W.E.B, he said, "Mehson in them times it wasn't just plug in your laptop into the system, and you'll run a dance. No! We had to tote around records by the crates! We had competition on your mixing skills, competition on your system to see who could shut down the other! It just wasn't all about tune for tune." He paused to turn off the ringer on the phone, he continued saying," The sad thing is that because of the increase in violence the youth now aren't getting to enjoy themselves like we did in the 80's and 90's. Right now big venue dances replaced neighborhood house parties for that same reason." The phone started ringing a lot so I asked him in conclusion, what can we expect in the future from Tony T? Watching thru his glasses at the top, he slowly sat back in his seat collecting the thought, he said concerned, "I see a major disparity in our Virgin Islands youth and I would like to be a impact player to change that by mentoring."
"Not everything I play on the radio I approve, because of it's influence on the youths..."
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