Today we’d like to introduce you to Tony B.
Tony, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Hood Angel Forever is a brand I created within February of 2020. It began after the spread of my mixtape dropped titled “Hood Angel.” Initially, it was designed as merchandise to promote the project. But I became more focused on it becoming a brand for others who identify with not becoming a product of their economy.
I remember sitting in my girlfriend’s room in college around December 2018. I couldn’t find a way to tell my story through music just yet. She gave me some advice and mentioned how my natural voice was more appealing to the ear than trying to create music that was already common in mainstream rap. I took that advice and started working on a project called “Hood Angel.” Almost a year and a half later, I was finished with the project and released on February 5th, 2020 (Which was approximately one whole year from my official starting date of working on it). Since then, I have wanted to do more than just music but find another way to tell my story and reach others. So I created a logo after some critical thinking and started my brand. At first, people were saying, “Why would I pay $20 for a shirt? That’s too much. Who do you think you are?”
As of now though, people are saying, “Twenty Dollars?! That’s it? Can you ship it to me?”. So, that’s good to see the support factor has gone up for a lot of things.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
So far, the biggest struggles are creating more music for people and deciding when to release it to the public. Initially, the biggest problem was trying to find a place to get the shirts made. Over time, the problem is simply focused on reaching as many people as possible. I want other people to be able and identify with Hood Angel Forever that are outside of Dallas. With the help of my family and girlfriend, things became a lot more easier recently. As of right now, I’m focused on creating hoodies and sweats in the near future.
Alright – so let’s talk business. What else should we know about you and your career so far?
My business is self marketed by myself and close friends of mine. We are creating a platform for people who have goals of becoming someone more than their former self. A lot of people grow up in areas that aren’t the brightest, and others tend to form biased opinions based off of your hometown. I believe we can prove to others why we are different. We can prove that we rise higher than any occasion set forth because that’s what God has planned for us. So, to see how many people have been touched through my music and identify with the brand is remarkable.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Favorite childhood memory has taken place in my grandmother’s house. Me and my cousins used to ride bikes down the street till sundown and getting into a world of trouble. We were just being kids at the time. My Grandma was mad because we kept going in and out of her house while her A/C was on basically.
Pricing:
- Hood Angel Forever T-Shirt: $20
- Hood Angel Forever “Sorry For NOT Being Too Hood” T-Shirt: $20
- Hood Angel Forever “Sorry For NOT Being Too Hood” Mask: $10
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jstonyb/
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/jstonyb/
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