Perhaps most impressive is that he does all of these things, and well. With a background as colorful as his talents, Tonedeff grew up in Chicago, IL, before moving to Miami, FL, for the remainder of his adolescence. While it was in Miami that he began recording and performing, it wasn't until relocating to Queens, NY at 21 that the well-traveled emcee really began making noise. He won a string of battles, including the Braggin' Rites MC Battle and NYC's notorious Da Cypha battles, to name a few. At the same time, he built a name for himself by opening for esteemed acts such as Common, Royce Da 5'9, Beatnuts, Brand Nubian and Rahzel.
Where most up-and-comers hit a stalemate, however, Tonedeff had only just begun. After forming the independent label QN5 Music in 2000, he released a series of work including the enhanced Hyphen EP, Happy F*ck You Songs with Extended F@mm, the "Clear 'Em Out" 12" single with KRS-One, and countless guest spots for artists such as Masta Ace, DJ JS-1 and CunninLynguists. 2003 saw him grace the pages of The Source Magazine and the MTV airwaves in a commercial for Hip Hop Week.
April 2005 marks the release of Archetype, his long-anticipated debut LP. A culmination of his artistic abilities, Archetype displays the incontestable versatility and raw talent that sets him apart from the rest. Comprising the spine-tingling harmonies of the intro; the relentless, rapid-fire punchlines of "Let's Go" and "Issawn"; the unabashed wit and comedy of "Disappointed" and "Pervert"; and the breathtaking beauty of the true story "Porcelain"; Tonedeff shatters the mold of conventional hip-hop, bringing it to levels that others only speak of. Influenced by a diverse range of artists - Common, Fresh Prince, Enya, Tori Amos and Bjork, for example-his own style is reflective of such, a melting pot of styles and sounds.
Combining beauty, talent and artistic innovation, Tonedeff is set to awaken hip-hop with a distinctively new sound. Following the QN5 mantra of "the New Hip-Hop," the multi-talented artist breathes new life into a dwindling art form, taking the reigns in the pursuit of new ideals as the originator, the new standard, the archetype.
SUNRISE
Tonedeff Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I can't breathe, no I can't see,
No, no with my eyes on fire.
Yeah, with my eyes on fire.
I feel like I'm working every single day of the week
And I can't sleep, no no, with my heart on fire.
Yeah, with my heart on fire.
The night has been so dark & cold
I want to walk all alone in the sunrise.
In the sunrise.
Do you wanna live? I wanna remember what it feels like
To be embedded in a real life
When the deal's dicey and it's evident it's another surreal night...
Then I'm f'in to check if the lid on my head is sealed tight.
Cause I would give anything to replenish the dream inside
Tethered together by a steal line -
Drawing it's heat from the light, deprived
Reaching for Helio's height's
Leaning without a means to survive, till the ceiling divides.
I hid every bit of esteem and concealed it inside -
Cause when you need to feed on it, then it eats you alive.
Cause when you believe that you're right and nobody's seeing your side
You tend to agree - I don't need another reason to die.
People can turn a blind eye and you've gotta pardon them
When your character flaw is a self-imposed martyrdom
Part of the prob is shock it exists -
It's seen but never felt like a victim describing a shot to a witness.
Isn't this just coincidence? The shit's a mess
Missing photosynthesis in this den I'm imprisoned within.
It's a sin as I wither away,
As if business will give me the pleasure that flickers and fades as I live in this haze
I wanna be riddled with millions of rays on the skin of my face
Till the cinnamon pigment is colored crimson in shade
And I've been in the gray and I'm sick of waiting
And I don't want to wonder anymore if the sun has risen today.
Let the sun rise on.
Let it shine on.
Until it burns away.
Tonedeff's song "Sunrise" reflects on the struggles of life and the desire for a new beginning. The first two verses describe the exhaustion and frustration of working constantly without any progress. The repetition of "eyes on fire" and "heart on fire" emphasizes the overwhelming feeling of being burnt out. The chorus reveals the desire to escape this routine and find solace in the sunrise.
The following verses explore the concept of living in reality and the difficulties that come with it. The lyrics suggest that there is a dream inside each person that needs to be fueled but is often suppressed by societal expectations. The line "It's seen but never felt like a victim describing a shot to a witness" illustrates how others can see a problem but fail to understand the emotional impact it has on an individual. The longing for the sun to rise represents a desire for a new day and relief from the pain.
The overall theme of the song is the yearning for change and hope in the midst of darkness. Tonedeff's use of metaphors and repetition adds emphasis to the emotional depth of the lyrics. The song has a powerful message that resonates with anyone who has felt trapped, hopeless, or burnt out.
Line by Line Meaning
When the day is done
At the end of the day
And I can't breathe, no I can't see,
Feeling overwhelmed and lost
No, no with my eyes on fire.
Feeling intense emotion
Yeah, with my eyes on fire.
Continuing to feel intense emotion
I feel like I'm working every single day of the week
Feeling exhausted and overworked
And I can't sleep, no no, with my heart on fire.
Unable to rest due to intense emotion
Yeah, with my heart on fire.
Continuing to feel intense emotion
The night has been so dark & cold
Feeling isolated and alone
I want to walk all alone in the sunrise.
Seeking solace and peace in a new day
Do you wanna live? I wanna remember what it feels like
Desiring to truly experience life
To be embedded in a real life
To be fully immersed in living
When the deal's dicey and it's evident it's another surreal night...
When things are uncertain and surreal
Then I'm f'in to check if the lid on my head is sealed tight.
Feeling the need to check one's mental state
Cause I would give anything to replenish the dream inside
Desiring to restore a sense of purpose and passion
Tethered together by a steal line -
Held together by a strong connection
Drawing it's heat from the light, deprived
Gaining energy from an external source
Reaching for Helio's height's
Striving for success and greatness
Leaning without a means to survive, till the ceiling divides.
Struggling to move forward in life
I hid every bit of esteem and concealed it inside -
Keeping one's confidence and self-worth hidden
Cause when you need to feed on it, then it eats you alive.
Feeling consumed by the need for validation
Cause when you believe that you're right and nobody's seeing your side
Feeling misunderstood and alone
You tend to agree - I don't need another reason to die.
Feeling overwhelmed and hopeless
People can turn a blind eye and you've gotta pardon them
Understanding that others may not understand one's struggles
When your character flaw is a self-imposed martyrdom
Realizing that one's own actions contribute to their struggles
Part of the prob is shock it exists -
Feeling surprised that problems still exist
It's seen but never felt like a victim describing a shot to a witness.
Feeling like others may not truly understand one's struggles
Isn't this just coincidence? The shit's a mess
Feeling like problems are just bad luck
Missing photosynthesis in this den I'm imprisoned within.
Feeling trapped and cut off from the outside world
It's a sin as I wither away,
Feeling like one's spirit is dying
As if business will give me the pleasure that flickers and fades as I live in this haze
Realizing that material success won't cure one's unhappiness
I wanna be riddled with millions of rays on the skin of my face
Desiring to feel the warmth of the sun and experience life fully
Till the cinnamon pigment is colored crimson in shade
Experiencing the beauty of the world
And I've been in the gray and I'm sick of waiting
Feeling trapped in a dull, colorless existence
And I don't want to wonder anymore if the sun has risen today.
Desiring clarity and hope for the future
Let the sun rise on.
Hoping for a new beginning
Let it shine on.
Hoping for brightness and clarity
Until it burns away.
Hoping for lasting change and transformation
Contributed by Isaiah E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.