Retro Spins: Tone-Lōc - Lōc-ed After Dark

Piggybacking on yesterday's post, today I'm jumping into Tone-Lōc, AKA Anthony Terrell Smith. Young M.C., who I listened to yesterday, would work with Lōc on his massive debut album hits, Wild Thing, and Funky Cold Medina. Both would become massive successes on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number two and three, respectively.

The two tracks would become staples on MTV, helping to catapult the rapper into mainstream success. Further, the album itself would be certified double platinum in the USA, and reached number one on the Billboard 200, while also charting across the world.

Upon release, the single Wild Thing immediately garnered the attention of Van Halen who were neither asked nor paid for the sampling of their song, Jamie's Cryin'. Initially, the band's representation asked for a flat use fee of $50,000.00, but this went ignored. This led to suit, naturally, and Van Halen receiving $280,000.00 in settlement.

For its music video, Lōc would borrow from another artist, taking direct inspiration from Robert Palmer's Addicted To Love. Much like Palmer's video, the rapper's featured a line-up of similar looking girls, swaying their bodies while pretending to play instruments.

While Funky Cold Medina would also liberally borrow from other existing songs, such as Hot Blooded (Foreigner), Christine Sixteen (Kiss), and both (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction and Honky Tonk Women (Rolling Stones), just to name a few, the song wouldn't come under the scrutiny that its predecessor did. In fact, none of those bands seems to have even batted an eye. It did, however, lead to a lot of drinks being created at bars.

Not much has really been shared about the rapper's personal life. His upbringing was modest, having been raised with his siblings by his mother after his father passed away. Beyond that, the only other information is that he performed briefly with the group, Triple A. Though they don't appear to have made any major waves, nor released any albums.

Like millions of others, I bought this album for the two singles noted above. Beyond getting those, I really had no expectations.

I don't know why, but when the album started, I found myself asking, "Why does he sound like a smoking grandma sitting at a slot machine?" This perspective didn't leave my mind, making it difficult to listen to the music. This, however, wasn't the only aspect that made it a tough playthrough.

Tone-Lōc approaches the majority of the tracks with a smooth funk type sound, which doesn't really work for me. It's not my style. Further, it's the complete polar opposite of his hit singles, which take a harder rock / rap approach. My ears find the latter more appealing.

I did think it comical that in a lot of his songs he announces towards the end that he's out of there. Why do you have to keep telling the listener the song's ending? It was goofy.

Most disappointing was that by track six I found myself skipping songs after just a few seconds. I really wasn't enjoying my listening session, and I got to the point where I had no interest in continuing to subject myself to it. Honestly, I expected better from the stature of Tone-Lōc. His name built up a false sense in my mind of better quality than what was delivered. I almost anticipated a masterpiece, and perhaps that's my own fault for having such high expectations.

Still, at the end of the day, I got Funky Cold Medina and Wild Thing, and I'll happily take them. They're really solid tunes, and a necessity for my 80's collection.

Much like Young M.C., the landscape of rap was changing, and Tone-Lōc wasn't going to be able to shift with it. He would return to the studio and release 1991's Cool Hand Lōc, but at this point, people were more interested in gangster rap and moving rapidly away from the more pop oriented sound which the foundation had been built on.

Unfortunately, the album would not fare well, and as a whole failed in comparison to its predecessor. Single, All Through The Night would only find mild success, peaking at number eighty on the Billboard.

Rather than dwell on this, Lōc would make a successful transition to films, most notably (for me) appearing in 1990's The Adventures Of Ford Fairlane, 1993's Posse, 1994's Ace Venture: Pet Detective, 1995's Heat, and 1996's Spy Hard. That's the tip of the iceberg for his acting credits though. Bottom line, he's made a successful go at it.

Side note: Booty Time! If there's any reason to watch The Adventure's Of Ford Fairlane, it'd be for Ed O'Neill's Booty Time!

He does continue to tour periodically, but appears to need to do so in moderation, as he has a history of falling from passing out. These have been caused by a combination of struggles with seizures, and general exhaustion from pushing himself too hard. Regardless, he continues to hit the road, and push through it.

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