The Tones are progressive masters in the creation of soulful, honest hip hop in its most appealing form. Being compared to the likes of Blackstar, Tribe Called Quest, Slum Village, De La Soul, Little Brother and even Mobb Deep, many might wonder how such a sound can be derived from the California Bay Area.

     This versatile duo consists of rapper-producer, Retro, and rapper-singer, Suhn. Since the group first formed, The Tones have toured with the likes of Common, Slum Village, Little Brother, The Roots drummer QuestLove, and Dr. Cornell West to name a few.

     The Tones debut album ‘Dreamtalk’ is about pursuing dreams and living through the struggles and pleasures encountered on the way. It also gives motivation to others in pursuit of their dreams. Mixing together a collection of laid back soul grooves and hard, vintage beats along with potent rhyme content, The Tones are sure to deliver a classic album... hence the Okayplayer.com album review.

     The Tones are a breath of freedom and a testament that Hip hop hasn’t died. It just needs a breath of fresh air; The Tones; creators of music that transcends genres beyond hip hop; or, simply put in the words of Grammy nominated artist Common, “some real soulful brothers.”