Today, we’d like to introduce you to Anthony “HiDefTone” Patton.
Hi Anthony, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Some of my earliest memories involve being exposed to creativity or being creative. As a child, I recognized early the fulfillment I received when creating an idea, a story, or using my voice for song. One of my favorite homes growing up was that of my uncle and aunt’s place; it was the hub for weekly family gatherings. There, I would become exposed to music, dancing, and singing hit records with my cousins for fun, which led to the recognition of my voice by my family members.
Eventually, I became a member of my elementary school concert choir, which opened the door for me to spend four years in a middle school geared toward the musical arts. In high school, I pivoted away from singing to lean into the hip-hop culture, becoming exposed to the underground/backpacker scene that expanded what I thought was possible in songwriting. I became an avid student of the art, studying everyone from Nas to Canibus to Eminem to Jay-Z, deconstructing and analyzing their aptitude for the craft. However, during my freshman year of college, I converted to Christianity and didn’t see a place for rapping in a space that deflected the ego and called one to surrender their own will.
I never thought I would be a rapper for Jesus. I wasn’t sure that Jesus needed rappers. So, creating Christian Hip Hop for Jesus is a bit of a surprise. This gift has taken me to New York City, Philadelphia, Dallas, and Tampa, among other destinations, to share songs of inspiration and hope. In addition, I’ve been blessed to continue creating through “HEaRT” a multipurpose platform aimed at inspiring Christian Artists in the faith and managing concerts, workshops, and conferences.
Each year since 2019, HEaRT has been involved in either the Encounter Conference, my own “The Sweetest Rush Tour,” or “BMoreWorkReady” Workshops in community outlets throughout Baltimore City. In addition, HEaRT also produces Christian-themed clothing for sale at www.hideftone.com/shop.
Let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
As an introverted artist, it has not been easy. Going viral is one of the keys to the overnight success and fame that most artists long for. It has been a huge struggle as someone who’s rarely in front of the camera and enjoys the creation process more than the social media promotion of a thing.
When I’m on stage, in my element, I’m not concerned about the number of people in the room. I am confident in my ability to shift their ideas and take them on a musical journey. Creating opportunities to share, connect, and perform in real life has been my ingredients for success and long-time listeners. For example, my first full-length project, “August Rush,” released in 2021, had over 100 plays every week since it hit 100+ plays/week and did not dip below that number until a year later in 2022.
Expectations and comparisons have also been an issue at times. Listening to mainstream artists and analyzing the lack of honing the craft, the degrading subject matter, and the overall message is mind-numbing to someone who cares for the creative process and my audience. Not seeing the viral component on anything I’ve released has served as a damper on darker days.
I’ve experienced depression, lapses in creativity, and even considered walking away from releasing music due to the investment vs rewards. However, the biggest thing to combat those feelings of lack has been recentering and grounding myself in the reason I am being creative. It was never for anyone else’s fulfillment but my own.
Being a Christian Artist/Creative, my job isn’t to sell a million records, it’s to be a light in the dark and hopefully create a soundtrack for people that need encouragement and inspiration along their journey.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As an artist and creative, my passion lies in creating authentic music, pieces, and experiences that inspire others to keep their faith.
My specialty is pushing the culture forward by creating art that may make you question, “A Christian made this?” Too often, I feel marginalized in being creative, keeping my faith at the forefront, which is annoying because I believe God is a creative genius. Everything we experience with our senses God created, and the quality of art made by “God’s people” should uphold that standard. That’s what HEaRT is all about, acknowledging that the creativity of humans is directly connected to our creative God.
I am most proud of the music and relationships I have made post-pandemic shutdown. All the time spent indoors and isolated forced me to reevaluate what I thought, felt, and believed about myself. It allows me to have the courage to find my own voice, sound, and approach to my creative processes. I couldn’t be the introspective artist I am today without that period of solitude.
I’m also proud that I produced a 7-day devotional called “Gods, Goddess, Crystals, and Us” as an opportunity to create a dialogue among believers exposed to the nuances and trends in the culture. The emphasis was to show that God was big enough to have a place in those arenas while spotlighting some of the perversion of the practices.
I’m not really sure what sets me apart from others, maybe because I sing *and* rap. Maybe because I create my own tours, graphics, merch, etc. I really don’t look at the field in a comparative way for my own mental health. I’ve learned it’s personally unproductive, unhealthy, and orchestrated by vanity and ego.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Something surprising that most people won’t know is that I didn’t start rapping until high school. Another is that I’m still learning to embrace compliments.
It used to get very weird when people would praise my work because I didn’t know how to respond. I’d become a little awkward like Ricky Bobby in Talladega Nights when he’s like, “What do I do with my hands?”
Pricing:
- Merchandise starts at $19.95
Contact Info:
- Website: hideftone.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/hideftone
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-patton-5693a9210?trk=people-guest_people_search-card
- Youtube: youtube.com/@hideftone
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/hideftone
- Other: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/hideftone/1418435024
Image Credits
Look2C Photography, Flight Images, and THIB Media
