Vereses and Tony Stone - www.akaverses.com

March 2006
Interview by: Philip Rood

Rapzilla: "Listening Session", what inspired you to do this album?
Tony Stone: im lookin at verses like "...he talkin to me?"
Verses: Well, of course God inspired me ultimately, but I really wanted to write songs that would reach deep into the unchurched audience. It is a wake up call to the listener, to really listen to what they are listening too. And not just hear it.
Rapzilla:How did you hook up with Tony Stone to produce this album? and why him?
Verses: I met Stone about three years ago, online while shopping for beats for Rhymes Elect. We developed a friendship and kept in touch over the years. For the solo joint i really wanted to do an exclusive with Tony because i really love his sound, and his work ethic. His beats were exactly what I was look for.
Rapzilla: Tony, is this your first exclusive production album?
Tony Stone: Like my man Verses was saying, we had actually linked up several years ago, and the work on the Listening Session represents work from 3 or more years back to present. So in retrospect, this is one of the first exclusive albums that I started producing on. I don't know if it started out with that intention
Rapzilla: Oh, Verses was it you intention to have the production exclusively done by Tony Stone?
Verses: When we first started looking for beats for Rhymes Elect, we thought it would vary, but we decided to go exclusively with Tony; but when deciding to do the solo, i knew it would be exclusive Tony Stone. If i do another solo joint, it would likely be an exclusive with Stone again, if he would have me. lol. ...
Tony Stone: hahaha
Verses:  We'll see though i do like a couple other producers, maybe i can spare a track or two, but I envision that tony will be more involved with the process.
Tony Stone: I think our chemestry has built and enhanced over the years and once the audience gets used to a certain flavor, they'll grow to expect that
Rapzilla: Why the name "Listening Session"?
Verses:  Well, that goes along with the concept, I wanted people to Listen to the music that they rock through their speakers, examine it and ask, "What am I listening tont> really dig the small intimate coffee house type atmospheres, and think that would be a dope place o have a listening session for the CD. end
Rapzilla: Tony, what inspired your production?
: I'd say that it was a real growing process through the whole thing. That's what will make this album different, in my eyes, from alot of other projects I might work on. I can listen to the music and hear influences and practices that I did over the course of years. So it's really hard to pin down what in particular (other than the Lord Jesus!) inspired me for the tracks. I can say at different points and times during the course of the project, the concepts that Verses threw at set the tone for what I would create or shoot his way.
Rapzilla: How long have you been doing music?
Verses:  I've been rappin' since the age of 11 or so 20+ years
Tony Stone: for me, I've been into music since a kid, as far back as I can remember
Rapzilla: How is the CD doing right now?
Verses:  Man, doing well. I've been to the Post Office more times than I can count (like 1 or 2 times). LOL.
 But for real it's doing well, I had a brother from Zimbabwe that wants me to send him one man. That is a blessing to me that he has been blessed by the clips he's heard on the web.
Tony Stone: Word! And likewise, I've been getting alot of feedback on my end from guys who are really enjoying the album. It's been good
Rapzilla: What's your favorite song on the album?
Verses:  Well my favorites are 1-12, but one that i will point out is Love Jawns. It is a collaboration with my wife Chloe. We wanted to make a true love song, about a Godly relationship, to combat all the negative stuff that goes over the airwaves today. So many of our youth and young adults are beign overwhelmed with songs about wrong love.
Tony Stone: Well for me, I really dig on the project as a whole, but if I had to pick a joint, I'd say my favorite is Ms. O Ginny. There's alot of great topics on the album, but that one grabbed me the first time I heard it completed.
Verses:  I've been hearing that from a lot of brothers.
Rapzilla: lol that's the track I'm listening to right now
Verses:  hah
Rapzilla:What are your goals for 2006 (music wise)?
Verses:  Musically, I would like to continue to push Listening Session, especially thoughout the Summer. We are also working on a project by my wife Chloe. Rhymes Elect album will be coming out this Summer too.
Then at some point this year, God willing, I will work on another solo joint. i have some concepts that I plan to get out there. end
Tony Stone: For me, this year should be very busy. I'm balancing multiple projects and I also like to be active in promoting them. So we're looking at the Rhymes Elect album, alot of new work with Braille and his new label, Shai Linn, Reach Records (Lecrae), and some other suprise HHH combos that I think will be dope
Verses: 8-)
Rapzilla: Nice
Rapzilla: If you could do a collab with anyone who would it be?
Verses:  I wouldn't mind rockin' a song with Family Force 5 or some other rock goup
Tony Stone: that's a tough question. I think it would be hot to do a joint with Tawala Paris or Keith Green
Verses: Well, actually my bad, throw 4th Ave jones in there too.
Rapzilla: Any last words?
Verses: Just want everybody to really listen to the music that they put in their ears, not just hear it. Be and/or stay blessed.