B.Slade
Anthony Charles Williams II (born May 16, 1975), better known by his stage name B.Slade, formerly known under the gospel moniker Tonéx (/ˈtoʊneɪ/ TOH-nay), is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, rapper, dancer, producer, and activist from San Diego, CA. He has gone by various names and aliases, but his primary stage name of choice had for years been "Tonéx". In 2010, he began using the stage name B.Slade to rebrand himself.
B.Slade | |
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| Birth name | Anthony Charles Williams II |
| Also known as | B.Slade, T.Boy, The Architect, Tonéx, TON3X, T.Bizzy, The Black Maverick, O'ryn, Pastor N8ion, LeMar Jackson |
| Born | May 16, 1975 |
| Origin | San Diego, California |
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| Years active | 1992–present |
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Williams has released several hundred songs on dozens of albums throughout his career while producing several others for both gospel and secular artists. He has won six Stellar Awards, a GMA Award, and received 2 Grammy nominations: one for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album for his 2004 gold album, Out the Box and another in 2009 for Best Urban/Soul Alternative Performance for his single, "Blend", from his 2009 mainstream (albeit theoretically Gospel) album, Unspoken.
Known more for his gospel recordings, his musical efforts have been known to blend a smorgasbord of styles, including pop, R&B, jazz, soul, funk, hip hop, rock, Latin, electro, punk and trance. His primary influences include Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, Prince, Michael Jackson, Walter Hawkins, David Bowie, and Janet Jackson. His distinct sound and eclectic style of music led him to give his music its genre per se, calling it "Nureau".