Anthony Simbo, stage name Tony AS, is a Sierra Leonean British rapper and lyricist, known for his unique blend of the Krio and English languages to create a fascinating hip-hop sound. His songs have been making waves for their distinctive style, leaving many incredible reviews from music lovers.
Tony AS was born in London, and later grew up in Sierra Leone. His childhood in the country inspired him to embrace his roots and garner a deep sense of belonging to the continent even though being born in England.
The African Dream interacted with the music icon to discuss more on his eventual rise to music and art. For Tony AS, music is a medium to open the gateway for expression and pouring his heart out. “Music helps me express myself, allows me to share my story and connect with people,” Tony AS explained.
Tony AS has been more of an independent artiste. He has reaffirmed how fun it has been casually creating music for the listening comfort of his fans. Tony AS currently boasts of at least 40 songs on all streaming platforms. He is yet to release any album or EP.
Tony AS’s biggest song is Freetown, which was originally done by Tasha. The song quickly shifted Tony into the country’s entertainment spotlight. The song detailed his childhood in Sierra Leone and the playful feeling that accompanied it. Freetown registered Tony as an expert in freestyling and rap. Another groundbreaking track was Get To Know. The song perfectly describes the Sierra Leonean experience admonishing exquisite places like the Number 2 Beach. It became one of his most played songs. “Freetown is a nostalgic story about growing up in our capital city and Get To Know is a fun and quirky song where I played around with my krio lingo,” Tony explained.
Looking back at his best moments, Tony AS pictured the time his fans were accurately singing along to his songs while he was performing in Sierra Leone last year. He describes it as, “Great moment, great feeling, and I want more of that.”
In response to concerns about the music industry, Tony AS narrowed down on the problem of mistrust. “Knowing who to trust in the music industry has been a challenge, a lot of people claim to want to help but either can’t or have other intentions.” Nevertheless, the Sierra Leonean British rapper expressed deep admiration for the music industry at this point. “Sierra Leonean music is amazing right now, so many talented artistes are coming through – it’s exciting,” Tony AS ended.
To his fans, Tony AS has a special message: thank you, keep enjoying the music, if you know anyone that would enjoy it too, share it with them. I appreciate you.
You can access Tony AS’s songs on all platforms by just searching “Tony AS.” Follow @TonyAsOfficial on all social media platforms.
I will want my next 5 years to be established as one of the pillars of Sierra Leone music and artists having solidified my position. I’ll also like to help more young artists coming through via my experience.
Tony AS speaking on where he envisions himself in the next five years
