Tony Fields, better known as Tone B. Nimble, was surrounded by great musical influences while growing up on Chicago's South Side. But it wasn't until 1985, when he was a student at Homewood-Flossmoor High School, that he began his career as a DJ. Owning only one turntable at the time, Tone met like-minded music fanatic David Kelly (Cap D), who also owned one turntable. Together they searched for their musical niches; Cap went the lyrical route, and Tone found his voice on the 1's & 2's. Tone's ear for finding samples that best characterize Chicago hit a high point in 1998, when he co-released No Additives No Preservatives, an album which simultaneously launched the All Natural label. Releasing the album gave him the opportunity to work alongside some of Chicago's finest producers including No I.D., Panik and PNS of the infamous Molemen. The notoriety that came from working with such high-profile artists provided him with a huge boost of confidence, and Tone found no problem landing residencies all over Chicago. Eventually he became a household name for fans of the underground as well as an inspiration to a flock of young Chicago producers. As Tone's fan base grew, he looked to bring positive attention to other architects of hip-hop by creating the only monthly producer showcase in the city, called "Dance to the Drummer's Beat." This stage offered a glimpse into the invisible world of hip-hop and drew attention to local producers like Kenny Keys, Tall Black Guy and Radius.
Since then, Tone has worked with the cats over at Sonotheque to create a free event called 30 Something Sundays (a night full of soul, hip-hop and disco). He's also managed to squeeze in some scratch work on All Natural's newest album, Elements/Fire, which is the first in a four-part series, each part of which will represent a different natural element and hip-hop vibe.
For more information, visit their website: http://www.allnaturalhiphop.com
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