Rapper and tattoo artist Tony “Hi-Tone” Valenz went to live with his mother at a young age after his parents divorced because of his father’s abusiveness and alcoholism. He quit his favorite sport, baseball, and luckily discovered music. Throughout all of his challenges, he found solace in poetry and songwriting.
Fast-forward to 2016, and Hi-Tone has carved out his own niche in both tattooing and rapping. In the NXN (No Xanax Needed) documentary, Hi-Tone details the thought process behind the making of his upcoming album, No Xanax Needed, and takes the viewer into the mind of someone struggling with addiction.
“Not too long ago I found myself in a very dark place,” Hi-Tone explains to DX. “It stole everything I loved and locked my mind in a mental prison. I experienced a level of fear I had never felt before, fearing things I’d never feared and thinking things I’d never thought. It ultimately changed my life and views forever. I honestly didn’t think I’d be alive to tell this story or let alone create this project. With the grace of God, and the positivity that sustained me, I was able to turn the dark into light. I have a burden in my heart to share my story, not because it’s so different from everyone else’s, rather, because I know I’m not the only one who’s known the depths of the struggle.”
No Xanax Needed drops Friday (September 23).
