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{{short description|Singer}}
'''Tony Sunshine''' Born Antonio Cruz in the [[Bronx]], [[New York]] is an [[R&B]] singer of [[Puerto Rico|Puerto Rican]] descent, famous for singing on a good number of [[the Terror Squad|Terror Squad]]'s songs. He sang on tracks such as [[Cuban Link]]'s ''Still Telling Lies'', [[Fat Joe]]'s ''All I Need'' and [[Big Pun]]'s ''100%''. He released his own single on [[Jive Records]] titled: "Oh My God" featuring P. Diddy and [[Dirtbag (rapper)|Dirtbag]] in 2004. Tony Sunshine has new album set for this spring.
{{BLP sources|date=June 2008}}
{{Infobox musical artist
⚫
| name = Tony Sunshine
| image =
| caption =
| background =
| birth_name =
| alias =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1977|04|23}}
| birth_place = [[New York City]], [[New York (state)|New York]], U.S.
| genre = [[Contemporary R&B|R&B]], [[Hip hop music|hip hop]]
| years_active = 1998–present
| occupation = Singer
| label =
| | past_member_of = [[Terror Squad (group)|Terror Squad]]
}}


'''Antonio Cruz''' (born April 23, 1977), known professionally as '''Tony Sunshine''', is an American [[contemporary R&B|R&B]] singer of Puerto Rican descent.{{cn|date=October 2024}} He is best known as a member of [[Fat Joe]]'s hip hop group [[Terror Squad (group)|Terror Squad]] in the late 1990s, and notably guest featured on group cohort [[Big Pun]]'s 2000 single, "[[100% (Big Pun song)|100%]]" and has also appeared on [[Cuban Link]]'s single "Still Telling Lies".<ref name="Birchmeier">{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=terror-squad-p366641/biography|pure_url=yes}}|title=Biography: Terror Squad|last=Birchmeier|first=Jason|publisher=[[Allmusic]]|accessdate=26 November 2010}}</ref> His guest appearance alongside Armageddon on Fat Joe's 2003 single, "All I Need" peaked at number 54 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]], while his guest appearance on [[Lumidee]]'s 2007 [[cover version|cover]] "[[She's Like the Wind#Lumidee and Tony Sunshine version|She's Like the Wind]]" peaked at number 43 on the chart. He was led by Joe to sign with [[Jive Records]] to release his 2004 debut single "Oh My God" (featuring [[Sean Combs|Diddy]] and Dirtbag), which failed to chart.
==Official Biography==
<small>edited from Tony Sunshine's Story on website</small>


==Early life==
It all started for the Bronx-bred, Puerto Rican when he was the tender age of 5. That's when Antonio Cruz started to express him self by singing but it wasn't salsa music that inspired young Antonio, in fact his house wasn't filled with Latin music at all. It was always Soul and R&B that was playing in background of little Antonio's life.
Raised in the Bronx, Cruz was discovered by fellow Bronx native [[Fat Joe]] at the age of thirteen, who attempted to secure a recording contract for the teen. Cruz then adopted the name Tony Sunshine, and ultimately became a member of [[Terror Squad (group)|Terror Squad]]. Fat Joe, the group's leader, said he respected and understood Cruz's talent.<ref name="LoC">[http://www.dubcnn.com/2015/05/18/exclusive-interview-with-former-terror-squad-member-tony-sunshine/ DubCNN Interview]</ref>
By the time he was 12, Tony knew he wanted to pursue a career in show business, especially after he witnessed Fat Joe ascend from being just a thug in their BX neighborhood to blossoming as a superstar.


==Career==
When Tony was about 13 he saw Fat Joe with ‘ Digging in the Crates' at ‘Showtime at the Apollo' " I stepped to him and was like, 'Yo, listen, I sing.' "
Cruz performed vocals for Terror Squad cohort Big Pun, on his songs "100%", "Laughin at You", and "My Dick". He has also appeared on Fat Joe's songs "TS Piece" and "All I Need". Terror Squad's [[Terror Squad: The Album|self-titled debut album]] was released in 1999, on which Cruz made numerous appearances. Cruz has also appeared on [[Cuban Link]]'s 24K album, contributing vocals to the tracks "Freak Out", "Still Telling Lies", "Hey Mama", and "Taste of Pastry".
Fat Joe & Big Pun saw his potential and took Tony under their wing, letting him tag along to shows and trying to secure a recording contract for the teen.


Cruz signed with [[Jive Records]] to release his 2004 single "Oh My God", which failed to chart. Fat Joe was then able to finalize a record deal for Cruz in 2005 with Epic and [[Sony BMG]], although he was dropped in May of the following year and subsequently signed to Urban Box Office. In November 2006, the label collapsed and left Cruz as an independent artist. In 2007, he guest featured on fellow New York singer [[Lumidee]]'s single, "[[She's Like the Wind#Lumidee and Tony Sunshine version|She's Like the Wind]]". As well as the English version, a [[Spanglish]] version was also recorded.
R&B was born. This was Tony's stage name, it stood for Rough Brother but back then Fat Joe was known, as Joey Crack and his name didn't hold the weight it does today. Labels passed on his young protégé.


In 2010, he independently released the single "Say Hey" (featuring [[Swizz Beatz]]) in July of that year. In 2015, Cruz released the mixtape ''No Filter''. In 2016, Cruz reunited with Fat Joe and Terror Squad, although this resulted in no major releases.
It wouldn't be until years later that Tony would graduate from tag-along status to full-fledged Terror Squad compatriot.


⚫
==Discography==
"I was away from the neighborhood for a while, trying to get myself together," Tony said. "I met up with Pun years later and he already had a couple of videos out. He was so happy to see me, he was like, 'Wow, where you been?' Next thing you know I was on four songs on Pun's [second] album. I went to the studio, started hanging out, and we started coming up with ideas together."
⚫
===Singles===
*2003: "Grey Goose" <small>(featuring [[Fat Joe]])</small>
⚫
*2004: "Oh My God" <small>(featuring [[Sean Combs|Diddy]] and Dirtbag)</small>
*2010: "Say Hey"
*2011: "#1 Baby"
*2013: "Don't Deserve"
*2015: "Crying"
*2016: "Danger" (featuring [[Chris Rivers]])
*2017: "Talk About it"
*2018: "Take Me Away"
*2019: "Bruce Leroy"
*2019: "Shots Fired"
*2020: "Wandas Son" (featuring Dre of [[Cool & Dre]])
*2021: "You Said"


===Featured singles===
It was his idea for Tony's Artist name to be Sunshine and so R&B became Tony Sunshine and a solid member of the Terror Squad.
*2000: "[[100% (Big Pun song)|100%]] <small>([[Big Pun]] featuring Tony Sunshine)</small>
*2000: "Still Telling Lies" <small>([[Cuban Link]] featuring Tony Sunshine)</small>
*2003: "All I Need" <small>(Fat Joe featuring Tony Sunshine and Armageddon)</small>
⚫
*2007: "[[She's Like the Wind]]" <small>([[Lumidee]] featuring Tony Sunshine)</small>


⚫
===Mixtapes===
The tragedy that was the death of Big Pun from a heart attack in 2000 left Tony floored and for a while the ‘Happy Papi' was unhappy as he mourned and remembered his good friend Christopher Rios Aka Big Pun Aka Big Moon Dawg. "He always pushed me. It was like he knew his time was coming," recalled Tony, who starred in the video for "100%" after Pun's fatal heart attack. "He was saying little subliminal things to me like 'Always keep going' and if something happens to him, to listen to Joe.
*2015: ''No Filter'' <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ballerstatus.com/2015/05/07/tony-sunshine-its-going-down-dd35-exclusive/|title=Tony Sunshine – It's Going Down (DD35 Exclusive) |publisher=BallerStatus.com |date=May 7, 2015}}</ref>


==References==
Tony was able to rise above the tragedy and along with Fat Joe began recording some of their strongest material. Hits included a mixture of ballads and club stompers with producers Cool and Dre. He also collaborated with [[R. Kelly]], [[Ginuwine]], [[Fabolous]] and Capone-N-Noreaga.
{{Reflist}}

==Music==
Fat Joe was able to finalize a record deal for Tony in 2005 with Epic and [[Sony BMG]]. Tony Sunshine was released from Sony BMG in May, 2006 and was signed to Urban Box Office. In November 2006, UBO folded, leaving the future of Tony Sunshine's 2007 debut release uncertain.

⚫
==Discography==
⚫
===Albums===
* 2006 "Tony Sunshine" — release in October / November

⚫
===Singles===
⚫
* 2004 "[[Oh My God (Tony Sunshine song)|Oh My God]]" <small> (featuring [[P. Diddy]] & [[Dirtbag (rapper)|Dirtbag]])</small>
* 2006 "[[Drop Ya Body]]" <small>(featuring [[Dre (producer)|Dre]])</small> — release in September
⚫
* 2006 "[[She's Like the Wind]]" <small>(with [[Lumidee]])</small>


==External links==
==External links==
* [http://www.tonysunshine.com/ Fan Site]
*[https://www.instagram.com/iamtonysunshine/?hl=en Official Instagram]
*[http://www.facebook.com/BronxLoveInc Tony Sunshine on Facebook]


{{Terror Squad}}
[[Category:Rhythm and blues musicians|Sunshine, Tony]]
{{Authority control}}


[[es:Tony Sunshine]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sunshine, Tony}}
[[Category:American contemporary R&B singers]]
⚫
[[sv:Tony Sunshine]]
[[Category:Terror Squad (group) members]]
[[Category:Rappers from the Bronx]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1977 births]]
[[Category:21st-century American rappers]]
[[Category:21st-century American singers]]

Latest revision as of 21:05, 13 December 2024

Tony Sunshine
Born (1977-04-23) April 23, 1977 (age 47)
New York City, New York, U.S.
GenresR&B, hip hop
OccupationSinger
Years active1998–present
Formerly ofTerror Squad

Antonio Cruz (born April 23, 1977), known professionally as Tony Sunshine, is an American R&B singer of Puerto Rican descent.[citation needed] He is best known as a member of Fat Joe's hip hop group Terror Squad in the late 1990s, and notably guest featured on group cohort Big Pun's 2000 single, "100%" and has also appeared on Cuban Link's single "Still Telling Lies".[1] His guest appearance alongside Armageddon on Fat Joe's 2003 single, "All I Need" peaked at number 54 on the Billboard Hot 100, while his guest appearance on Lumidee's 2007 cover "She's Like the Wind" peaked at number 43 on the chart. He was led by Joe to sign with Jive Records to release his 2004 debut single "Oh My God" (featuring Diddy and Dirtbag), which failed to chart.

Early life

[edit]

Raised in the Bronx, Cruz was discovered by fellow Bronx native Fat Joe at the age of thirteen, who attempted to secure a recording contract for the teen. Cruz then adopted the name Tony Sunshine, and ultimately became a member of Terror Squad. Fat Joe, the group's leader, said he respected and understood Cruz's talent.[2]

Career

[edit]

Cruz performed vocals for Terror Squad cohort Big Pun, on his songs "100%", "Laughin at You", and "My Dick". He has also appeared on Fat Joe's songs "TS Piece" and "All I Need". Terror Squad's self-titled debut album was released in 1999, on which Cruz made numerous appearances. Cruz has also appeared on Cuban Link's 24K album, contributing vocals to the tracks "Freak Out", "Still Telling Lies", "Hey Mama", and "Taste of Pastry".

Cruz signed with Jive Records to release his 2004 single "Oh My God", which failed to chart. Fat Joe was then able to finalize a record deal for Cruz in 2005 with Epic and Sony BMG, although he was dropped in May of the following year and subsequently signed to Urban Box Office. In November 2006, the label collapsed and left Cruz as an independent artist. In 2007, he guest featured on fellow New York singer Lumidee's single, "She's Like the Wind". As well as the English version, a Spanglish version was also recorded.

In 2010, he independently released the single "Say Hey" (featuring Swizz Beatz) in July of that year. In 2015, Cruz released the mixtape No Filter. In 2016, Cruz reunited with Fat Joe and Terror Squad, although this resulted in no major releases.

Discography

[edit]

Singles

[edit]
  • 2003: "Grey Goose" (featuring Fat Joe)
  • 2004: "Oh My God" (featuring Diddy and Dirtbag)
  • 2010: "Say Hey"
  • 2011: "#1 Baby"
  • 2013: "Don't Deserve"
  • 2015: "Crying"
  • 2016: "Danger" (featuring Chris Rivers)
  • 2017: "Talk About it"
  • 2018: "Take Me Away"
  • 2019: "Bruce Leroy"
  • 2019: "Shots Fired"
  • 2020: "Wandas Son" (featuring Dre of Cool & Dre)
  • 2021: "You Said"
[edit]
  • 2000: "100% (Big Pun featuring Tony Sunshine)
  • 2000: "Still Telling Lies" (Cuban Link featuring Tony Sunshine)
  • 2003: "All I Need" (Fat Joe featuring Tony Sunshine and Armageddon)
  • 2007: "She's Like the Wind" (Lumidee featuring Tony Sunshine)

Mixtapes

[edit]
  • 2015: No Filter [3]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Birchmeier, Jason. "Biography: Terror Squad". Allmusic. Retrieved 26 November 2010.
  2. ^ DubCNN Interview
  3. ^ "Tony Sunshine – It's Going Down (DD35 Exclusive)". BallerStatus.com. May 7, 2015.
[edit]
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