In the heart of Atlanta, the Garden of Hip Hop Festival beckons, an oasis of rhythm and resonance where musical voices unite to tell stories that transcend time and place. At this vibrant celebration of hip-hop culture, artists come from near and far to share their talents and unique perspectives, aiming to leave an indelible mark on the hearts of their audience.
In anticipation of this year’s festival, rolling out sat down with Toni Jones, whose presence promises a performance that will resonate deeply with the audience. We delved into Jones’ journey, her views on hip-hop’s ability to create a sense of community, and her mission to elevate mental health and well-being through their unique genre of music, known as affirmation music.
How do you believe hip-hop music can bring people together and create a sense of community through events like this?
Hip-hop has been a voice of culture for 50 years, but the root of hip-hop is our voice. And I believe events like this can bring people together to celebrate and congregate so that we can share our voices, our messages, our advocacy through music.
As a hip-hop artist, what message or emotions do you hope to convey to the audience through your music during the festival?
I hope to convey the message of how profoundly important words and music are to mental health and well-being. I also hope to convey the self-awareness of the audience of how they talk to themselves.
The Garden of Hip Hop festival celebrates the diversity of hip-hop culture with a focus on health and wellness. How do you plan to showcase your own unique style and perspective on the genre?
I plan to show that affirmation music is an evolved piece of hip-hop that can be used as a mental health tool by helping people talk better to themselves.
Share some of your influences and role models in hip hop and how they’ve impacted your music and career?
Lauryn Hill and Kanye West have definitely influenced my appreciation of hip-hop because of how they expressed their raw humanity in their art, lyrics and performances. I appreciate how human an artist can be in their highest authenticity of self.
What are some things that you think women in hip-hop can do to uplift the Black community?
They should study the neuroscience behind words and music so they understand how their lyrics and music influences the mind and lives of their listeners and fans. When artists use this intel in their writing and producing of music, they can shift and transform the minds of Black people in powerful, positive ways.
What are some of your proudest achievements?
Maintaining my integrity in my personal and professional life. Having my single, “Take UP Space Sis” placed on Showtime’s series “The Chi.” And knowing the importance of edifying my business infrastructure as an artist and learning to enjoy that process so I can sustain myself as an artist for the rest of my life.
