About Fat Tony
Anthony Lawson Jude Ifeanyichukwu Obiawunaotu or Anthony Lawson Obi , better known by his stage name Fat Tony, is a Nigerian-American rapper.
He has been recognized in URB's "Next 1000", a list of emerging new artists anticipated to break through. At the Houston Press Music Awards, he won the Best Underground Hip Hop award in 2008, 2009, and 2010, as well as the Best Solo Rapper award in 2013.
Fat Tony grew up in the Third Ward area of Houston, Texas. Anthony Onyebuchi Obi, Fat Tony's father, is an engineer, and his mother Johnnie is a housewife. His mother sang opera and exposed him to rock and pop music such as The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. His father is stated to have exposed the artist to acts like Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff as well as music from his home country, Nigeria. Fat Tony's father, an Igbo, fought in the Biafran War in Nigeria before coming to Houston. Growing up, he became a fan of Nirvana. He stated in an interview that the first album he ever bought was an album from child rap duo Kris Kross whom he was inspired by due to the fact that they were kids. In middle school he formed a rap group with his friends called Simply Throwed. In high school he performed in a rap group called The Low Ends. He continued playing in bands with friends throughout his school days. Fat Tony attended Carnegie Vanguard High School and the University of St. Thomas. He also studied as a communications major at the University of Houston.
Fat Tony's debut studio album, RABDARGAB, was released in 2010. The album's title is a reference to the late 1990s Houston Independent School District campaign aimed at students to promote literacy by offering $1 to students in exchange for book reports. In 2012, he released a collaborative album with producer Tom Cruz, titled Double Dragon, on Young One Records.
In 2013, he released Smart Ass Black Boy on Young One Records. Produced by Tom Cruz, the album was written in two days and recorded in four days in Los Angeles, California. It was included on the year-end lists by Complex, Houston Press, and Vice.
In 2017, he released MacGregor Park on First One Up. The album's title refers to MacGregor Park in Houston. It was included on the year-end lists by Bandcamp Daily and Houston Press.
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