Toronto’s Tona has shared the music video “EST,” his ode to Scarborough featuring fellow local artist Jimmy Yitty.
With sampled horns throughout, “EST” tells us that Tona isn’t over his hometown. Showing off several spots around the borough, the music video for the single includes visits to The Real McCoy burger joint, the Scarborough YMCA, and St. Mother Teresa Catholic Academy. It was directed by Tona, Shotby3rdeye, and Luke Mitchell.
“EST” was produced by The Kount and Dilip, and is the second single off of Tona’s upcoming album Ge20, slated for release this July. Tona tells us the new LP, like his last one Good Energy, will be produced entirely by The Kount.
Tona has been vocal about the state of the rap scene in his city before: “I had like, gotten mixed emotions for a lot of these projects in the city, because usually when I travel a lot, like when I go into another city, people will be like, ‘Oh, it’s the best shit I ever heard,’ but Toronto will make you think your shit ain’t good enough,” said Tona in an interview with Complex Cananda. “It doesn’t always make you feel like you’re the worst, but like, when you go out? It’s like those people found diamonds. So I had that emotion, but now I’m just contributing to the music community out here in different ways. Not only from the music standpoint; I’m contributing from different angles right now.”
Since the release of “EST,” Tona has dropped two other tracks—“Sriracha” with his rap trio Naturally Born Strangers, and “R U Dumb,” a collab with Rob Roy and Big Sproxx.
Check out the video for “EST” above.
