Tony D, born Anthony Depula (Date of Birth 1967, died April 5, 2009), was a hip hop

Hip hop

Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...

 legend from Trenton, New Jersey

Trenton, New Jersey

Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...

. Although he was a hip hop artist & DJ, he was most famous for being an influential producer in hip hop music

Hip hop music

Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...

. He was the producer behind Poor Righteous Teachers

Poor Righteous Teachers

Poor Righteous Teachers is a hip hop group from Trenton, New Jersey, founded in 1989. Often referred to as PRT by its fans, Poor Righteous Teachers are known as pro-Black conscious hip hop artists, with musical content inspired by the teachings of the Nation of Gods and Earths. Wise Intelligent, as...

 and YZ

YZ (rapper)

YZ is a rapper from Trenton Hills, New Jersey. He is best known for his two early-1990s albums.YZ is the owner of Blackworld Entertainment, a management firm...

. He has also produced tracks for DJ Muggs

DJ Muggs

Lawrence Muggerud , better known as DJ Muggs, is Cypress Hill's DJ and producer. He also produced tracks for Funkdoobiest on the albums Which Doobie U B? and Brothas Doobie.-Cypress Hill :...

, Young Zee, Outsidaz

Outsidaz

The Outsidaz was a hip hop group from Newark, New Jersey, perhaps best known through their affiliation with fellow New York area rappers, the Fugees, and Detroit area rappers D12.-History:...

, Pace Won, Blvd Mosse, King Sun, Scott Lark, and Shawn Lov.

Tony D was the first artist to have a record released on Mark Rae

Mark Rae

Mark Rae, born in Ashington, Northumberland, England, is the head of the highly revered independent record label Grand Central Records and one half of DJ and production duo Rae & Christian.-Grand Central and Rae & Christian:...

's burgeoning British Grand Central Records

Grand Central Records

Grand Central Records was an independent record label based in the Northern Quarter of Manchester, UK. It was started in 1995 by DJ Mark Rae . Rae started out working as manager of the Fat City Records' store...

 independent record label

Independent record label

An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...

 (then called Gone Clear Records). His other albums were released on Cha-Ching Records and 4th & B'way/Island

Island Records

Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...

/PolyGram Records, and he was a part of the group Crusaders for Real Hip Hop, which released one album on Profile Records

Profile Records

Profile Records was a record label that specialized in many types of urban-oriented music, such as hip hop, active until 1996..- History :In 1980, at 23 years old, after working briefly for MCA, Cory Robbins was looking to start a record label. He invited his songwriter friend Steve Plotnicki to be...

.

Tony D's early records were sampled by several artists, including Naughty by Nature

Naughty by Nature

Naughty by Nature are a Grammy Award-winning American hip hop trio from East Orange, New Jersey that at the time of its formation in 1989 consisted of Treach, Vin Rock, and the DJ Kay Gee...

 on the hit "O.P.P.

O.P.P. (song)

"O.P.P." is a 1991 song recorded by rap group Naughty by Nature. The song made it to the U.S. Top Ten , propelling their self titled album Naughty by Nature to platinum status. The song's declaration "Down Wit' OPP" was a popular catchphrase in the U.S. in the early-'90s...

" and by Heavy D without permission. All cases were settled out of court.

Apart from Tony D., Depula was also known professionally under the names Harvee Wallbangar and Grand Pubha Tony D.

Depula died on April 5, 2009, after being involved in a car accident near his home in Hamilton, New Jersey. He was reported to be 42 years old, making the year of his birth to be either 1966 or 1967. An investigation of the accident is pending.

Discography

• Music Makes You Move (1988)
• Euro-K (1990) (DJ mix)
• Droppin’ Funky Verses (1991) U.S. R&B #71
• Deja Vu, It's ’82 (with Crusaders For Real Hip-Hop) (1992)
• Flav (Beats) From The Cave (1994)
• Pound for Pound (September, 1997)
• Master of the Moaning Beats (2001)