T-Bone (rapper)


Rene Francisco Sotomayor, better known by the stage name T-Bone, is a Christian rapper. His father was Nicaraguan and his mother is Salvadoran. His name came from being called 'Bones' as a youngster because he was very skinny. The 'T' was "added to give the name a little slang edge."
WWW houseoftbone.com

Music career

He started rapping at the age of seven at parties and in rap battles.
After opening for a rock group, he signed his first record deal. His released three albums on the independent Metro One record label: Redeemed Hoodlum in 1993, Tha Life of a Hoodlum in 1995 and Tha Hoodlum's Testimony in 1996. All three albums were characterized as gangsta rap albums, which was rare in Christian music at the time.
In 1997, he released History of a Hoodlum, a compilation of hits from his first three albums, on the Metro One record label.
After a brief hiatus, T-Bone released his fourth album, and first on the Flicker Records music label, The Last Street Preacha, in 2001. It received critical acclaim, was nominated for the Rock Gospel Album Grammy Award, and saw T-Bone break into the contemporary Christian music market. It was the first rap album to debut at No. 7 on the Christian Contemporary Music charts.
2002 saw an increased exposure of T-Bone to both Christian and mainstream markets with the release of his fifth album, Gospelalphamegafunkyboogiediscomusic. The album was characterized by the guest appearance of hip-hop legend KRS-One on the title track – returning the favor of the controversial guest spot T-Bone had made on KRS-One's Spiritual Minded album earlier in the year.
2005 saw the release of his most successful album to date, Bone-A-Fide. The album cover controversially featured T-Bone in an image evoking Che Guevara, leading to concerns that he was promoting communist ideologies – charges he denied. Adding to the controversy were collaborations with two major secular rappers, Mack 10 and Chino XL.
Bone-A-Fide was his first album not to be produced by long-time collaborator Chase Dante and saw T-Bone move away from the previous West Coast sound of his earlier albums to a smoother, more East Coast sound. Also, in 2005, he was featured as Jairus in the rock opera !Hero, along with Michael Tait of Tait and dc Talk, Rebecca St. James, and Mark Stuart of Audio Adrenaline.
Bone-Appétit: Servin' Up tha Hits, a compilation set of hits from his last three albums, was released on September 25, 2007.
Pa mi Dios y Pa mi Gente was released on April 7, 2017 and Broken English was released on March 15, 2018.

Other works

Film career

T-Bone's first major film role was in 2003, playing the role of Briggs, a rapping prisoner in the comedy-romance The Fighting Temptations, starring Cuba Gooding Jr. and Beyoncé Knowles. In the film, T-Bone performs the song "To da River" with secular artists Lil Zane and Montell Jordan. Also in 2003, he starred in Black Rose.
He co-starred in the 2006 Paramount/MTV film All You've Got. His other films include Carman and Stephen Yake's R.I.O.T., ''The Rally and I'm in Love with a Church Girl''.

TV shows

Real Videos : host since 1997-2008TX 10 : host since 2006Hope and Glory Hispanic College Quiz : co-host

Works

Collaborative works

  • Appeared in the rock opera !Hero both on the recording and touring show.

Music videos

  • 2018: "Ain't Ashamed"
  • 2018: "Chuurch"
  • 2016: "Volare" featuring Marcos Witt
  • 2007: "Name Droppin'"
  • 2005: "Can I Live"
  • 2001: "Ride Wit' Me"
  • 1996: "Throwing Out tha Wicked"
  • 1992: "Lyrical Assassin"

Films

Other

  • Performer at 2004 GMA Gospel Music's Dove Awards
  • Featured performer at the 2003 MovieGuide Awards
  • Featured performer/Presenter at the 2003 Arpa Awards
  • Presenter at 2001 Stellar Awards
  • Featured performer at the 2000 ALMA Awards with Kirk Franklin
  • Television appearances include "E!", "Live at the Apollo", "MTV's "The Cut" and "From the Church to the Charts", "LA TV", "Urban Latino", "Despierta America", "Entertainment News", "Entertainment News", and "Keeping it Real"

Awards and nominations

Grammy Nominations

  • 2001 Tha Last Street Preacha - Best Rock Gospel Album
  • 2007 Category: Best Rap/Rock Gospel Album of the year: Bone-a-fide!
  • 2008 Category: Best Gospel Performance: "With Long Life" with Israel Houghton

Visionary Award Nominations

Dove Awards

2008:
2004:
  • Winner of special event album
  • Nomination for Rap/Hip-Hop Album
  • Nomination for Rap/Hip-Hop Recorded Song
2002:
  • Nomination for Rap/Hip-Hop Album,
  • Nomination for Rap/Hip-Hop Recorded Song
  • Nomination for Rap/Hip-Hop Recorded
1997:
  • Nomination for Rap/Hip Hop Album
  • Nomination for Rap/Hip Hop Recorded Song
1995:
  • Nomination for Rap/Hip-Hop Album
  • Nomination for Rap/Hip-Hop Recorded Song"
1993:
  • Nomination for Rap/Hip Hop Album
  • Nomination for Rap/Hip Hop Recorded Song

Collaborations

Songs

Soundtracks

  • "To Da River," featuring Montell Jordan and Lil' Zane from "The Fighting Temptations Soundtrack"
  • "Raised in Harlem," featuring Michael Tait for !Hero
  • "The Struggle Continues," featuring KRS-ONE for Spiritual Minded
  • "I'm Thankful," featuring Yolanda Adams for Believe
  • "Lonely Man," featuring Audio Adrenaline for Lift
  • "My Story" and " God is Exalted," featuring Carman for R.I.O.T.
  • "Little Jackie" and "What a Fool I've Been," featuring Crystal Lewis for Fearless
  • "King of My Life," featuring Natalie LaRue for Soul Lift
  • "Wrapped Up," featuring Dawkins and Dawkins for Focus
  • "Sooner or Later," featuring Freedom of Soul for The 2 nd Coming
  • "Watcha Gonna Do," featuring JC and the Boyz for Chill 4 A While
  • "I Can't Schleep," featuring J.C. Crew for Serius Bizness
  • "With Long Life," Featuring Israel and New Breed for A Deeper Level
  • "Te Amo," featuring Israel and New Breed Jesus at the Center
  • "Alabemos," featuring Marcos Witt

Producers

Additional highlights

  • Lifetime music sales exceed 800,000 units
  • Selected to do commercials on MTV for "The Cut"
  • Did four commercials on MTV with Beyonce and Mike Epps for "The Fighting Temptations"
  • Partnered in 2008 with the Hands & Feet Project, started by Christian band Audio Adrenaline, to build churches and an orphanage in Nicaragua. T-Bone's parents will be moving to Nicaragua to run a children's village.