Shirt a Phobia

Sample Page

For the name, see Antwon (name).

Antonio Paul Williams[2][3] (born October 25, 1986),[1] better known by his stage name Antwon, is an American rapper based in San Jose, California.[4] In 2013, he was included on Complex's “15 Unsigned Rappers Who Should Get a Deal After SXSW” list.[5] He was also included on Complex's “25 New Rappers to Watch Out For in 2014” list.[6]

Biography

Born in Key West, Florida,[7] to an African-American father and a Filipino mother,[2] Antwon grew up in Sunnyvale, California.[8] He was a member of the Philadelphia-based hardcore band Leather,[9] as well as the pop punk bands Sour Patch and How to Summer.[10]

Antwon’s first mixtape, Fantasy Beds, was released in 2011.[11] In that year, he also released My Westside Horizon.[12]

In 2012, Antwon released a mixtape, End of Earth.[13] SF Weekly included it on the “10 Best Bay Area Hip-Hop Records of 2012” list.[14] In 2013, he released a mixtape, In Dark Denim.[15] It was listed as Spin's “Rap Release of the Week”.[16]

His first official studio album, Heavy Hearted in Doldrums, was released on UNIF and Nature World in 2014.[17] In 2016, he released an EP, Double Ecstasy, on Anticon.[18] In 2017, he released a mixtape, Sunnyvale Gardens.[19] Red Bull placed it at number 20 on the “20 Best Hip-Hop Mixtapes of 2017” list.[20]

Style and influences

Spin described Antwon as “an affable guy who might have one of rap’s biggest, best-sounding voices, which he usually focuses on goofy jokes and surprisingly sweet bedroom raps.”[21] He has often been compared to The Notorious B.I.G.[22][23] His texts mainly revolve around sex.[4][24]

During his youth, he listened to Biohazard and thrash metal.[4] He has also quoted Kid Rock and Prince among his influences.[9]

Controversy

In 2016, Antwon formed Secret Circle along with Wiki and Lil Ugly Mane.[25] Since then, the group released several tracks and played live performances across North America.[26] In 2018, Lil Ugly Mane announced the breakup of the group, not initially indicating a specific reason for the breakup.[27] Antwon posted a statement on Twitter, alluding to unnamed allegations.[28] Wiki and Lil Ugly Mane subsequently indicated that the allegations mentioned in Antwon’s statement, including abusive treatment of women, were the impetus for the breakup.[28]

Discography

Studio albums

Remix albums

  • Heavy Hearted in the Function: Depressed Teenager Remixes (2014)

Compilation albums

  • Collection: 2005-2007 (2011)

Mixtapes

  • Fantasy Beds (2011)
  • My Westside Horizon (2011)
  • End of Earth (2012)
  • In Dark Denim (2013)
  • Heavy Hearted in Doldrums (2014)
  • Sunnyvale Gardens (2017)
  • Downtown Tony (2019)
  • Life In Exile (2020)
  • The 45 Plates EP (2020)
  • BLASIAN (2021)
  • A TIME 2 UNPACK, Vol.1 (2023)
  • A TIME 2 UNPACK, Vol.2 (2023)
  • IN LIFE ONLY PAIN IS REAL (2023)

EPs

  • Cocaine and Hennessy (2012) (with Froskees)
  • End of Earth Pre Tracks (2012)
  • Double Ecstasy (2016)
  • The 45 Plates EP (2020) (with Stoney Willis)
  • Life in Exile (2020)

Singles

  • “Big Girls” (2011)
  • “Living Every Dream” (2012)
  • “Underwater Tank” (2012) (with Lil Ugly Mane)
  • “Helicopter” (2013)
  • “Automatic” (2013)
  • “Dying in the P****” (2013)
  • “25th St. Sessions” (2016) (as Antonio Williams, with Kerry McCoy)
  • “FNF” (2019) (with Sly C)
  • “Reign in England” (2019)
  • “DMT” (2020) (with Topprraaa)
  • “Perry Jules” (2020)

Guest appearances

  • Isaiah Toothtaker – “Waterbed Wave” from Sea Punk Funk (2012)
  • Shadowrunners – “Smooth” from Cyberdine (2012)
  • Mishka & Rad Reef – “Hyperbolic Chamber Music” (2012)
  • Hot Sugar – “No Joke” from Midi Murder (2012)
  • Hot Sugar – “Mama, I’m a Man” and “56k” from Made Man (2013)
  • Juiceboxxx – “Pump It (Remix)” (2013)
  • Kitty – “Scout Finch Bitch” from D.A.I.S.Y. Rage (2013)
  • Lil Ugly Mane – “Underwater Tank” from The Weeping Worm (2014)
  • Jesse Medina – “Dream Big, Think Bigger” from Meet Jesse Medina (2014)
  • Little Pain – “Pain Killers” from L.I.T.T.L.E. (2014)
  • Pictureplane – “Total Confusion” (2015)
  • Crookers – “Strokin'” from Sixteen Chapel (2015)
  • Shy Girls – “Xhampagne” from 4WZ (2015)
  • Wiki – “Whole Half” and “Patience” from Lil Me (2015)
  • Wiki – “God Bless Me (Remix)” (2016)
  • clipping. – “Back Up” from Wriggle (2016)
  • Corbin – “Something Safe” from Mourn (2017)

References

  1. ^ a b “Antwon”. BBC Music. Archived from the original on May 7, 2019. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
  2. ^ a b Port, Ian S. (May 7, 2014). “At the Zoo With Antwon”. SF Weekly. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  3. ^ “JUDO”. ASCAP. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c Cohen, Ian (March 6, 2013). “Antwon: In Dark Denim”. Pitchfork. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  5. ^ Drake, David; Baker, Ernest (March 16, 2013). “15 Unsigned Rappers Who Should Get a Deal After SXSW – Antwon”. Complex. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  6. ^ Mench, Chris (August 2, 2014). “25 New Rappers to Watch Out For In 2014 – Antwon”. Complex. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  7. ^ Mlynar, Phillip (March 6, 2013). “Antwon’s Twisted Vision: Sex Rap, Punk Vibes, and Kid Rock”. SF Weekly. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  8. ^ Weinstock, Tish (March 17, 2014). “A First Date With… Antwon”. Vice. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  9. ^ a b Schmitt, Eli (June 27, 2013). “Antwon: genre benders”. Paper. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  10. ^ Way, Mish (August 16, 2013). “Getting to Know You: White Lung’s Mish Way x Antwon”. Vice. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  11. ^ Phaneuf, Whitney (March 13, 2013). “Antwon on the Fringe”. East Bay Express. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  12. ^ Savage, Emily (September 11, 2012). “Dream of the ’90s (1/2)”. San Francisco Bay Guardian. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  13. ^ Breihan, Tom (August 2, 2012). “Download Antwon End Of Earth Mixtape”. Stereogum. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  14. ^ Swan, Rachel (December 21, 2012). “The 10 Best Bay Area Hip-Hop Records of 2012”. SF Weekly. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  15. ^ Cooper, Duncan (February 14, 2013). “Download Antwon’s In Dark Denim Mixtape”. The Fader. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  16. ^ Soderberg, Brandon (February 20, 2013). “Rap Release of the Week: Antwon’s ‘In Dark Denim’“. Spin. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  17. ^ Plaugic, Lizzie (May 13, 2014). “Antwon – Heavy Hearted In Doldrums”. CMJ. Archived from the original on January 9, 2015. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  18. ^ Gwee, Karen (February 20, 2016). “Top 10 Songs of the Week (2/19): 01. Antwon – “Luv”“. Consequence of Sound. Retrieved April 20, 2016.
  19. ^ Hughes, Josiah (October 6, 2017). “Antwon ‘Sunnyvale Gardens’ (mixtape)”. Exclaim!. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
  20. ^ Lin, Yu-Cheng (December 15, 2017). “20 Best Hip-Hop Mixtapes of 2017”. Red Bull. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
  21. ^ Soderberg, Brandon (July 31, 2012). “First Spin: Antwon Slow Jams The Apocalypse On New Album, ‘End Of Earth’“. Spin. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  22. ^ Port, Ian S. (March 14, 2013). “San Jose Rapper Antwon Breaks Through a Hellish Set at SXSW”. SF Weekly. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  23. ^ Way, Mish (January 18, 2014). “Q&A: California rapper Antwon does things the punk way”. Aux. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  24. ^ Ottavi, Marie. “Antwon en solitaire à Paris”. Libération (in French). Retrieved 2025-03-21.
  25. ^ Strauss, Matthew; Yoo, Noah (May 18, 2018). “Secret Circle (Wiki, Antwon, and Lil Ugly Mane) Break Up”. Pitchfork. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
  26. ^ Darville, Jordan (May 18, 2018). “Lil Ugly Mane: “Secret Circle is a wrap”“. The Fader. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
  27. ^ Breihan, Tom (May 22, 2018). “Antwon, Wiki, And Lil Ugly Mane Release Statements After Secret Circle Break Up”. Stereogum. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
  28. ^ a b Strauss, Matthew (May 21, 2018). “Wiki and Lil Ugly Mane Indicate Secret Circle Broke Up Over Antwon’s Treatment of Women”. Pitchfork. Retrieved May 7, 2019.