Rapper Tone Tone Opens Restaurant on East Warren

**Hypestyles** · March-29-21, 07:52 PM

https://photos.metrotimes.com/everyo...toney-island-1

Toney Island, the cleverly named coney island owned by Detroit rapper Tone Tone, opened to great fanfare on Saturday, March 27. Performances by GMG Flyest DJ and GMG DJ Flex set the mood for the grand opening celebration, which was highlighted by a ribbon-cutting at 3:13 p.m. Highlighting the work that Tone Tone has done for the community, the City of Detroit's Ray Simpson presented Tone Tone with the Spirit of Detroit Award on behalf of the City Councilwoman Mary Sheffield. The restuarant's signature Waddupdoe Burger, along with the rest of the upgraded traditional coney island menu, is now being proudly served for takeout seven days a week, 24 hours a day at Toney Island [[13000 E. Warren Ave., Detroit), with more locations planned.
All photos by Lizz Wilkinson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-l1jZqYzWo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUpBu9JgNoY

wishing success for this business venture. Be sure the food is good, friend..

Sidebar 1: a lot more folks needed to wear masks/distance. :[[
Sidebar 2: Based on some of the photos, I presume that there were some folks hired as security. Based on the juxtaposition of some of the photos, it led to some curious optics

. In any case, best of success.
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**313WX** · March-29-21, 08:05 PM

Good for him.

That said, WHO!?

**Gistok** · March-29-21, 08:32 PM

That is at Dickerson and E. Warren right near Chandler Park...

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Wa...3!4d-82.966588

**softailrider** · March-30-21, 04:52 AM

Originally Posted by Hypestyles

https://photos.metrotimes.com/everyo...toney-island-1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-l1jZqYzWo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUpBu9JgNoY

wishing success for this business venture. Be sure the food is good, friend..

Sidebar 1: a lot more folks needed to wear masks/distance. :[[
Sidebar 2: Based on some of the photos, I presume that there were some folks hired as security. Based on the juxtaposition of some of the photos, it led to some curious optics

. In any case, best of success.
Name: Toney-Island-2.jpg
Views: 1149
Size: 103.5 KB

Whats up with that guy with the AK 47? Is he Tone Tone’s bodyguard or something?

**Honky Tonk** · March-30-21, 06:11 AM

Originally Posted by softailrider

Whats up with that guy with the AK 47? Is he Tone ToneÂ’s bodyguard or something?

I think he carries the little kid's toy gun around for him.
The big guy in all black has a second one.

**Danny** · March-30-21, 08:36 AM

Who could have though that Tone Tone with a AK-17 riffle can open a Black owned Coney Island in the ghetto hoods of Detroit.

We need more black businesses in Detroit. Bring back the Paradise Valley glory days into Motown.

**Hypestyles** · March-30-21, 12:40 PM

Originally Posted by softailrider

Whats up with that guy with the AK 47? Is he Tone Tone’s bodyguard or something?

He could be. Or he could be just a buddy. Or both.
Which makes "that" aspect of this event straight goofy, to me. Like they were expecting the Proud Boys to show up, or even some "street cats" who call themselves trying to rob low-level drug dealers [which would have its own ultra-bizarre implications.]

If I were just a passer-by, not knowing what specifically is going on, and I saw those dudes, I would not be stopping to check it out. Obviously this didn't matter to the crowd [!] who showed up. But like I said, weird optics.

The article describes this place as being open 24 hours. I don't know if that means they are carry out only after a certain hour or if they allow people to sit down 24-7. [that may present a problem when it comes to the folks who buy a cup of coffee and sit for six+ hours]. We'll see.

I'm very sure that there will likely be some kind of security there [bonded, etc., who knows?] But I hope they're more sophisticated than to have guys standing by with 'choppers', Michigan's open-carry law notwithstanding.

**softailrider** · March-30-21, 08:48 PM

Tone Tone’s restaurant opening seems a little out in left field. If that place is still operating a year from now I’ll be surprised.

**Wheels** · April-01-21, 08:15 AM

Fantastic image for Detroit.

**Zacha341** · April-01-21, 10:54 AM

That's a VERY rough/ tough area [Dickerson all thru to Jefferson etc]. I doubt the 'eh Proud Boy and even 'some' that purport to advance the community struggle will hold up over there.

They seem well prepared -- ala the setting [area] this place in letting certain peeps [[with ideas) know what's going down. Should someone not act right during interactions there.

It'll be interesting to see how long they last.

Originally Posted by Hypestyles

He could be. Or he could be just a buddy. Or both.

Which makes "that" aspect of this event straight goofy, to me. Like they were expecting the Proud Boys to show up, or even some "street cats" who call themselves trying to rob low-level drug dealers [which would have its own ultra-bizarre implications.]...

**Zacha341** · April-01-21, 10:58 AM

Indeed it's a part of Detroit some wish the ignore, but those folks are doing it for themselves, good - bad - indifferent.

Originally Posted by Wheels

Fantastic image for Detroit.

**stasu1213** · April-02-21, 10:15 AM

I would be happy when the whole East Warren corridor is redeveloped. I don't think giving this rapper a key to the city or any certificate just because he had opened a restaurant in Detroit. Sheffield would look foolish if this restaurant will close within a year. The rapper Flava Flav tried opening a restaurant in the suburbs and failed. Anita Baker opened an IHop on Jefferson but had taken her name from it a year or two later. I would rather see good solid unfamous entrepreneurs open long lasting businesses along the corridor

**Seven&wyo** · April-03-21, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

I would be happy when the whole East Warren corridor is redeveloped. I don't think giving this rapper a key to the city or any certificate just because he had opened a restaurant in Detroit. Sheffield would look foolish if this restaurant will close within a year. The rapper Flava Flav tried opening a restaurant in the suburbs and failed. Anita Baker opened an IHop on Jefferson but had taken her name from it a year or two later. I would rather see good solid unfamous entrepreneurs open long lasting businesses along the corridor

Considering how Cardi B got one a few years ago for doing LITERALLY NOTHING I’m surprised this guy got one. The award is such a joke at this point. Just a nice little participation trophy.

**stasu1213** · April-03-21, 08:54 PM

Originally Posted by Seven&wyo

Considering how Cardi B got one a few years ago for doing LITERALLY NOTHING I’m surprised this guy got one. The award is such a joke at this point. Just a nice little participation trophy.

These city council members loosely give away keys to the city and award entrepreneurs grants to inexperienced people who businesses dont last no more than a year

**Sehv313** · May-31-21, 12:23 PM

Originally Posted by 313WX

Good for him.

That said, WHO!?

Antonio has been around the Detroit music scene [[mostly through radio/press) since 2004, he's very well known locally.

**bartocktoo** · June-01-21, 09:56 AM

Originally Posted by Zacha341

That's a VERY rough/ tough area [Dickerson all thru to Jefferson etc]. I doubt the 'eh Proud Boy and even 'some' that purport to advance the community struggle will hold up over there.

They seem well prepared -- ala the setting [area] this place in letting certain peeps [[with ideas) know what's going down. Should someone not act right during interactions there.

It'll be interesting to see how long they last.

East Warren/Dickerson until Jefferson? that is a broad and mostly unpopulated area now. East Warren isn't that bad, especially near Mack. It's Harper/Van Dyke/Gratiot area I think you are talking about. it's a hard place for sure.