Who Is Tone Loc?
Anthony Terrell Smith, known as Tone Loc, is a Los Angeles rapper who scored two of the late 1980s' biggest crossover rap singles — Wild Thing (#2 Hot 100) and Funky Cold Medina (#3) — and whose debut album Loc-ed After Dark became the first album by a Black rap musician to top the Billboard 200. Cool Hand Loc (1991) confirmed those hits were the whole story.
Quick Stats
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Real Name | Anthony Terrell Smith |
| Born | March 3, 1966 — Los Angeles, California |
| Active | 1987–present |
| Labels | Delicious Vinyl |
| Voice Acting | Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Spy Hard, Posse |
Career Overview
Tone Loc grew up in Los Angeles and began performing with the rap group Triple A as a teenager. Wild Thing (1989) was co-written by Young MC and used a sample from Van Halen's Jamie's Cryin'. It reached #2 on the Hot 100 — the first rap single certified Platinum. Funky Cold Medina (1989) followed at #3. Loc-ed After Dark became the first album by a Black rap musician to top the Billboard 200. Cool Hand Loc (1991) could not replicate the formula without Wild Thing or Funky Cold Medina — both written by Young MC — and effectively ended his music career. He subsequently became a voice actor and character actor.
Discography
| Year | Album | Chart Peak |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Loc-ed After Dark | #1 Billboard 200 — 2× Platinum |
| 1991 | Cool Hand Loc ⚠️ | Did not chart on Billboard 200 |
⚠️ = Reviewed on Rap Reviews Daily
Why Cool Hand Loc Failed
Cool Hand Loc (1991) earned 3/10 from us. EntertainmentWeekly wrote that the album aches with the need to prove itself. The lead single All Through the Night peaked at #80. The album missed the Billboard 200 entirely. Both Wild Thing and Funky Cold Medina had been written by Young MC — without him, there was no equivalent commercial anchor.
Legacy & Cultural Impact
Tone Loc's cultural legacy is primarily Wild Thing — one of the most enduring late-80s pop-rap singles and the first rap record certified Platinum as a single. His voice, distinctive for its raspy, unhurried quality, made him a natural for voice work and character acting. Loc-ed After Dark made history as the first album by a Black rapper to top the Billboard 200.