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From Coney Island To Toney Island, Detroit Rapper Tone Tone Brings Grub To The East Side

(CBS DETROIT) – Rapper Tone Tone is making moves from the studio to the kitchen.

"This been like something I wanted to do since I been like a little kid so, they always coney islands, know what I'm saying, they got the chili fries, the wings. So I'm like when I get older I'm gone do a Toney Island because my name Tone Tone and just have types of different real foods, mac cheese, greens," the Toney Island owner said.

He's changing the name of a popular food chain and remixing the menu.

"The projects across the street. The project four for four. Like you got Wendy's four for four, it's two what up doe sliders, fries and a pop. Berry Gordon chicken and waffles, Frank Lucas pasta, we turnt," said Tone Tone.

Toney Island is home of the "Whaddup doe" burger where Detroit flavor meets comfort eating.

"In Detroit we got the Buffs. We got Toney Buffy hot wings," said Tone Tone.

Tone Tone is betting on his old stomping grounds to pump new energy in area that is often forgotten.

"I'm originally from Gray and Mack. You know what I'm saying my family all through east warren. You know what I'm saying, Morang my hood. Just all from Mack all the way to Morang, like, (they're) all proud of me," said Tone Tone.

The rapper and businessman is not letting the pandemic shy him away from the food industry.

In fact, he's using it as motivation to encourage others to invest in their neighborhoods.

"First off you gotta trust the process. A lot of people don't trust the process. If it don't go the way they want it to go they just automatically be, 'I'm through.' you try something else. Now you starting over again. Then you try something else and starting over again. You gotta trust the process. You gotta get a team that's loyal and you gotta get everybody with a level head with the same mind set that's on go mode like you. Everybody gotta be on go mode," said Tone Tone.

The Toney Island grand opening is happening this Saturday at 3 p.m. It's located on 13000 East Warren near Dickerson.

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