On August 18th, Long Beach, CA’s Toko Tasi independently released his sophomore album, Rise ta Shine, a 9 track record featuring guest appearances by Mic Dangerously, Chatty, Joel Castillo and Ethan Tucker. Read Tasi’s story and watch his new music video for the remix to his single “Rockstar.”
Rise ta Shine releases almost 10 years to the date of his first album, Spiritual Life. That record was produced by Miguel Happoldt and was highlighted by the song “Love To Share (Tippa Slippa Chick)” that featured unreleased vocals from the late Bradley Nowell of Sublime. The album also included guest appearances from Slightly Stoopid, Half Pint, Philie-Ano and I-Man of Capitol Eye.
Toko Tasi was born in Oahu, surfing and skating on the island before his dad bought property in Long Beach, CA on the corner of Atlantic and Berlin in 1984 when Tasi was 8. “It was gang-ville where I lived, it was all West Side Locos,” Tasi tells The Pier. “But I was still young, I was in 3rd grade. I clicked in with all the 
gang-banger’s kids and their families. It just grew from there growing up in Long Beach.” Tasi, always a fan of Reggae since living in Hawaii shares: “What was weird about Long Beach back then, nobody was bumping reggae. I swear I brought reggae from the islands into Long Beach in ’84-’85. I brought Gregory Isaac’s to the homies and next thing you know you hear them bumpin down the street: ‘Niiigghhtt Nurrsse!'”
Tasi started going to house-parties around Long Beach where he first discovered Sublime; this was about 1989. It was around that same time that he would meet Opie Ortiz of Long Beach Dub Allstars where the two would form a close bond that breathes strong to this day. Despite forming a fun garage band with Opie and future LBDA frontman Ras-1, Tasi wasn’t very active with music as he was more focused on surfing, skating and later snowboarding where he was sponsored and competed. But when the local house parties were popping off, Tasi would show up and Sublime was usually the band that was playing.
It wasn’t until the early-mid 2000’s that Toko Tasi really started to get involved with music. Tasi’s style has always been soulful hooks with melodic rap verses over a reggae riddim or hip hop beat. He was a natural collaborator with Slightly Stoopid on songs such as “Foolish Win,” “Girl U So Fine,” and his face first became familiar to fans as the guy on the motorized skateboard in Sublime’s “What I Got” music video.
After the release of his first album in 2007, Tasi admits that the rockstar lifestyle caught up to him making poor decisions that took him down a path that would find him in and out of jail. His new song “Rockstar” speaks to that experience as he hopes to recapture his presence in the music scene without allowing the lifestyle to derail his momentum. The remix to the song features Ethan Tucker as you can listen and view below with music video.
“Over The Edge” is a track that Tasi wrote and dedicated to Opie Ortiz following a bad night that ended with Tasi telling Opie he was going to write a song for him. Tasi took the next 2 days off of work to write the song and now sits at track #2 on Rise Ta Shine.
“Over The Edge,” and much of Rise ta Shine was produced by Jungle Josh with additional producers Philie-Ano, Diego Nunez, Mic Dangerously and Tito Rodriguez each producing a track.
You can purchase Toko Tasi’s new album Rise To Shine on iTunes by clicking HERE!
1.) Pro Lite (feat. CHATTY)
2.) Over the Edge
3.) Road Trip
4.) Keeps On Going (feat. Mic Dangerously)
5.) Heavy Load
6.) Slippin’
7.) I’ll Be There (feat. Joel Castillo)
8.) TMA
9.) Rockstar (feat. Ethan Tucker ) [Remix]
Watch: Toko Tasi – “Rockstar” [Remix] (feat. Ethan Tucker)
Related Links:
Toko Tasi Facebook
Toko Tasi Instagram
Ethan Tucker Website
Ethan Tucker Facebook
Article By: Mike Patti
Photo By: In The Barrel Photo
Listen: Toko Tasi – “Love To Share (Tippa Slippa Chick)”
Listen: Toko Tasi – “Foolish Win” (feat. Slightly Stoopid)
