Rapper Tone Loc Developed His Iconic Voice After a Childhood Injury

While his birth certificate lists his name as Anthony Terrell Smith, the world has come to know and love him as Tone Loc. If you’re a hip-hop head, you likely know Tone from his music, as he’s been in the industry since his debut album in 1989, Lōc-ed After Dark. His very first single, “Wild Thing,” brought Tone instant success, leading to several more successful albums. Others who are more attuned to the rapper’s second act as an actor will also remember him from ‘90s classics such as Bebe’s Kids, Fern Gully: The Last Rainforest, and Poetic Justice.

However you associate Tone, you've probably heard his voice while reading this little anecdote about him. That’s because his deep, raspy voice is extremely noticeable and is closely associated with him as a celebrity. Still, even some of Tone’s day-one fans might not even know that he wasn’t born with his iconic voice and developed it during his childhood.

Keep reading to find out what happened to Tone Loc’s voice.

Although Tone is likely super grateful for the tone of his voice now, it came from a traumatic place. According to his 2023 interview with The Art Of Dialogue, his voice changed “back in the day” after he drank a hot beverage.

“[I was] drinking some coffee or some tea and my mom scorched it,” Tone recalled. “You know she made it like really hot. And I drank it, and it got a little bit hot, so it's always, you know, it’s always been a little bit deeper.”

The “Funky Cold Medina” artist added that he only drank the hot drink because he saw his mom drink coffee every day. Tone also said he wasn’t too hurt by the burn to go to the hospital, but he realized his voice changed after he started healing from the injury.

“I didn't notice because it was like hoarse for a while, then started coming back, it wasn't noticeable,” he said. Everybody just thought that's just you know kind of like the way he talks, and nobody really noticed it.”

Over time, Tone embraced his new voice, as did the rest of the world. As previously shared, his voice has been synonymous with his name, helping him find success across various forms of media. In January 2026, he appeared on Fox’s The Masked Singer and was revealed to be the Handyman character. In one of the show’s clue videos ahead of his performance of “Can I Kick It” by the Tribe Called Quest, Tone expressed his gratitude for the globally recognized voice he has.

“I didn’t let that hold me back,” the rapper, as Handyman said before he was ultimately eliminated. “And you know what, my voice got people’s attention, and suddenly you can hear me everywhere. The radio, movies—even kids' shows.”