The Bryce Crawford Podcast

Episode 134: "From Jail To Jesus" Lil Tony Interview

Date: August 18, 2025
Host: Bryce Crawford
Guest: Tony ("Lil Tony")

Episode Overview

In this powerful and raw episode, Bryce Crawford sits down with Atlanta rapper Lil Tony, who shares his journey from a life entrenched in street crime, betrayal, and incarceration to a recent and transformative encounter with Jesus Christ. Touching on topics of family dynamics, the pressures and realities of street life, the music industry’s spiritual darkness, and his search for truth, Tony delivers a heartfelt testimony of redemption, honest reflection, and hope.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Tony’s Childhood and Early Family Life

• Tony’s Background:

  • Grew up in the Bluff, southwest Atlanta, raised by his grandma and father, close to siblings (01:10).
  • “My family always tried to make it work for me.” (02:00)

• Family Environment:

  • Emphasizes closeness with immediate family despite instability.

2. Entry Into Street Life and Rap

• Transition Point:

  • Broke his wrist while playing basketball, which ended his hoop dreams and led him towards selling drugs in high school (03:30–03:59).
  • “After I quit hooping, I start serving...that’s what got me, like, really start getting deep in the street.” (04:00)

• Start of Rapping:

  • Began rapping out of boredom during quarantine at age 15, realizing he was good at it (02:17–03:01).

3. Escalation of Street Involvement

• Deeper Entrenchment:

  • Progression from selling drugs to robbery, seeking independence and rejecting reliance on his father (04:00–04:37).
  • “I ain't like being in my daddy pocket...So I started robbing.” (04:38)

• Family Turmoil:

  • Kicked out of the house after his girlfriend reveals her pregnancy to his grandma (05:36).
  • Moves to California to sell weed, returns to Atlanta at 17 having made enough to buy a townhouse (06:06).

4. Rise in Music and Consequences

• Music Success:

  • Releases projects that gain traction, eventually signs a record deal at 17 (06:44).
  • Content of music reflected his real, often violent experiences: “Murder. Everything I was living. Where I'm from, it ain't peaches and cream.” (07:25)

• Honesty in Rap:

  • Tony reflects on authenticity in rap: “10% rap about real life, 90% be cap.” (08:12)

5. Downturn: Jail and Financial Ruin

• First Arrest and Aftermath:

  • Arrested for shooting Nerf (Orbee) guns out of a car, receives multiple felonies, loses apartment, spends all savings on bail and lawyers (10:30–12:33).
  • “They try to give me 200 years for a Nerf gun.” (12:38–12:43)

• Financial Humbling:

  • Experiences extreme financial loss and humiliation, forced to confront his priorities.
  • “My pride was in the money...when I finally ran through all my money, it really humbled me.” (11:01)

6. Spiritual Crisis and Encounter with God

• Breaking Point:
  • At rock bottom, contemplates deeper street crime or seeking God:
    • “Because at this point, I can't rely on the money no more. So I went to God.” (13:11)
  • Has a supernatural encounter: hears a voice urging him not to commit a violent act, receives a financial blessing shortly after:
    • “If you let them live...I'm turn you up more than you ever been, basically, in your career.” (14:39)

7. Betrayal and Loss

• Friendship and Betrayal:

  • Describes being betrayed by close friends he helped, who became envious and distanced themselves (22:39–28:49).
  • “I'm the one giving you things...Then you want to switch just because...he really had pressure, like, he had been had undercover pressure.” (22:39)

• The Impact of Money:

  • Reflects on how the love of money corrupts relationships:
    • “It's crazy how the love of money can distort people.” (25:32)
    • “But it don't really be like that. It's all the images, all the Internet game. And I had to realize that some of them really do be on it.” (37:17)

8. Repeat Incarceration and Spiritual Awakening

• Further Incarceration:

  • Locked up multiple times, eventually denied bond due to prior charges (32:47–33:16).
  • Begins reading the Bible in jail, receives revelations (33:14).

• Brother’s Death as “Third Strike”:

  • The death of his close friend/brother pushes him to fully surrender to God (34:31–35:00).
  • “It was like, all right, bro, you on your last strike...I felt like he took somebody that was real close to me to show me that I'm probably gonna be next if I don't grow up.” (34:57)

• Seeking Truth:

  • Explored other religions but found peace only in Jesus and Christianity (38:48–39:31).

9. Encountering the Darkness of the Music Industry

• Spiritual Danger in Entertainment:

  • Shares a striking story of being invited to a suspicious photo shoot and witnessing what he interprets as openly demonic behavior (42:53–48:56).
  • “Understand the industry you are becoming of...the entertainment industry is ran by the devil. I want y'all to know this.” (42:08)
  • Describes a recruiter’s open talk of rituals and an encounter that physically unsettled him:
    • “His face change...you see Venom, like, yeah, like Spider Man. All I can say, bro, it was like, oh, kind of like the Sandman...it threw me all the way off.” (46:42)

• Supernatural Rescue:

  • Believes God literally provided an escape through a mailman after the disturbing incident (48:53).

10. Transformation and Testimony

• Forgiving His Betrayers:

  • “Yeah, I forgive him.” (39:35)

• Using Influence for Good:

  • “I have to use my influence for good...only thing that's important is winning souls.” (50:56)
  • Warns about the spiritual nature of the industry and need for discernment.

• Advice for Those Seeking God:

  • “Don't look at it as religion. Don't look at it as restriction. Look at it as relation.” (40:31)
  • “Go do your own research and don't listen to nobody else's word.” (41:36)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Humility and Hitting Rock Bottom:

  • “My pride was in the money...when I finally ran through all my money, it really humbled me.” (11:01)

• On God’s Protection:

  • “If you let them live...I'm turn you up more than you ever been.” (14:39)

• On Betrayal:

  • “Before I switch on you, I'ma ride to the wheel fall off...I’m the one giving you things...Then you want to switch.” (21:47–22:39)

• On the Temptation of the Industry:

  • “This is what made me start getting into God...” [Photo shoot / demonic encounter story] (42:55–48:08)
  • “If the devil runs this world, then who else is running this world in the physical?...You're not pushing Jesus. You don't see Jesus on tv? You see sex, money, murder.” (52:56–53:04)

• On Redemption and Purpose:

  • “I have to use my influence for good...only thing that's important is winning souls.” (50:56)
  • “Praise God.”—Bryce, reflecting on Tony's transformation (53:44)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:10 | Tony’s family background and upbringing | | 03:30 | Breaking wrist, giving up basketball, entering street life | | 06:06 | Moves to Sacramento, makes money, returns to Atlanta for music | | 10:30 | Signing a deal, first legal trouble for Nerf gun incident | | 13:11 | Lowest point; starts seeking God | | 14:39 | Supernatural encounter: “If you let them live...” | | 21:47 | Betrayal by friends, street code, emotional toll | | 32:47 | Second major arrest—time spent reading the Bible in jail | | 34:31 | Brother’s death catalyzes surrender to God | | 38:48 | Researching religions, finding peace in Jesus and Christianity | | 42:53 | Story of demonic photo shoot and spiritual encounter | | 50:56 | Commitment to use influence for good, warning about industry | | 53:44 | Final reflections on Jesus as the way and love for God |

Final Reflections

Lil Tony’s story is one of stark contrasts: independence, violence, and betrayal replaced by humility, forgiveness, and a passionate pursuit of God. This episode serves as a gritty and honest call to those lost in similar cycles, emphasizing that redemption is possible and that nothing can satisfy or free a person as fully as a genuine relationship with Jesus.

“Don't look at it as religion. Don't look at it as restriction. Look at it as relation.”
 – Tony (40:31)

For listeners seeking a raw, real-life story of transformation, this episode delivers moving testimony, cautionary tales, and encouragement to seek truth for yourself.