Montana of 300 explained

Montana of 300
Birth Name:Walter Anthony Bradford
Birth Date:3 March 1989
Birth Place:Chicago, Illinois, United States
Years Active:2007–present

Walter Anthony "Tony" Bradford (born March 3, 1989),[1] better known by his stage name Montana of 300 (or simply Montana), is an American rapper, singer and songwriter from Chicago, Illinois. His debut studio album, Fire in the Church, was released on May 20, 2016. He is best known for his rap style, incorporating trap, R&B, and drill beats, while also making remixes to hit songs that, like his originals, often include religious subtext.

Since releasing Fire in the Church, Montana has committed to releasing an album every year on May 20. The significance of the date is unknown. His second album, Don't Doubt the God, was released on May 20, 2017, and his third album, Pray 4 the Devil, was released on May 20, 2018. His fourth album, A Gun In The Teacher’s Desk, was released on November 16, 2018, and on May 20, 2019, Montana would release his fifth album, Views from the General's Helmet.

Montana has repeatedly announced that his sixth album, Rap God, would be his final solo release. After several delays dating back to 2019, the album was finally released on January 6, 2022.

Early life

Tony Bradford was born on March 3, 1989, in Chicago, Illinois. He has two brothers and three sisters.[2] He started rapping at age 15, and grew up listening to artists such as Tupac, DMX, Lil Wayne, and Jay-Z.[3] [4] Both his parents suffered from serious substance abuse issues, his father from alcohol and his mother from crack cocaine. After witnessing his parents' struggles, Montana ceased using narcotics, not wanting to "fry his brain."[5]

In 2008, Montana, his friend from high school, Montelle Talley (known professionally as "Talley of 300"), as well as several others joined together to form the rap group "300". The name for the group was based on the movie of the same name, in which a group of 300 Spartans overcome more than 300,000 Persian Soldiers to hold on to their territory. Montana was particularly inspired by the line, "No Surrender, No Retreat, Only the hard, only the strong, Against all odds".[6]

Career

In 2014, Montana released his first mixtape, titled Cursed with a Blessing. In September 2015, Montana made a cameo appearance in the popular television show, Empire.[7] In December 2015, Montana and Talley of 300 released a collaborative mixtape titled Gunz and Roses. Staples of this tape included "FGE Cypher" and "Mf's Mad".

On May 20, 2016, Montana released his debut studio album, titled Fire in the Church. The 18-track release, which only included features from his Fly Guy Entertainment labelmates and Kevin Gates, was lauded by XXL magazine for its "heat-seeking bars and thought-provoking metaphors".[8] The album peaked at #95 on the Billboard 200.

On February 10, 2017, Montana released a compilation album with his Fly Guy labelmates, titled No Surrender No Retreat.[9]

Discography

Albums

Studio albums

Title! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:20em;"
Album detailsPeak chart positions
US
[10]
US
R&B/HH
[11]
US
Rap
[12]
US
Ind.

[13]
Fire in the Church[14] 95 7 2 11
Don't Doubt the God
  • Released: May 20, 2017
  • Label: Fly Guy Entertainment, E1 Music
  • Format: CD, digital download
4 22
Pray for the Devil
  • Released: May 20, 2018
  • Label: Fly Guy Entertainment, E1 Music
  • Format: CD, digital download
3 37
A Gun in the Teachers Desk
  • Released: November 16, 2018
  • Label: Fly Guy Entertainment, E1 Music
  • Format: CD, digital download
10
Views from the General's Helmet
  • Released: May 20, 2019
  • Label: Fly Guy Entertainment, E1 Music
  • Format: CD, digital download
Rap God
  • Released: January 6, 2022
  • Label: Fly Guy Entertainment, E1 Music
  • Format: CD, digital download
1

Mixtapes

Title! scope="col" style="width:19em;"
Details
Cursed With a Blessing[15]
  • Released: December 1, 2014
  • Label: Fly Guy Entertainment
  • Format: Digital download
Gunz n Roses[16]
(with Talley of 300)
  • Released: December 2, 2015
  • Label: TSO Records
  • Format: Digital download

Compilation album

Singles

As lead artist

List of singles as lead artist, showing year released and album name
TitleYearAlbum
"Derrick Rose MVP Song"[18] 2011rowspan="1"
"Ice Cream Truck"[19] [20] 2014Cursed With a Blessing
"Gas Mask"[21]
(with Talley of 300)
2015Gunz n Roses
"Nothing New"[22]
(with Talley of 300)
"You Know"[23]
(with Talley of 300)
"Mf's Mad, Pt. 2"[24]
(featuring Talley of 300)
2016Fire in the Church
"Land of the Dark"[25]
"Here Now"[26]
"Wts Now"[27]
"Dirty Dancin'"[28] 2017Don't Doubt the God
"Ugly"2018Pray for the Devil
"Chiraq vs. NY"
"Been a Beast"2018A Gun in the Teacher's Desk
"Dip-n-Sauce"

As featured artist

List of singles as featured artist, showing year released and album name
TitleYearAlbum
"Bad Combo"[29]
(Nasty Nem featuring Montana of 300)
2014
"Black On Black Everything"[30] [31]
(Talley Of 300 featuring Montana of 300)
Thanksgiving
"Upstate RockStar"[32]
(Locx featuring Montana of 300)
2015rowspan="2"
"Stephen Curry"[33]
(J Real featuring Montana of 300)
"Black Out"[34]
(Jax Teller featuring Montana of 300)
Just Another Crazy Kraka
"Like Me"[35]
(Jewelz Montalvo featuring Montana of 300, Abbie and Tatiana Carrion)
2016rowspan="2"
"Come Up"[36]
(Innocent featuring Montana of 300)
2017

Filmography

Television series
Year Title Role Notes
2015 Empire[37] Jamming Prisoner Episode: "Without a Country"
2017 The Quad[38] Dreds Episode: "Pilot"

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Peoria County Records Portal.
  2. Web site: What Makes so Many People Listen to Montana of 300?. Noisey. March 3, 2016. February 13, 2017.
  3. Web site: Interview: Montana of 300. Fact. February 5, 2016. February 13, 2017.
  4. Web site: Montana Of 300: 9 Albums That Changed My Life. Tidal. March 21, 2016. February 13, 2017.
  5. Web site: Montana 300 on Growing Up in Chicago; His Name; His Mother. . 30 January 2015 . 22 July 2016.
  6. Web site: Montana of 300. 22 July 2016.
  7. Web site: Donaldson. Erich. Snitch B*tch: Empire's Fake Songs Are Becoming Real Hits. 22 July 2015.
  8. Web site: Zonyee. Dominique. Montana of 300 Goes Deep on 'Fire in the Church' Album. 20 May 2016 . 22 July 2016.
  9. Web site: Montana of 300 Reveals Tracklist For 'No Surrender, No Retreat'. 25 January 2017. 10 February 2017.
  10. Montana of 300 - Chart History: Billboard 200. Billboard. July 22, 2017.
  11. Montana of 300 - Chart History: Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Billboard. July 22, 2017.
  12. Montana of 300 - Chart History: Top Rap Albums. Billboard. July 22, 2017.
  13. Montana of 300 - Chart History: Top Independent Albums. Billboard. July 22, 2017.
  14. Web site: Stream Montana Of 300's Album "Fire In The Church" . HotNewHipHop . May 20, 2016 . February 13, 2017.
  15. Web site: Montana Of 300 – Cursed With A Blessing [Mixtape] ]. . December 1, 2014 . February 13, 2017.
  16. Web site: Gunz n Roses by Montana of 300 & Talley Of 300 . iTunes . 2 December 2015 . February 13, 2017.
  17. Web site: No Surrender No Retreat by Various Artists . . 10 February 2017 . February 13, 2017.
  18. Web site: Derrick Rose MVP Song - Single by Montana of 300. iTunes. 17 May 2011. February 13, 2017.
  19. Web site: Ice Cream Truck - Single by Montana of 300. iTunes. 18 January 2017. February 13, 2017.
  20. Web site: Watch Montana of 300's "Ice Cream Truck" Video. Complex. November 22, 2014. February 13, 2017.
  21. Web site: Gas Mask - Single by Montana of 300 & Talley Of 300. iTunes. February 13, 2017.
  22. Web site: Nothin New - Single by Montana of 300 & Talley Of 300. iTunes. February 13, 2017.
  23. Web site: You Know - Single by Montana of 300 & Talley Of 300. iTunes. 20 October 2015. February 13, 2017.
  24. Web site: Mf's Mad, Pt. 2 (feat. Talley Of 300) - Single by Montana of 300. iTunes. March 2016. February 13, 2017.
  25. Web site: Land of the Dark - Single by Montana of 300. iTunes. March 2016. February 13, 2017.
  26. Web site: Here Now - Single by Montana of 300. iTunes. April 2016. February 13, 2017.
  27. Web site: Wts Now - Single by Montana of 300. iTunes. 11 April 2016. February 13, 2017.
  28. Web site: Dirty Dancin' - Single. iTunes. 17 April 2017.
  29. Web site: Bad Combo (feat. Montana of 300) - Single by Nasty Nem. iTunes. 25 September 2014. February 13, 2017.
  30. Web site: Black On Black Everything (feat. Montana of 300) - Single by Talley Of 300. iTunes. 17 June 2015. February 13, 2017.
  31. Web site: Talley of 300 ft. Montana of 300 - B.O.B.E. - shot by @ElectroFlying1. ElectroFlying1. October 24, 2014. February 13, 2017.
  32. Web site: Upstate RockStar (feat. Montana of 300) - Single by Locx. iTunes. 3 February 2015. February 13, 2017.
  33. Web site: Stephen Curry (feat. Montana of 300) - Single by J Real. iTunes. 17 June 2015. February 13, 2017.
  34. Web site: Black out (feat. Montana Of 300) - Single by Jax Teller. iTunes. 10 July 2015. February 13, 2017.
  35. Web site: Like Me (feat. Montana of 300, Abbie & Tatiana Carrion) - Single by Jewelz Montalvo. iTunes. 11 September 2016. February 13, 2017.
  36. Web site: Come Up (feat. Montana of 300) - Single by Innocent. iTunes. February 13, 2017.
  37. Web site: "Empire" Without a Country (TV Episode 2015) - Full Cast & Crew . . February 13, 2017.
  38. Web site: "The Quad" Pilot (TV Episode 2017) - Full Cast & Crew . IMDb . September 12, 2018.