Music – Honolulu

"It's not every guy who gets mistaken for a boombox. Jason Tom, one of Hawaii's most visible beatboxers, is a walking, talking instrument; an energetic combination of drums, snare, vocals and synthesizer, all replicated using his voice." Honolulu native Jason Tom, born on November 21, 1982, is more than meets the eye, he is Hawaii's Premier Human Beatbox Machine in disguise. This southpaw, holds the microphone with his right, and expresses vocal percussion music with his left. He has opened shows for Michael Winslow, Reeps One, Blue Scholars, the Jabbawockeez, and Quest Crew. He has performed live with Tom Thum, Jake Shimabukuro, Bruce Shimabukuro, Imua & Tiffa Garza, Kapena, Kamuela Kahoano, Taimane Gardner, and Makana. "Autobots Transform and Roll Out!" Jason Tom began beatboxing at the tender age of four, recording on music cassettes by six, and entering talent competitions at 21. His first beatbox audio recording was his rendition of Michael Jackson's song "Bad." He was born again and re-dedicated his life to God on October 24, 2008. His Chinese name 譚志豪 means "will," "many aspirations" and "a person of outstanding talent." Tom is a Xenniel, a bridge between the Generation X and Millennial cohorts. He was raised by those of the Greatest Generation, Silent Generation, and Baby Boomer cohorts. “Jason Tom's rendition of Michael Jackson's 'Billie Jean' is a spectacle of showmanship. From the first drum and snare beats, the song is recognizable, and you wonder how so many sounds could be coming from one person's mouth. Add to this Tom's signature Michael Jackson moves, from the hip thrust to the hand jive. He glides across the floor in a smooth moonwalk, a move that typically gets enthusiastic approval from audiences.” Jason Tom attended McKinley High School in Honolulu, where he was a two-year letterman in soccer and judo. His judo coach and team called him "Spider-Man." He was nominated "Mr. Aloha" at the McKinley Senior Prom and he was recipient of the McKinley Tigers' "Mr. Hustle" Soccer Award. During the post September 11th season, at age 19, he took a college break and relocated to San Francisco. He worked at a furniture warehouse while he trained in judo. He won gold medals at judo tournaments held at San Jose State University, and City College of San Francisco. At 21, upon his return to Honolulu, he had won a third place judo trophy weeks prior to his collision with an SUV that rendered him unconscious as a pedestrian. He was rushed to an emergency room. That stormy night was a scare for his family. Next morning, his family took him to see "the Passion of the Christ." That impact was a "wake up" call and the "turning point" of his life. He returned to college and followed through on pursuing his beatboxing career in music, entertainment and the performing arts. He graduated Phi Theta Kappa and was a math supplemental instructor at the University of Hawaiʻi at Kapiʻolani, and was a Freeman scholar at Beijing Foreign Studies University. He then enrolled in "Music Business" and "Audio Engineering" classes at Belmont University and University of Hawaii at Honolulu's MELE program. His favorite courses included music business, public relations in the music industry, music publishing, history of recording technology, audio engineering, psychology, English, Chinese, math, voice, and music in world cultures. He was vocally coached by Lina Doo and Cat Wong. Hawaii hip hop pioneers Kutmaster Spaz, Skill Roy, East 3, and local beatboxers Radical Rob "Onekea," Gizmo, Re-Run, and Joevon Brown paved the way in the 1980s and beyond for human beatbox artists like Jason Tom to put Honolulu on the map with the fifth element of hip hop art of beatboxing. He established the Human Beatbox Academy that perpetuates the art of beatboxing throughout the state of Hawaii and beyond. Jason Tom is a fifth-generation American of Hawaii Chinese descent, and a four-time HawaiiSlam First Thursdays' Grand Slam Performance Poet Finalist. He is McDonald's top 3 NextNext music artist, Hawaii Scene Choice Award's Best Performer, Na Hoku Hanohano Award nominee, and Best of Honolulu Weekly's Local Musician Deserving of a Wider Audience. He's Beatbox Battle World Championships' USA ambassador of beatboxing. He has presented the art of beatboxing at TEDx Talks, KS EdTech, Chevron Speech Festival, Mighty4, Rock the School Bells, Estria Graffiti Invintational Grand Finals, International Human Beatbox Convention, American Beatbox Championships, Early College, Hawaii Children & Youth Day, Hawaii Book & Music Festival, Kroc Center Night Market, Honolulu Night Market, Art & Flea Boom Bap, Art & Flea Mililani, Chinese New Year Festival, Brown Bags to Stardom. He's presented beatboxing on tour for Music With A Message, Say Yes to Purpose, Not Even Once, and RAP: Real And Powerful. He has been a featured human beatbox artist in productions Creation, HI*Sessions Acoustic Live, Hip-Hopalypse, Beatbox Battle TV, Art & Flea Do What You Love Series, GEAR Up's College is For Everyone, RAW artists, Swiss Beatbox, Puja Dance, and Femme Capulet.