Jason Tom is a local beatboxer sharing his distinct sounds around the world, and to local keiki through his 'music with a message.'”

Jill Kuramoto, KITV4 News

The International Wave: An In-Depth Conversation with Artist of Asian Descent JASON TOM HAWAII'S HUMAN BEATBOX

Jason Tom Art After Dark Photo Credit: Joe Marquez 

The International Wave: A Collection of In-Depth Conversations With Artists of Asian Descent
JASON TOM: HAWAII'S HUMAN BEATBOX

by Woojin Lim, Harvard University

“I felt compelled to play and replicate each of these instruments — Eastern, Western, Hawaiian — with only my voice.”

Jason Tom is an American beatboxer and slam poet who has represented Hawaii at the sixth International Human Beatbox Convention and the first and fifth American Beatbox Championship in Brooklyn. He received the Hawaii Scene Choice Award for Best Solo Human Beatbox Music Performer, TEDx Presenter Award for his “Vocal Groove” presentation, among other accolades. He co-founded the Human Beatbox Academy, where he leads outreach performances, speaking engagements, and workshops for students of all ages. 

In his interview with The International Wave, Jason talks about his childhood inspirations, references exhilarating onomatopoeic beatbox sounds, and kowtows to his Asian cultural heritage as a fifth-generation American of Hawaii Chinese descent. The chat also delves into his most challenging elements of his personal life, including an SUV collision which rendered him unconscious, and on what strung him together to revitalize his strength as an inspirational speaker. … 

Read more in The International Wave 

Photos by: Joe Marquez, Kamehameha Schools, Eugene Hopkins, Matt Marquez

HMSA's Island Scene Magazine

Finding the Flow: A Beatboxer's Victory Over Asthma

Chaminade University's Hogan News

Jason Tom Metromix Cover Story

Metro HNL Jason Tom Cover Feature: Unbeatable