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National Best Friends Day Concert 

Friday, June 10th was National Beatbox Day in the United States. I want to wish you a Happy Belated National Beatbox Day from the Aloha State.

Earlier in the week, I had a blast beatboxing on National Best Friends Day in the Honolulu Blue and Silver. I am thankful to my Best Friend Forever Jesus for Hawaii Baptist Academy Eagles and First Baptist Richardson on having me jam for them this summer.

National Best Friends Day photos by Craig Chang:

Jason Tom National Best Friends Day Concert

Jason Tom National Best Friends Day Concert

I am grateful to God for Bobby McFerrin, Michael Winslow, Michael Jackson, Doug E. Fresh, Fat Boys, Biz Markie, the Roots, Rahzel, Radical Rob Onokea, Gizmo, Re-Run, Joevon Brown, Naturally 7, Afra, Leejay Abucayan, Butterscotch, Elaine Chao, and Killa Kela for paving the way for me in beatboxing, the fifth element of hip hop, to open doors and windows for the next generation.

Jason Tom National Best Friends Day Concert

Jason Tom National Best Friends Day Concert

Jason Tom National Best Friends Day ConcertJason Tom National Best Friends Day ConcertJason Tom National Best Friends Day ConcertJason Tom National Best Friends Day Concert

NFL Detroit Lions Beverly Hills Varsity Jacket History 

I am a fan of the Detroit Lions and sports outerwear by Starter, G-iii, Ty Mopkins, and Carl Banks.
 

 

Jason Tom wearing the NFL Detroit Lions Faux Leather Varsity Jacket by G-iii. As featured on HSN.

 

 

In 2012, New York Giants Ring of Honor linebacker and Flint, Michigan’s own Carl Banks of G-iii launched the NFL licensed release of the Detroit Lions 25th Anniversary “Beverly Hills Edition” Axel Foley Varsity Jacket.
I grew up watching Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley.

 

 

G-iii Sports Apparel designer Super D redesigned the iconic Detroit Lions varsity jacket first made famous in popular culture by actor and comedian Eddie Murphy as “Axel Foley” in the 1987 movie film, Beverly Hills Cop II.

Pro Football Hall of Fame and all-time Detroit Lions running back great Barry Sanders wearing the NFL Detroit Lions 25th Anniversary “Beverly Hills Edition” Axel Foley Varsity Jacket by G-iii. 

NFL all-time running back great Barry Sanders with the in the Detroit Lions deep Honolulu Blue, Motor City Silver, and White of a “White Lion!”

ïżŒDetroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff, at Allen Park, wearing the NFL Detroit Lions 25th Anniversary “Beverly Hills Edition” Axel Foley Varsity Jacket by G-iii. Photos by Jeff Nguyen.

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Former Detroit Lions and future Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Adrian Peterson, at Allen Park, wearing the NFL Detroit Lions 25th Anniversary “Beverly Hills Edition” Axel Foley Varsity Jacket by G-iii. Photos by Detroit Lions.


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Honolulu native Jason Tom (yours truly) wearing the NFL Detroit Lions 25th Anniversary “Beverly Hills Edition” Axel Foley Varsity Jacket by G-iii.

ïżŒDetroit’s Big Sean wearing the NFL Detroit Lions 25th Anniversary “Beverly Hills Edition” Axel Foley Varsity Jacket by G-iii.

Big Sean live at the Detroit Lions vs Chicago Bears Thanksgiving Game Halftime Show. Photo by Jeff Nguyen.


In 2017, Detroit fashion designer Ty Mopkins teamed up with G-iii and Carl Banks to officially release the NFL licensed Detroit Lions 30th Anniversary “Beverly Hills Edition” Starter Satin Full-Snap Varsity Jacket. 

2018 NFL Draft, former Detroit Lions wide receiver Nate Burleson wearing the NFL licensed Detroit Lions 30th Anniversary “Beverly Hills Edition” Starter Satin Full-Snap Varsity Jacket by G-iii.

“They say that Dallas is the home of America’s Team.
If that is the case.
Detroit is the home of America’s Heartbeat.
This pick right here is dedicated to the men and women of Michigan.
I’m talking about the

no days off,
lunch pail packing,
hard hat wearing,
blue collar hands that built this country.
Michigan, Detroit, I salute you!”
— Nate Burleson, 2018 NFL Draft 

In 2021, actor Tom Hardy as “Eddie Brock” in Marvel’s Venom: Let There be Carnage movie film wore an alternate Detroit Lions “Beverly Hills Edition” Varsity Jacket.

 

 

Detroit Lions rookie wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown as Spider-Man.

Former judo champion Jason Tom and Venom’s best friend forever Spider-Man (Tobey McGuire) at Blockbuster.

Spider-Man was Jason Tom’s judo fighter alias.


Jason Tom’s Human Beatbox Adventures!

Prior to that, Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell made the reference that Michael Brockers is capable of wielding the hammer of the Mighty Thor. Could both be teasing for a Detroit Lions “Beverly Hills Edition” 35th Anniversary Axel Foley “Color Rush” Varsity Jacket this 2022 that will play to the Detroit Lions “Color Rush” Motor City silver uniforms?

The Detroit Lions “Motor City silver” color rush uniforms are aesthetically my favorite color rush uniform in the league. I love how their “White Lion” jersey numbers pop and how it’s accented with their “Honolulu Blue” outline with the “Motor City silver” from top to bottom.

ïżŒAnd will it play to the Detroit “White Lions” alternate uniforms? Their Majestic “White Lion” alternate uniforms was a new Detroit Lions uniform reveal earlier in this season.

Majestic White Lion.

I am anticipating that Detroit Lions could be cooking up potential uniform updates. Could we one day see a comeback and a reimagined modern take of the “original” Detroit Lions “Honolulu Blue” football helmets that they wore during their “NFL World Championship” seasons brought back to the present to usher in the modern era of the Detroit Lions as future Super Bowl Champions in the NFL? Would be epic!
As a Detroit Lions and sports outerwear fan, I would like to one day see a Detroit Lions NFL World Champions Jacket brought out with the current Detroit Lions logo featuring all of their NFL World Championships of 1935, 1952, 1953, and 1957.

Yes, Lions have a 2-13-1 record this season. This week is the Detroit Lions’ final game of this NFL regular season and it will be against their divisional rival Green Bay Packers.

I see a bright future ahead for the Detroit Lions, and I truly believe that their best is still yet to come.

 

Detroit Lions “Bubbles” logo by Michael Irwin: 2017 to present.



Detroit Lions “Bubbles” Logo: 2009 to 2016.

Detroit Lions “Bubbles” Logo: 2003 to 2008.

Detroit Lions “Bubbles” Logo: 1961 to 1969 (no trim). 1970 to 2002 white trim.

Detroit Lions Retro Logo: 1946 to 1960.

Detroit Lions Vintage Logo; NFL Running Back with “Honolulu Blue” Football Helmet and a roaring Lion: 1934 to 1945


Detroit Lions will win many more games and championships to come. Go Lions!

The Roar Motor City Sports Talk: Jason Tom 

My recent Facebook Page post about how “I will ROAR OUT for our Detroit Lions” took on a life of its own and it organically picked up momentum that caught wind of Detroit Lions and NFL fans across the nation. Then Justin Valentine of The Roar Motor City Sports Talk Show interviewed me and I’ve since been dubbed the “Most Optimistic Detroit Lions Fan.” Yes, I still support and love the Honolulu Blue and Silver even though we’re 0-8 thus far this NFL season. You can watch the full interview on my blog cast here.

Drop me a comment on my blog.. please do. I would greatly appreciate it. I am looking forward in hearing from you, blog readers, Detroit Lions fans, NFL fans, football fans, and sports fans. And even if you aren’t a sports fan.. this was a fun interview that I wanted to share with you. GO LIONS! Let’s ROAR OUT!

 

The Roar Motor City Sports Talk Show     Detroit Lions

 

Jason Tom Detroit Lions Pro Standard Varsity Jacket
Jason Tom Detroit Lions Pro Standard Varsity Jacket 
 

The Opening Act: Jason Tom Hollywood Bowl 

I want to thank my supporters, music fans and voters that helped me to win 1st Place in Round 1 of 4 preliminary rounds. If I win the preliminary rounds.. I will advance onto quarter-finals. If I win quarter-finals, I will advance to semi-finals, and if I win that, I will advance to the finals of the Opening Act Competition of incredible bands and musicians. I also want to thank supporters of the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention.

Spread the word! Support and vote for Jason Tom daily here: https://theopenact.com/2021/jason-tom-the-human-beatbox

Spread the word! Support and vote for Jason Tom daily here: https://theopenact.com/2021/jason-tom-the-human-beatbox

Now in Round 2... 18 contestants were eliminated out of 33 contestants. Top 15 advance!

Spread the word! Support and vote for Jason Tom daily here: https://theopenact.com/2021/jason-tom-the-human-beatbox

The competition has been fierce to say the least.
Spread the word! Support and vote for Jason Tom daily here: https://theopenact.com/2021/jason-tom-the-human-beatbox
 

Let's keep the support and votes coming for Round 2.

Spread the word! Support and vote for Jason Tom daily here: https://theopenact.com/2021/jason-tom-the-human-beatbox

6 days of Round 2 to go. Let's do this one!

Spread the word! Support and vote for Jason Tom daily here: https://theopenact.com/2021/jason-tom-the-human-beatbox

Jason Tom's Father's Day Dedication 

National Beatbox Day and Father's Day this month is special... 

Jason Tom the Human Beatbox in Creation Production Season Three. Photo credit: Albert Moreno

As a man of faith, I am so grateful to have reprised my Human Beatbox artist role in the third installment of the God-centered Creation production that features ballet, dance, acrobatics, contemporary, jazz, human beatbox, and music presented by Prisma Dance and directed by Nicole Lam. Creation was inspired by Genesis chapter 1; and Romans chapter 1 verse number 20.

Jason Tom the Human Beatbox in Creation Production Season Three. Photo credit: Albert Moreno

I uploaded this beatbox video last night in celebration of a successful Creation third season. I dedicate this one in memory of my father and in honor of fathers on this Father's Day month. I love you and I miss you Dad!
 

This third season, I beatboxed with an amazing Creation cast and crew this past Pentecost weekend three weekends ago and this past Memorial Day and Trinity Sunday weekend two weekends ago. I already miss Creation as I type. It's a joy to have been a part of this season's wonderful Creation production cast and crew. I love Prisma Dance's choreography and Nicole Lam's direction in Creation. It's a splendor to be a part of Creation. I appreciate Nicole Lam and the Prisma Dance family.

Creation Production Season Two cast and crew.

In the past two Creations, I rocked varsity jackets with a snapback as headwear, but this season, I rocked a varsity jacket and headwear that featured the "Honolulu Blue Lion" of the Detroit Lions as my human beatbox artistic way to symbolize "Jesus the Lion of Judah." My nickname for this Creation season three was "Mr. Blueberry Man." Love it!

Jason Tom the Human Beatbox in Creation Production Season One. Photo Credit: Albert Moreno


Last year, I was proposed to be in Israel and then back in the United States for a lead human beatbox artist role for another production. I honored my word on reprising my human beatbox artist role for Creation production's third season. No further word on the other production that would've begun in Israel as they were recently impacted by circumstances, but my intercessory prayers go out to Israel.

Right at this moment, I pray for the restoration of peace for the Israeli, Jewish and Arab people as there are ongoing challenges.

I pray for God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit's hedge of protection for Israeli, Jewish and Arab people.


I stand with Israel,

 

 

Detroit Lions Pop Culture 

I stumbled upon gems in popular culture when I Googled "Detroit Lions"..... the LIONS, established in 1934, are NFL world champions of 1935, 1952, 1953, and 1957. What can I say? Our 2018, 2019, and 2020 National Football League seasons were rough. It's about time we turn things around with our new owner Sheila Ford Hamp, new general manager Brad Holmes, new head coach Dan Campbell, new assistant head coach Duce Staley, our new coaching staff, and our new QB1 Jared Goff. Let's bite kneecaps LIONS!!!

Congratulations to Detroit Lions photographer Jeff Nguyen on winning first place in the "action category" and "Photo of the Year" in the Dave Boss Award of Excellence with his entry "Pocket Full of Dreams" in the 53rd Annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Photo Contest for the 2020 NFL season.
"The image depicts Lions running back Adrian Peterson jumping through a perfectly formed hole in the line of scrimmage against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2020 at Ford Field in Detroit." -Pro Football Hall of Fame

Eddie Murphy as "Axel Foley" in the NFL Detroit Lions Letterman Jacket that inspired the G-iii "Beverly Hills Edition" jacket.

 

Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders in NFL Detroit Lions "Beverly Hills Edition" Letterman Jacket by G-iii.

 

Me beatboxing in my Starter NFL Detroit Lions "Enforcer" Satin Full-Snap Varsity Jacket.
 

 

Big Sean rocking his Starter x Ty Mopkins Detroit Lions Satin Full-Snap Varsity Jacket for the Detroit Lions vs Philadelphia Eagles NFL Thanksgiving Game Halftime Show at Ford Field.

 

Eminem rocking a Chalk Line Detroit Lions Varsity Jacket when his "Marshal Mathers LP 2" record went platinum.
 

Eminem rocking his Chalk Line Detroit Lions Varsity Jacket for his Berserk live performance on the "Le Grand Journal" French Talk Show.
 

 

EPSN Magazine's Music Issue: Pro Football Hall of Fame Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin "Megatron" Johnson and multi-platinum rap artist Eminem in a Chalk Line Detroit Lions royal blue and white Varsity Jacket at St Andrews Theater in Detroit, Michigan. Photo credit: Matthias Clamer

G-Unit's 50 Cent in a Detroit Lions Satin Full-Snap Jacket.
 

Rocking my Starter Detroit Lions "Enforcer" Satin Full-Snap Varsity Jacket during my KALO TV "Talk Story Unscripted" Podcast Talk Show interview.

Detroit Lions QB1 Jared Goff in the  NFL Detroit Lions 25th Anniversary "Beverly Hills Edition" Letterman Jacket by G-iii made famous by Eddie Murphy as "Axel Foley" in Beverly Hills Cop II and III. Photo credit: Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions.

 

My beatbox shout out to Motor City and Detroit Lions in the NFL Detroit Lions 25th Anniversary "Beverly Hills Edition" Letterman Jacket by G-iii.
 

 

Future Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Adrian Peterson in the NFL Detroit Lions "Beverly Hills Edition" Letterman Jacket by G-iii. Photo credit: Detroit Lions.

Good Morning Football host and former Detroit Lions wide receiver Nate Burleson rocking the Starter Detroit Lions 30th Anniversary "Beverly Hills Edition" Satin Full-Snap Varsity Jacket at the NFL Draft.

Tom Hardy as "Eddie Brock" rocking the NFL Detroit Lions "Beverly Hills Edition" Letterman Jacket. Marvel's "Venom 2: Let There Be Carnage" is set to release on September 24th.

Photography 
- Matthias Clamer
- ESPN Magazine
- Jeff Nguyen
- Pro Football Hall of Fame

Film 
- Disney
- Tom Hardy as "Eddie Brock" 
- Brandon T. Jackson as "Aaron Foley" 
- Marvel
- Eddie Murphy as "Axel Foley" 

Sports 
- WR Nate Burleson 
- QB Jared Goff 
- WR Calvin "Megatron" Johnson 
- RB Adrian Peterson 
- RB Barry Sanders 

Hip Hop Music 
- Rapper 50 Cent
- Rapper Eminem 
- Rapper Big Sean 
- Beatboxer Jason Tom 

Fashion 
- Air Jordan 
- Casio G-Shock 
- Chalk Line 
- Action Sportswear's FanaticU
- Gameday Detroit
- G-iii Sports Apparel by Carl Banks 
- Ty Mopkins
- NFL Shop
- Nike 
- Starter

Da Best Hawaii Jason Tom 

I want to thank Olena Heu for featuring me in the latest installment of Da Best Hawaii. I am grateful, honored and humbled on the opportunity to be able to share with Da Best Hawaii, Olena Heu, and my blog cast readers about my beginnings, what my parents thought about my beatboxing. I also shared following my SUV collision that rendered me unconscious with memory loss and head trauma, how I asked myself the thought provoking questions, "how am I leaving my mark in this world," and "how am I impacting the communities?"

Beat the Box Challenge 

We can beat the box like the human beatbox.

Take on the beat the box challenge.

We can judo flip the movie script of our lives.

And drop our "boots and cats"... at the jump.


We can judo flip the movie script of our lives. When we think we can't. We actually can. Our losses, failures, and mistakes in life are what can build our character. We can grow, learn, and mature more in our valleys. Yes, we can in our peaks, but not as much in our peaks. It is through our valleys our character can be refined. 

 

We can reflect, revisit something, even our failures. Mistakes. Losses. And have the courage to return to it. Reframe it. Work at it. And then turn the tables of our failures into success stories. 


The industry standard of "overnight success" is not "overnight." Overnight success is 15 to 20 years of dedication, commitment, work ethic, discipline, passion, purpose, and follow through.

 

Here's some of my turn arounds and success stories from some of my life's hurdles that helped me in my career in the long run. I do hope this can be an inspiration for you. 

 

This picture here is a throwback to when I had finished performing a live beatboxing concert at the Chinese New Year Festival in Honolulu's Chinatown. Oh, and I am holding a take out box of Chinese food. So yummy! 

 

During the Chinese New Year performances or whenever I have performances with native Chinese speakers in the mixed crowd is when I do bring out my Cantonese and Mandarin.

 
If you asked me even I didn't think that would be possible. 


I am a fourth-generation American of Chinese descent. Learning Chinese as well as American English was challenging growing up. American English is not my first language. It is my third language. 


I attended a Chinese school daily after regular school for years. Yes, I missed my favorite afternoon cartoons, because of that. I had no school breaks. We studied traditional Chinese characters and formal Cantonese. I failed the first grade in Chinese school, annually. I lost count. Three, four or five years in a row, perhaps.

 

How come? End of semester we had to speak on the microphone through a sound system in front of the whole school to recite an entire formal Cantonese Chinese prose, word for word, by memory. 

 

As an introvert, I struggled with this each year, because of "stage fright." I dreaded it. It was my earliest experiences of "stage fright." I was of elementary school age then. 

 

Formal Cantonese was challenging for me as it is not colloquial Cantonese. In other words, written Cantonese is not the same as spoken Cantonese. As a southpaw, I earned low marks in my penmanship for my traditional Chinese characters. Chinese character strokes are intended for a "right-handed" person, not a lefty. 

 

I got reprimanded and disciplined by my father when he caught me playing hooky from Chinese school. I had no breaks... regular school then Chinese school. I struggled in both. 

 


I dropped out of Chinese school to concentrate on not failing regular school and focus on my "comic book" drawing endeavors. I also wanted to catch my afternoon cartoons. Behind closed doors, I continued to record my beatboxing on analog music cassette tapes. I began beatboxing at the tender age of four, and by age six, I began recording my beatboxing.

 


I continued my comic book career path and got into graphic arts as well as web design. Then when I graduated high school was when I considered attending an art school to major in comic book illustration. I gradually shifted away from that path and focused more on my athletic career as a judo champion. 

 

Upon my return to college, I simultaneously pursued my beatboxing career and caught an opportunity to study abroad as a scholar in mainland China. I applied. Got rejected. I knew I was not going to get accepted due to my cumulative grade point average, but I applied to go through the process. I knew by when they'd offered the program again, I'd ought to have bumped up my cumulative gpa. 

 

I didn't give up. Determined, I worked my way from the bottom to the top.

 

Remember how I wrote that we can judo flip the movie script of our lives? No joke, I judo flipped my college transcript from a 1.0 to 4.0 gpa. My math professor referred me to get hired on campus as a math supplemental instructor. Even with math, I judo flipped that from a D to an A. 

 

From what I picked up from my former years as an award-winning soccer athlete and judo champion, I applied those tools into the classroom setting. 

 

 

My athletic career gave me the necessary and practical tools I needed to succeed in life, music business and entertainment, and my academic career. I've also been impacted when Charlie and Lucy Wedemeyer signed my copy of "Charlie's Victory." And my jaw dropped when I caught Chinese American beatboxer Elaine Chao's show stopping performance for the Showtime at the Apollo. 

 

I bumped up my cumulative college gpa. When time came for scholarship application season... I applied a second time with my letters of recommendations, and my scholarship proposal essay. Spaces were limited. Many applied. Applicants screened and interviewed. 

 

I got selected. 

 

I enjoyed learning Mandarin. It was challenging learning it in the United States. But learning it in Beijing was incredible as I could apply it daily. Written Mandarin is consistent with spoken Mandarin. Cantonese overall has more tones than Mandarin.. thus I worked on it to not have a Cantonese accent in my Mandarin. I worked at my Mandarin fluency and proficiency. 

 

As a scholar by this time in Beijing.. I applied my Mandarin daily. I worked on simplified Chinese characters, traditional Chinese characters, and pinyin with proper tone marks. 

 

I earned high marks on my fluency and proficiency in my written penmanship, verbal, listening comprehension, pronunciation, understanding, context, reading, spoken, etc. 

 

How did I improve in my penmanship? I recognized that I had to write everything in reverse of how I would intuitively would want to write the Chinese strokes and order. I literally treated writing Chinese characters like illustrating actual pictures, like drawing. I also worked on, honed and mastered the foundation for each of the Chinese character stroke direction and stroke order. 

 

As with what I did with drawing, soccer, judo, math, beatboxing.... I went above and beyond to learn Mandarin. Which became my fourth language. Well fifth.. because math is the language of science. Okay... sixth, because of the "boots and cats." 

 

Still though, when I became an entertainer and public speaker as a professional beatboxer, I had to confront and overcome "stage fright." To this day, "stage fright" may creep up, but I've worked on it. Practice does make perfect. 

 

Nowadays? I can perform and speak in front of a live audience... and one of my favorites are to Chinese native speakers, because I get to speak and perform in Cantonese and Mandarin. 

 

Crowds of Mandarin speakers. 

 

Crowds mixed with Cantonese and Mandarins speakers. 

 

And crowds mixed with English, Cantonese, and Mandarin speakers. 

 

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. I have so many to thank in my life like that of my paternal grandmother, maternal grandfather, father, mother, uncles, aunts, family, and relatives, who advocated and demonstrated for me as my models of the importance of Chinese literacy and fluency. 

 

It's fun!!! 

 

I want to encourage you reading this.. whatever it is you've failed at in life.. know that you can have the courage to go back, return to it, reflect, confront it, and judo flip the movie script. Turn the tables on your failures into success stories. I've failed many times in life. Reflected. Revisited my failures to judo flip the movie script into a success stories.


And remember, successful people fail more. Not that we fail on purpose, but we learn and grow from it. 

 

And you can beat the box like the human beatbox and take on the beat the box challenge. 

 

Now that's some boots and cats.

Will You Take This Dance? 

Let's take this dance, get down, and gobble!



During my birthday week and this Thanksgiving season, I took on the #PBSHawaiiNeighbor Challenge with the help of my friend who recorded and uploaded my version of Mr. Rogers' "Won't You Be My Neighbor" to support PBS Hawaii. I was joined by two turkey bird co-stars and dance partners at Waimanalo Country Farms' Sunflower field. We had a ball.

I want to thank my family, friends, neighbors, and our community for supporting PBS Hawaii. Click here to check out the #PBSHawaiiNeighbor playlist.

To learn more about the #PBSHawaiiNeighbor Challenge and how to donate to PBS Hawaii visit: PBSHawaii.org/neighbor 

Speaking of dance, to close off 2020 with a post birthday gift, I began taking private funk dance lessons by dance teacher Headache of Hype, one of the finalists of America's Got Talent.

It's my first time learning the foundation of "boogaloo" and "popping," a funk dance style that originated in the 1970s. Even with 16 years of live performance experience under my belt, this will be a challenge for me. I am one of the most uncoordinated when it comes to learn how to dance, but I am willing to go there. Be vulnerable and get out of my comfort zone. There are so many layers to popping and I would like to build on my dance vocabulary. It's going to be a humbling season.

For the most part, as an untrained dancer, I watched film of Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, and Michael Jackson. Poppers I've been inspired by are Skill Roy, Funky T, Headache, Boogaloo Sam, Popin Pete, Popin EQ, Popin Sushi, Michael "Boogaloo Shrimp" Chambers, Jeffrey Daniels, Bionic Man, Slim Boogie, Jabbawockeez, Surf Boogie, Biomechanix, Ace, Pharside, Ian Navasca, Silk, Hoan, Rodney Phung, Illosophy, J Boog, Jabez, Fu Manchu, D King, and the list goes on.

Below are photos from my performances, rehearsals and photoshoots through the years that features me dancing...

Jason Tom Global Dance Cafe Performance.
 

Moonwalk Rehearsal at Global Dance Cafe.
 

Global Dance Cafe performance....

 


 


 


 

Joined by Belly Dancers at Puja Dance Production.

 

An opener to my Puja Dance Production performance.
 

Joined by Anasma at Puja Dance Production...
 

An angular circle glide at Puja Dance Production.
 

Williamsburg Bridge of Manhattan, New York.
 

Side gliding in Manhattan, New York.
 

Live toe stand on the Music With A Message Tour at McKinley High School.
 

Side gliding in San Francisco.
 

 
Moonwalk rehearsal prior to Global Dance Cafe.

 

 
Rocking a company party!

 

James Brown funky footwork at Moon Festival

What Is Your Turning Point? 

What is your turning point? What was your turning point? 


A little background on me... Charlie and Lucy Wedemeyer and their book "Charlie's Victory" left a lasting impression on me. I was 15. At age 19, I wanted to be a public speaker to impact multitudes. As an introvert, I desired to overcome "stage fright." A fear of being on stage impacted me for nearly my whole life.

 

When I caught Asian American beatboxer Elaine Chao's Showtime at the Apollo show stopper, that was it for me. It would be a matter of time, I mustered the courage to bring out my hidden beatbox talent and skills to the world.

I began beatboxing at the tender age of four, as a Kauluwela Tiger Cub kindergartner, to the song Michael Jackson Bad. By age six, as a Liholiho Warrior first grader, a family member recorded my beatboxing of Bad on analog music cassette tape. I returned to Kauluwela and continued to beatbox, behind closed doors, through my years as a Tiger Cub, Kawananakoa Aliʻi Warrior, and McKinley Tiger. 

 

My collision with a minivan that knocked me unconscious and left me with a concussion, head trauma, and recurring memory issues was the turning point of my life. At 21, I hit the stage as a beatboxer.

 

I went from being a Chinese school drop out who stuttered on the mic to becoming a Freeman Scholar at Beijing Foreign Studies University, to placing in four consecutive University of Hawaiʻi at Kapiʻolani Talent Shows.

Conquering fear, I've presented and spoken at TEDx Talks, KS EdTech Disrupt, Chevron Speech Festival, universities, community colleges, and conferences. I've performed and spoken on the "Music With A Message," "Say Yes to Purpose," "Not Even Once," and "Real and Powerful" school assembly tours.

I've opened shows for Michael Winslow, Jabbawockeez, Quest Crew, Blue Scholars, Reeps One, and performed live with Tom Thum, John Cruz, Jake Shimabukuro, Makana, Taimane Gardner, and Honoka.

As a fourth-generation American of Chinese descent, I've performed in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese for the ReThink Conference, Hawaiʻi International Film Festival, Chinese New Year Festival, Night in Chinatown Block Party, Moon Festival, International Hawaiʻi Chinese Cultural Arts Festival, and China Beatbox Tour. 

My Chinese name, in traditional form è­šćż—è±Ș and è°­ćż—è±Ș in simplified form, means "will," "many aspirations" and "a person of outstanding talent." 

What is your turning point? What was your turning point? 

For me, my turning point was that minivan collision 16 years ago, a wake up call.

I am grateful for that turning point in my life.

I am grateful to God, for family, friends, health, beatbox, and memories.

The Apple Doesn't Fall Far From the Tree 

Welcome to my online birthday party themed "the Apple Doesn't Fall Far From the Tree" hosted by the Jason Tom dot com nearest you with exclusive action-packed photos and content.

November 21st is my birthday, save the date! And Jason Tom dot com's dance floor is now open for you to leave a comment.

Where do I start? Wow has the past 16 years of my life been a journey.

I've got plenty of folks in life to be grateful to. And much in life to be thankful for.

Meanwhile, I want to wish you an early Happy Thanksgiving! Now come join me on God's great dance floor.

"Let's dance, let's shout, and shake your body to the ground." -Michael Jackson, Shake Your Body
 

As I've grown, I realized that, "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree" is more than an "on point" saying.

Veterans Day was this past Wednesday. I honor all who served including those on both ends of my family.

I dedicate "the Apple Doesn't Fall Far From the Tree" blog based on a true story to my paternal grandfather and maternal grandmother. They've helped me indirectly to process the complexity of "grief," "loss" and "trauma." I went in "shock" when I attended my first funeral at age 7 in the loss of my maternal grandmother. And I recall how my entire body got unexpectedly weak and I collapsed to the ground during her burial. At that time, I understood not how that happened to me.

I haven't met my paternal grandfather. He was my father's tremendous loss. My father had to grow up fast.

For me, I was not able to comprehend nor process such emotions. I was 7 going on 8. Following her funeral, I experienced my first indication of asthma wheezing and asthma attacks.

As a high schooler, I witnessed my paternal grandmother's last breath at her bedside. I was unaware that I went in "shock." I didn't know how to express my emotions. She was one of the most significant women in my life. When I lost her, I felt that a huge chuck of my life left me. To this day, I miss her very much. We spent a significant amount of time together, her and I. I recall everything she's ever taught and instilled in me. I still hold onto and apply what she's ever taught me in life.

This year marked the 16th year anniversary of my collision with a minivan near Shobukan Judo Club, Pizza Hut, and Liliha Bakery. Walgreens was not built there then.  

That "collision" is the "turning point" of my life. 

I was knocked unconscious. Driver rendered help. She called first responders and prayed over me. To date, I've not met the driver nor got to personally thank her. I am so grateful she did what she did for me.

By God's grace, I left the ER room assisted by my family with no broken bones, but a concussion and head trauma.

Not my first concussion.

I've had multiple concussions from my various injuries growing up and sport injuries before adulthood. God's hand of protection over my life, that driver who rendered help, and my judo miraculously kicked in that night.
 

 

Next morning, I woke up, and I noticed my memory was affected. I had trouble remembering things I used to be able to recall with ease. Then I thought to myself, wow, I near lost my life and yet, I haven't accomplished much in my life that I would like to accomplish. I was 21 going on 22.

I had unfinished business.

Number one, I decided to retire from judo.

Number two, start my beatbox music, entertainment, and performing arts career.

Number three, return to college and earn my general degree.
Then my sibling called and we caught "the Passion of the Christ" on the big screen. After the movie, I felt uncomfortably startled by incoming cars and parked cars. I had an "irrational" fear toward cars and parked cars. I was surprised that I could not control my bodily trigger, response and reaction. My faith in God would really pull through as time went on in years to come.
 

For my faith in God, I am thankful to my maternal grandfather, mother, sibling, and family on both ends who advocated an importance of having our faith rooted in Jesus. I recall how my maternal grandfather read the Holy Bible in Chinese every time I visited. He read it daily. I am grateful to my mother who brought my sibling and I to church regularly growing up.

I am thankful to God answering my prayer when I brought my Dad to church with me. Dad, I am glad I brought you to church with me before it was your time. I know you are smiling up above in heaven embraced by God's eternal grace, tender kindness, endless mercy, and undying love. I love you, Dad!

I enrolled at Kapiʻolani Community College, and I judo flipped my college transcript from a 1.0 to 4.0 grade point average. Then I got hired on campus as a Math Supplemental Instructor in algebra. At this time, I chose not to join social media platforms like Facebook and MySpace so that I would focus on my academic studies with diligence, work ethic and discipline. 

I am grateful my father instilled in me math foundation early in life. My father was a disciplinarian and my greatest teacher in life. I miss you Dad!
 

I then competed and placed 3rd at the Spring 2006 KCC Talent Contest.
 

Camera shy. My first YouTube video, "Beatbox Lobby."
 

I went from being a Chinese school drop out to becoming a Freeman Scholar at Beijing Foreign Studies University.

I am grateful to my paternal grandmother, maternal grandfather and father for being advocates of Chinese literacy and fluency in my life.

Jake Shimabukuro and I rocking an in store live concert.
 

I placed in my fourth consecutive KCC Talent Contest. I dedicated my performance that spring to my relative's recent passing that was very difficult for me. My grades, motivation and concentration in school were at a low point following my relative's passing.
 

I nearly did not finish, but I earned my general college degree at the University of Hawaiʻi at Kapiʻolani.
 

I did that while I simultaneously enrolled in music business and audio engineering courses on live feed through the MELE program with Belmont University and Honolulu Community College.

Years into the MELE program, I experienced a noticeable decline in my academic performance in my overall focus, grades and health as I received news of another relative's passing. Two in a row was difficult.
 

Makana and I tore it up at RumFire Waikiki.
 

I knew I needed and wanted to get my life right with God. I rededicated my life to Jesus and I prayed that God would send me to a home church to be planted at. Following my prayer, days later, my music business classmates Lei and Cherry-Anne invited me to attend Word of Life Christian Center. There I got planted. Then my audio engineering professor Jim Hearon invited me to teach a human beatbox workshop for his recording technology class at Word of Life Academy.

I became the Word of Life Emerge Talent Show Semi-Final Champion and Top 2 winner at the Grand Finals.
 

School wise, I missed many class days due to severe asthma attacks. I dropped out as I did not have the strength to continue. I focused on my walk with God... health gradually got better. I developed and grew into my devotional life, and read the Holy Bible daily like my maternal grandfather.

MC Jin and I at his "SOLD OUT" concert in San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts.
 

I opened for America's Best Dance Crew season 2 champion Quest Crew.
 

I opened for America's Best Dance Crew season 1 champion the Jabbawockeez.
 

I became the Pipeline Hawaii's Got Talent Semi-Final Champion and Top 4 winner in the Grand Final.
 

Video shoot with Andrew Shimabuku for the Honolulu Advertiser.
 

I opened for the Man of 10,000 Sound Effects Michael Winslow.
 

Rocking the mic in Waikiki.
 

My beatbox career took off...
 

Hanging out with Ronald McDonald in the Big Apple.
 

ReThink Conference and Hawaii International Film Festival.

Boys and Girls Club of Honolulu charity event.
 

I performed three gigs per day per week regionally, performed for public and private neighbor Hawaiian island events, coast to coast in the United States, and overseas for beatboxing.
 

Biggie Gz and I beatboxing in a Mixed Martial Arts octagon.

Kamueala Kahoano and I on the news about Blood Bank of Hawaii charity event with Dan Cooke and Ryan Ozawa.
 

Japan Tsunami Disaster Relief Concert for Japan Red Cross.
 

Then, tragedy struck. I got unexpected news about a passing of a veteran, one of my relatives I cared so much about and loved so much. He'd often ask me about my beatbox career and that he's often read about me in the local newspaper. He was an avid reader. I was so hurt when I got the news. I did not have the courage nor the strength to attend his funeral. I could not bare another loss of a significant loved one.


I then experienced my breaking point. Overworked. I took time off from teaching and performing beatboxing. I declined proposals to perform at Massachusetts' Tufts University, and New York's Skidmore College. I was not well enough to travel. I canceled travel plans to the 3rd Beatbox Battle World Championships in Berlin, Germany. I did shows sparingly on a local level. A struggle at best. My stage fright came back that season. Gradually, I near lost my ability, memory, rhythm, and coordination in how to dance. I also lost a lot of my memory, coordination, rhythm, and ability to beatbox. At that point, I did not think I would live to see my 30th birthday. 

For two years up to that point, I intentionally made zero travel plans so I could work on my health and build on my health from the ground up. Though no longer able to dance.. I was able to muster enough to be able to gradually get back into performing beatbox shows, but it was a major struggle to remember how to beatbox and to be able to muster the groove.
 

Island Scene Magazine story on my uphill battle with severe asthma attacks.
 

Honolulu Night Market: Artrageous


Jason Tom rocks the mic at Honolulu Night Market photo by Joe Marquez.
 

Jill Kuramoto and I on KITV morning news.
 

I was challenged spiritually, mentally and physically. I diligently worked on my relationship and intimacy with God.
 

I began to do shows again beatboxing, sparingly, gradually growing..... still not able to dance at this point. Did not have the coordination for it.


The stage is where I can be my truest self and express deeper emotions through music and beatboxing. 

Hitting the stage allows me to confront and conquer my fears in life, like stage fright.


Headlined Beatroot presented by Lightsleepers at Easy Music Center.
 

Headlined Art After Dark at Honolulu Museum of Art.
 

My beatbox student Yogibeats and I.


White Dove in Full Flight by Dorian Stretton.Within these rough years, I got water baptized, enrolled in bible classes called pre-encounter, encounter, post encounter, school of leaders 1, 2, and 3, and Destiny Training at Word of Life. The Holy Spirit equipped me on how to pray "spiritual warfare" prayers and intercede on behalf of my nation, state, family, friends, and church. I also brought my father to church with me for the first time this season.
 

I am grateful to be featured on Beatbox Battle TV.

At that point, I still struggled health wise. I continued to work on it, off camera. Off stage.
 

I began to travel again, coast to coast to do beatbox performances in California's Los Angeles and Anaheim, and New York's Brooklyn, and Manhattan. My beatbox groove and coordination was in a flux. My dance coordination, still not there.
 

Performed for a children's cancer charity benefit concert.
 

Rahzel the Godfather of Noise and I at Webster Hall New York.


Ellise Kakazu interviews Jason Tom for HNL Flow Magazine.


Jamming with Madd Rabbit at my birthday party in Kakaako.
 

During the worst of these tumultuous years of my life, I would have memory issues like how I would not be able to recall the day of the week. Even when reminded. Even all through this, as challenged and oppressed as I had become, Jesus remained faithful, continued to not leave me nor forsake me. He brought brothers and sisters in Christ to intercede in prayer and cover me with their prayers. The Holy Spirit became the one "tangible" person I can trust all the time, hold onto all the time, depend and rely on all the time even when I could no longer hold onto my "memory" of the day of the week. Jesus is no imaginary friend, and not a fairy tale in my life. Jesus is my friend.
 

I spoke and performed at elementary schools, colleges, universities, and appeared on television as I prepared to compete as the top 12 performance poet for HawaiiSlam's 14th First Thursdays' Grand Slam Final and the top 150 male beatboxer as Hawaii's all star in the men's solo competition at the 4th Beatbox Battle World Championship. This the season I tried to work on getting back my dance groove and coordination, It was difficult.


I was unable to appear at both competitions due to severe asthma attacks. My prescribed medicine and cough medicine did not stop nor slow my severe asthma attacks. I discontinued the rest of my appearances of an anti-bullying school tour I performed and spoke on. I took a much needed break. For the rest of that year I traveled and performed not. At this point, I lost all my coordination and ability to beatbox. Even my coordination to dance. I also had an irrational fear of being out in general public or be around big crowds of strangers. The only place I felt the safest was to be with God and to be at church. A safe haven. Jesus is my refuge, fortress, and strong tower.

It was then I was at my lowest of lows. I could not even practice my beatboxing nor dance. I felt spiritually broken and decapitated. In the depths of despair, I called out, "Jesus! Help me!" At this point, I felt I was "Job" of the Old Testament. Literally.

Then I experienced a major health crisis with severe asthma attacks that unknowingly triggered me to relive that minivan collision that near cost my life.

I needed fresh air.

Then my "nightmare" became a reality.

I lost my ability to cross a green light. I'd become irrationally fearful of incoming traffic. Not knowing how come. Fear paralyzed me. I relived my collision.

Thankfully a morning walker assisted me. I asked her, "please, could you help me to cross. I am too afraid to cross the green light on my own." She helped me to cross and assured I would not get hit by a car. She asked if she could call first responders to assist me. I said, "yes, please do." Firefighters and an officer chief checked on me. The firefighters were patient, kind, compassionate, and helpful.

I got asked if I knew the day of the week. I responded, "no, I do not recall the day of the week. That's not important to me right now. I am fighting to get rest and stay alive. Please help me. I need your help."

I was brought to a hospital where I could have complete privacy so that I could get my rest, peace, and quiet. I requested "no visitors." I granted exclusive visiting access for my case manager, a born again Christian. I took as much time I needed to recuperate, regain my health, and strength. This was much needed. The nurses were so helpful.

During that time, I had personal and deep conversations with God. That was one of the best times I got to be with God. God downloaded plans for me, direction for my steps years in advance. For the record, many of which have been fulfilled and are still being fulfilled.

Once I felt I was strong enough to be discharged from the hospital... I established firm boundaries with an abusive phone caller. I discontinued my mobile phone service. Then I was able to focus on being productive in music, rehearsals, tech rehearsals, performances, and productions.

From that day, I've not had an issue with rest. My overall health improved. It was like as night and day.

My case manager was helpful during my time of crisis. I trust him with my life. I am grateful God blessed me with a wonderful, understanding, patient, kind, and compassionate case manager.

 

It was in great despair, I grew into the things of God. I no longer had my talent in beatbox nor dance. It was then the Holy Spirit ministered words of wisdom to me. That the Holy Spirit counseled, taught, pruned, corrected, disciplined, guided, restored, resurrected, and edified me to complete life. God began to form, shape and mold my character in Him. My devotional life.... my prayer life... my meditation in the Word of God.... renewing of my mind with the Word of God.... my relationship and intimacy with Jesus grew... over time. I would say this was the best process, though not the easiest process, of my entire life.

God brought me back to thrive in life.
 

My greatest decision in life, is when I dedicated my life to God and stayed connected to my brothers and sisters in the body of Christ, the church. Attending church, bible classes, weekly Life Groups, prayer were most helpful to the restoration of my complete health. God miraculously reversed the process of my trauma. God is not done and he continues to do a daily and lifetime work in me. I am not a "religious" man. I am a faithful man in God. 
 

Then one of my sisters in Christ blessed me with Joan Hunter's CD teachings on trauma. I learned so much.
 

My beatbox ability and coordination began to come back.



I entered, competed, and became McDonald's of Hawaii's statewide Top 3 NextNext Music Competition Champion.
 

God answered my prayer when I got through my crisis so that I could perform the live music I had diligently composed and worked on for Prisma Dance's Creation production.

It was my dream come true and an honor to be part of the Creation production cast.

Then I got flown out to Sydney, Australia to work on a beatbox project for independent and major companies.

Then I collaborated with Sesame Street's Elmo on the Christmas song "Jingle Bells" at Kaimuki High School Auditorium.


The following year, Holy Spirit helped me to identify my "trauma" triggers and helped me to uproot each one. During my devotional and journal time with God, the Holy Spirit prompted me to look up, "trauma prayer" on YouTube. I did.
 

Jim and Pat Banks' "trauma prayer" is the "game changer" in my life. The Holy Spirit then used that anointed prayer to minister to me. Noticeable improvement in my overall health. Then I listened to it a second time. Third time and so forth. The trauma prayer has allowed the Holy Spirit to help me in layers. I've listened to it multiple of times all the way through. My memory as well as my recall and health improved exponentially. Supernaturally. Prayer does work. God does answer prayers. Even while at church, I've noticed I will have a memory lapse week after week that before I did not realize were memory lapses. The Holy Spirit helped me to catch it the moment it happens. The Holy Spirit has been so kind, gentle, patient, and helpful.

At this point, the Holy Spirit revealed to me the root of my asthma, nightmares and night terrors I've been tormented by during my childhood, adolescent and adult years. For the longest, I did not know how to articulate my "night terrors." The Holy Spirit prompted me look up one of my reoccurring and distinctive nightmares. I discovered, after the fact, that specific nightmare is consistently linked to individuals with "Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder." Unfortunately, the doctors nor counselors I saw previously were able to identify that. What they thought? They were way off the mark and their advice caused me more harm than help. The Holy Spirit though? He hit the bullseye and nailed it on the cross of Calvary. The Holy Spirit's counsel led to my breakthrough in my health and benefitted my well being, and peace of mind.

The Holy Spirit then encouraged me to pull from my "math background" so that God will do more than get to the square root of the issue with me. That He would work alongside me and help me. God went above and beyond to help me get to the seventh root of my complex trauma. Tenth root. Eleventh root. And so forth. The Holy Ghost counseled me to assist me how to identify the root causes of my asthma attacks, memory lapses, complex trauma triggers, nightmares, and night terrors. He instructed me to "journal." To explore. Go there. Go deep. Learning about complex trauma has brought insight, clarity and answers to unanswered questions I've had for nearly my entire life. Thank you Jesus for sending your Holy Spirit!
 

Then, I learned about my daily chronic stressors. When the Holy Spirit unraveled it... that was the breakthrough I needed. God answered the toughest questions. There was not a question that were "off limits" for God nor too difficult for Him to answer. The Holy Spirit counseled and guided me daily how to not hesitate to ask him anything and everything, at any time. How to hear His voice in alignment with His Word and how to yield to His words of wisdom. And not yield to my own accord nor yield to what is contrary to the Word of God. And that the voice of a stranger I shall not follow. The application to the Word of God in my life has paid dividends in my overall health, memory and recall. I also got back into exercise, another "game changer." God continues to do a real work in me today.
 

Having stepped aside from math teaching and coaching for six years... God wanted me to get back into it. I did and began to math coach students throughout Kapolei, Mililani, Kaneohe, Honolulu, and Aiea.

In one of my final conversation with my father.... I found out that it would be one of my father's final wishes for me to continue and honor. God answered my father's prayer in advance. At my father's bedside, I assured my father that I've fulfilled it and I've got the math covered. At that point, I was working with just two students, one in Aiea... one in Honolulu.

Then my Dad asked about my beatbox career... I assured him that he would be happy.

Then my Dad asked if I've found my wife and gotten married.

I responded, "Dad, I am in no hurry nor haste. I am working with God to be the man that God has called me to be. Dad, it's all in God's timing. Not mine. Not ours.

I love you Dad! Jesus loves you, Dad. Jesus loves our family."

My father smiled. Weeks went by... I will not forget when my father went to be with the Lord on Father's Day. Not a day goes by that I do not, not miss my Dad.

I will fulfill your wishes Dad! I promise. I love you. I miss you.
 

Following my father's passing, I honored my Dad in this performance. My beatbox and dance reunited together with me on stage in honor of my father. God first restored me to full health. In God's timing, He restored my health, family, beatboxing, math, and dance. In that order. Restoration in my family was my biggest prayer I interceded for on behalf of our family for many years. I continue that prayer today.
 

Prisma Dance and I volunteering at US Veterans Barber's Point.
 

Violin and beatbox collaboration at US Veterans Barber's Point.
 

Prisma Dance and I volunteering at Shriners Hospitals for Children.
 

Angela Keen and I with Prisma Dance at Shriners Hospitals for Children.
 

Rocking a free beatbox concert for Shriners Hospitals for Children patients.
 

Prisma Dance at Shriners Hospitals for Children.
 

Collaborating with Henry for Prisma Dance presents Creation.

Performed and spoke at my Alma mater Kauluwela Elementary with their principal, vice principal, and my former teachers.
 

I advanced in my fourth HawaiiSlam's First Thursdays Poetry Slam and Open Mic Grand Competition as a Top 12 finalist.

Leigh Dooley, my college writing and composition mentor, and her family were in attendance.

I still apply what she's taught and instilled in me, today.
 

Here I performed and spoke a keynote message at Aliiolani Elementary's Parent Night. My birthday, last year.
 

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
 

During my tumultuous years, I've fallen so many times.....
 

but not far from the Tree of Life.
 

The Tree of Life is Jesus.
 

Thank you Jesus for healing me and returning everything that the devil stolen, killed and destroyed from my family and I, sevenfold.
 

Thank you Jesus...

for your restoration,

eternal grace,

endless mercy,

and

loving kindness.

I love you God the Father,
God the Son,
and God the Holy Spirit! -Jason

Math Taught Me Patience 

Math taught me patience and humility. Math taught me we can be perfected with effective approach and solution based strategy. Math taught me to be bold in confronting problems and not be afraid to handle even the most challenging of problems. No matter the headaches.
Especially when working with students and when I am math coaching students. Sometimes a student will understand a mathematics concept in another explanation. Main thing is being patient enough to show the "how to" and demonstrate the foundation. I light up when they light up and get it.

Sometimes a student needs to know when to pick it up. Therefore I learn patience and humility through mathematics. It's because I had coaches in my life that believed in me, pushed me and motivated me to be at my best. 

​Here are some of the results from a student I worked with. In the beginning, I coached this student how to earn those first two 100%'s for MindTap. Then that student's grades teetered from an A+ to a B-. That was when I stepped in as this student's math coach. I did not want this student to barely make it. I did not give up on this student.

I coached this student on the mentality needed to be effective, study strategies, time management, and how to apply them with good study habits. I emphasized having a finishing spirit. How we finish is far greater and more important than how we start. I also coached this student on the ability to yield to correction well. It's trial and error that requires patience and perseverance.

This student completed MindTap with a total of nine 100%'s that bumped that student's overall MindTap grade from a B- to an A-. I challenged this student. Pushed this student. Motivated this student to not settle for anything less than a 100% result to help that student's MindTap grade average our stronger than how it started. With that student's discipline, determination and work ethic combined, that student finished stronger than how that student began. It also bumped up the student's final grade from B+ to an A-.

Overwhelmed By Stage Fright 

What are some hurdles in life you currently face, have faced? What are some of your fears or fears you've had? Drop them in the comments, I want to hear from you. For me, some of my biggest fears were writing, public speaking and stage fright. Can you relate?

As an entertainer and in so many ways, I am a late bloomer. My fear of public speaking and being on stage was one of the hardest fears for me to shake. Stage fright. Today, I am a Human Beatbox adventurer in the music, entertainment, and performing arts industry. And I love it. But what was it like for me to go through my hurdles and journey from being overwhelmed and frozen by fear of being on stage and public speaking to loving it today?

I know I did not love it in the beginning. I feared it. I hated being on stage. I feared speaking in front of an audience. I hated the spotlight. How did that all change? I was determined to break through my fears, anxieties, and to get comfortable with the uncomfortable. To grow in confidence in what was not comfortable for me.

I am a fourth- and third- generation Chinese American. Born, raised, and based in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, USA. My early years were also in East Bay California. My adult years in Beijing, New York, San Francisco, and Honolulu.

My first experience of stage fright was during my academic journey. I failed the first grade at Liholiho Elementary. Who does that, right? Well, I did. That season, I did not know my ABC's, and I did not know how to spell, read or write. I also experienced stage fright and failed the first grade at Sun Yat-sen Chinese School, not once, not twice, but multiple times. I dropped out of Chinese School after multiple failures. My years at Chinese School were my earliest of stage frights speaking Cantonese into a microphone, on a podium, on stage, and in front of the whole school in a gymnasium. Stage fright, anxiety and fear of public speaking took me a long time to shake.

From the 1980s through 1990s, I taped myself doing podcasts of me talking, reading books, and beatboxing on an audio cassette for fun. 

I thought I'd be Stan Lee. During the late 1980s to the early 2000s, my years at Kauluwela Elementary, Kawananakoa Middle, and McKinley High School, I self-published home made comic books. That was the start of my publishing and story telling through illustration and words. I also wrote scripts for my comic books at Kauluwela Elementary for fun. I did this so I could practice my drawing, writing, spelling, and story telling.
At Kawananakoa Middle School, I froze in cold sweat when I read from paper or did a speech presentation in front of class.

1999 was the year I got my first computer. It was also my first year experience with the Internet. I got into web publishing and I built my first website. 

Prior to 1999, I typed out my school paper reports with a typewriter. I had met Charlie and Lucy Wedemeyer, and they signed my copy of "Charlie's Victory" with reference to Philippians chapter 4 verse 19. It was that encounter with them that I knew I wanted to be a public speaker and author.
I then shattered an Asian American stereotype of not being on an honor roll. In high school, I hustled by doing summer school, correspondence, and sports to keep my grades up.
My athletic journey, I was a two-year letterman in soccer and judo at McKinley High School. I was nominated as "Mr. Aloha" at my senior prom, and I was recipient of McKinley Tigers' Soccer "Mr. Hustle" Award. 

Post high school, I won gold medals at judo tournaments hosted by San Jose State University, and City College of San Francisco.

My final judo win was a Third Place Trophy at the Salt Lake District Park Judo Tournament. The end of that same month, I collided with an SUV as a pedestrian at a crosswalk near Shobukan Judo Club, Pizza Hut, and Liliha Bakery. Walgreens wasn’t around there then. I was knocked unconscious. Driver rendered help. She called first responders and prayed over me.

By God's grace, no broken bones, but a serious concussion and trauma. God's hand of protection over my life, that driver who rendered help, and my judo kicked in that night. The next morning, a family member took me to see the Passion of the Christ. Following the movie, I noticed I got startled by parked and incoming cars at the movie theatre parking lot. That was the turning point of my life.

I took care of unfinished business. 

I shattered doubt and failure. I went back to college, pursued my beatboxing career, and I judo flipped my college transcript from a 1.0 to a 4.0 grade point average. My first live performance? I experienced stage fright. It was that one fear I could not break.

I overcame my academic hurdles when I completed my Freeman Foundation scholarship program at Beijing Foreign Studies University. At the University of Hawaiʻi at Kapiʻolani Community College, I got inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, was on the student Dean's List, and earned my general degree. Then I took some music business and audio engineering courses through the partnership of Belmont University's Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business, and Honolulu Community College.
Within those years, I confronted my stage fright by hitting up open mics throughout the state of Hawaiʻi, took voice and music classes taught by professor Lina Doo. I took private voice lessons from Cat Wong of Cat Wong Studios.

I pursued my beatboxing career, overcame stage fright, worked as a Supplemental Math Instructor, college peer-mentor in mathematics, math tutor, and math note taker. In recent years, I got back into helping math students while beatboxing throughout the state of Hawaiʻi prior to Covid-19. 

Beatboxing wise, I've done performances in cities of the Hawaiian island of Oʻahu, Kauaʻi, and Hilo of Hawaiʻi Island, China, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, and Australia. I've also been proposed for appearances in Lānaʻi Island, Kona of Hawaiʻi Island, Maui, Israel, India, Philippines, Costa Rica, Peru, Columbia, Canada, Nevada, Texas, Boston, Taiwan, Japan, Germany, and China.

Today, I am fluent in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese. For Mandarin, I converse in PǔtƍnghuĂ , and for fun BěijÄ«nghuĂ  of GuĂłyǔ. For Cantonese, I converse in HēunggĂłng wĂĄ and JĆ«ngsāan wĂĄ of GwĂłngdĆ«ng wĂĄ. I was fluent in my reading and writing in Chinese characters at one point, but still strong in my writing. Reading is rusty. 

Currently, I am working on the rough draft of my book. I also have goals to get more involved in music, entertainment, performing arts, public speaking, voice over work, productions, commercial work, film, and publishing. 

For my references of influence and inspiration... 
Song and dance in film: Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Michael Jackson 

Voice over work: Fred Newman, Bobby McFerrin, Michael Winslow, Rahzel, Jim & Pat Banks, Cindy Trimm, John Eckhart 

Music: MC Jin, Bobby McFerrin, Michael Jackson, Rahzel, John Tussey, Cheryl Salem, Two Steps From Hell, Jake Shimabukuro 

Books from: Stan Lee, Charlie & Lucy Wedemeyer, Jim & Pat Banks, Harry & Cheryl Salem, Art Sepulveda, Wally Matanza, Casey Treat, Tim Storey, Nick Vujicic, Laura Numeroff, Felicia Bond, Dale Keown, Peter David

Public speakers: Charlie & Lucy Wedemeyer, Art & Kuna Sepulveda, Wally & Patti Matanza, Branson & Nicole Silva, Chauncey & Donalee Pang, Terry & Vicky Wong, Malcolm & Deneen Quartero, Shawn & Desaree Kurihara, Devin & Cindy Lau, Marques & Nicole Farmer, Allan Silva, John Bevere, Jentezen Franklin, Tim Storey, Nick Vujicic, Marc Mero 

More sources of inspiration: you, my blog readers, my family and friends, my Word of Life ohana, my former teachers, Asian Hustle Network, Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Nicole Lam, Kelly Cooper, Adolph Samuels, Clinton Sunada, Emilio Agustine, Dan Augustine, Gayle Oura, Leigh Dooley, Mark Alexander, Lina Doo, Cat Wong, Elaine Chao, BloomingGales, Joe Marquez, Akiane Kramarik, Paulskeee, Jimmy Pedro, Taylor Tanaka, Duke & Kiki King, Angela Keen, Traci Toguchi, Lyanne Brooks, Kavet the Catalyst, Devon Marlink, Olivia Thai, Fat Boys, Doug E. Fresh, Far East Movement, Kari Jobe, Kim Walker-Smith, Big Daddy Weave, Chris Tomlin, Michael Jordan, Brandi Chastain, Kiana Tom, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Todd McFarlane, Tony Hawk, Kutmaster Spaz, East 3, Beak, Tom Thum, Afra, and this ever evolving list.

I want to close with this: what are some hurdles in life you currently face, have faced? What are some of your fears or fears you've had? Drop them in the comments, I want to hear from you.

Like A Flood 

I've learned and grown during my 16 years of being in the music and entertainment industry. I learned who are there for me, but I also learned who are not. I am grateful that God has graced me of my career peaks and valleys. It was through my career valleys I grew and matured the most. It was through my valleys that I was tested and challenged the most in life.


I've also learned that the profession as a professional beatboxer can be a field of work of high stress and demand when I do not put God first in my life. With that said, I would not trade my profession for another. I am humbled, honored and grateful that my work is bigger than who I am and what I do to impact our communities in greater ways I cannot do on my own.

As an entertainer, I've received fan mail and hate mail. Among the hate mail are not the kindest of messages anyone ought to read. I've shared just a couple of "hate mail" to a close friend. My friend was "shocked." It's not an uncommon side that entertainers will occasionally have to deal with on the receiving end, behind the scenes.

As an entertainer, I've also received threats via my voice mail on my mobile phone. For a season, I've stopped having a mobile phone altogether.

In those trying seasons, I could relate with Job of the Old Testament of the Holy Bible. How the devil tormented Job day and night. Not a single friend could help Job. Not even the believers he knew could help him. Job endured through the end, and Job continued to put his trust in God. Ultimately, Job persevered.

In the gospel book of John chapter 10 verse 10, Jesus said, "the devil comes only to kill, and to steal, and to destroy, but I have come to give you life and life to the full." Those words from Jesus helped me tremendously.

For seasons, the adversary tormented me day and night in attempts only to kill, and to steal, and to destroy....
my joy,
my peace, 
my love, 
my life,
my memory,
my personhood, 
my career,
my talent,
my identity,
my faith,
my family,
my character, 
my reputation, 
my dreams,
my goals,
and my health.

The Word of God says that the adversary prowls like a lion to seek who he may devour. When the enemy comes. In like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him. I am grateful that Jesus has become my rare guard and flooded the enemy on my behalf.

I am grateful that God has graced me with my peaks and valleys with his grace, mercy and unfailing love. And God is faithful. He will not allow the test to be more than we can stand.

To my brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, be encouraged that Jesus is our fortress. Redeemer. Deliverer. We daily have on the whole armor of Light. We are the head, not the tail. We are above, not beneath. Thank You Jesus for becoming our rare guard, and going before us on this day that you have made. We give you praise, honor and glory.

Math Was My Worst Subject 

Math was my worst school subject. Say what? But math was still my favorite school subject to not give up on.

During my spring cleaning I found my high school and early college report cards.

I was a C, D, and F high school math student. True story.

I was far from the A math student that I would later become.

I was a late bloomer in my math success.

I had my math "kryptonite." Yes, I may be the Superman of math today, but at one point I in fact had my kryptonite.

I found a letter from a family member snail mailed to me, then 14-year-old Jason Tom. I've kept it in my "capstone" that contains important memories.

This family member acknowledged in her letter that she heard that I did not pass my 8th grade Kawananakoa middle school math class and found out that for me to advance to high school I have to make it up in summer school. She encouraged me to do my best and to not fall behind.

I made up for my 8th grade math class in summer school. I advanced to the 9th grade for high school.

Fast forward, I earned my McKinley High School diploma on time. I did not give up on math. My discipline for math required effort, encouragement, and to overcome odds. I had this "I am not going give up" attitude.


My first semester in college, I earned a D in math and poor grades for my other classes during the September 11th attacks season. My highest grade was a B for my philosophy class. Then I messed up in my elective class the following semester. Academically suspended, I took a college break to re-focus my life and soul search.

I left Honolulu.

I moved to California. I packed my luggage with my clothes, soccer gear, judo uniforms, music CD and music DVD collection.

I earned wages doing clerical work for a furniture warehouse. I focused on competitive judo and judo training.

I earned gold medals at judo tournaments hosted at San Jose State University and the City College of San Francisco.


I moved back to Honolulu to further pursue my competitive judo journey, and I won my final judo trophy before I collided with a SUV in 2004.

I judo broke my fall post impact prior to my unconsciousness.

The female driver prayed for me as she called for an ambulance to bring me to the emergency room.

I Thank God for the miracle that I had no broken bones and serious injury other than brain trauma.

The trauma affected my memory. I've recovered lost memories through meditation in the Word of God, prayer, exercise, rest, reflection, mathematics, hydration, music, and journaling.

Much healing.

I am grateful to the LORD that He has healed and delivered me of complex trauma.

Then, on the next day that family member who wrote me that letter took me to see the Passion of the Christ on the big screen.

The Passion of the Christ is my favorite film.

That same year, I left competitive judo to pursue my professional career as a beatboxer.

I re-enrolled in college to take care of unfinished business. Finishing and persevering over the odd is the character I developed through my high school years of soccer.

How I scored a soccer goal in the final 15 seconds of a game of my high school senior season.

I retook my college math class.

In judo fashion I identified my math kryptonite and I conquered it. I went to math professor Mark Alexander's office and he was helped me tackle my kryptonite. I earned an A in math and my first straight A semester.

My math mentor Mark Alexander referred me for the math supplemental instructor campus job position. I also applied to be a campus math tutor and math note taker. The math supplemental instructor position was the highest paid student position throughout the University of Hawaii system at the time.

All the while I performed beatboxing at competitions, school assemblies, after school programs, classrooms, poetry slams, open mics, events, and private parties.

I treated my academics like it were judo practices, meets, and tournaments with the soccer mentality to finish.

For me to earn a good grade is as though how I would prepare to win a judo medal.

I studied my math notes and I practiced my math daily.

I started and finished all of my math homework on the exact day it is assigned.

I prioritized.

I gave myself no way to procrastinate.

I gave myself no way to get distracted when I studied... no Internet. No television.

I transferred my judo champion work ethic into the classroom setting.

To this family member, you know who you are. I want to Thank You!

I wished you a Happy Mother's Day on Mother's Day, because I want you to know you are a very important person in my life.

I know you are not not my mother, but you are indeed a great mother for you and your husband's family.

If it weren't for your encouragement in my early years to do my best and not fall behind then I might not be where I am today.

It is because you encouraged me then, that helps me to continue to help the families and students I work with to succeed in math.

Thank You for telling me to do my best and to not fall behind.

I am grateful to you for all you've done in my life.

I cannot thank you enough.

Words alone do no justice.

But still, I Thank You from the depths of my heart.

Love and kindness,
Jason Tom

Thrive With Conflict 

What kind of conflict are you experiencing today? How are you handling that conflict? The conflicts I go through and gone through as a person, beatboxer, voice actor, faith blogger, and mathematician are fascinating in its dynamic.

I discovered that conflict is appealing.

Conflict in relationships and conflict in communication are important to have. A conflict is healthy for relationships when all parties have a shared goal in mind toward a resolution. To squash the beef. curry. How does one handle a conflict? Is one to buckle under tremendous pressure. Shut down? Freeze? Run away? Avoid? Or does one thrive in conflict. Thrive with conflict. Conflict is important for growth and maturity. Responsibility.

Does one confront their conflict? Are you one who will be able to engage with your conflict and be at the forefront of a conflict?


The complexities of math problems and conflicts are dynamic. Math has taught me how to apply it to resolve conflicts and complex problems in life by applying math principles honed and developed. Math works for my life's conflicts.

Avoiding a math problem, does not resolve that problem on its own.

Walking away, running away, turning away from a math conflict does not resolve it on its own if there is a goal in mind to resolve a conflict.

When there's no goal of resolving a conflict, then there's no resolution.

Abandoning the problem, does not make that problem vanish when there's a goal in mind to resolve that problem. That conflict will eventually catch up.

In my faith walk, I enjoy most about how Jesus dealt with conflict in the Gospel of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Jesus kept it "real."

When there's conflict... there might be those prone to react irrationally.

But I've learned that it's important to develop and hone tools of how to thrive in conflict. Thrive with conflict.

Be composed under even tremendous pressure. To not react irrationally. With a goal in mind to resolve whichever conflict. Character.

Professional conflict. Personal conflict. Family conflict. Health conflict.

Interpersonal conflict.

Intrapersonal conflict.

Financial conflict. Religious conflict. Political conflict.

Facing conflict requires that of courage. A must if there's any resolution to be sought for. There needs to be a boldness to fight for what needs to be fought for. And with "fight" it's not the physical nor domestic kind of fight. This "fight" is the kind of fight that is the effort put into resolving challenging circumstances.

When we don't fight for what is ought to be fought for, we could lose what's most important in our lives.

Conflict could be small, it could be big.

Conflict is a good thing in relationships. Conflict is important in communication.

Why?

How so?

Growth. Maturity.

It's better to have a friend who does not always necessarily agree, but is willing to let you know what you need to hear. Not what you want to hear. An honest and a loyal friend who keeps it real is a keeper. Integrity.

There is a way to deliver it to address the conflict. What kind of conflict are you experiencing today? How are you handling that conflict?

So Thankful God Brought Me Out of Chaos 

I hope you had a blessed Palm Sunday. I am thankful to God that He brought me out of chaos. I attended Word of Life's 6pm service via Facebook live.

One of Pastor Art's openers referenced Psalm 40:1-3; my blog post here is using the Amplified Holy Bible translation that captures the full meaning behind the original Greek and Hebrew:
"I WAITED patiently and expectantly for the LORD;
And He inclined to me and heard my cry.

He brought me up out of a horrible pit [of tumult and of destruction], out of the miry clay,
And He set my feet upon a rock, steadying my footsteps and establishing my path.

He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God;
Many will see and fear [with great reverence]
And will trust confidently in the LORD."

I am thankful to God that He is of order. 
I am grateful to God that He is not of chaos.
I am humbled that God is in control.

The Holy Spirit brought out of the miry clay. He's counseled me how to guard my...
1. Ear gates
2. Mouth gate.
3. Eye gates (window to the soul).
To guard my heart.

We are...
1. Spirit
2. Soul
3. Body

Our soul is the...
1. Mind
2. Will
3. Emotion

Pastor Art's sermon confirmed my devotional on James 1:19 as how God helped me by His mercy and grace to...
1. Be quick to listen (to guard my ear gates)...
2. Slow to speak (guard my mouth gate)...
3. Slow to anger (guard my emotion.. soul.. eye gates).

Meditating on and applying James 1:19 renews my mind and transformed my character.


God pruned me. I was the reverse order of James 1:19 and the inverse of it. In my younger years I was....
1. Quick to anger (did not guard my emotion.. soul.. eye gates)...
2. Quick to speak (did not guard my mouth gate)...
3. Slow to listen (did not guard my ear gates).

That was the old me. Sown unto to me. Thankfully that old me is dead.

In the natural, I was modeled to be quick to anger, quick to speak, and slow to listen.


In the supernatural, Jesus modeled for me how to be quick to listen to the Holy Spirit, slow to speak, and slow to anger. How to guard my ear gates, mouth gate, and ear gates. How to forgive. Be merciful. He's forgiven me, forgiven us. Jesus models for the body of Christ how to forgive. I am so thankful that God delivered and healed me from years of destruction, torment and trauma.

I am a new creation in Christ Jesus. The new me is alive.

Psalm 141:3 is what I pray to God to help me be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, by putting a guard over my mouth...
"Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth;
Keep watch over the door of my lips [to keep me from speaking thoughtlessly]."

Proverbs 13:3 reinforces guarding our mouth
"The one who guards his mouth
[thinking before he speaks] protects his life;
The one who opens his lips wide [and chatters without thinking] comes to ruin."

and Proverbs 21:23 further reinforces guarding our mouth
"He who guards his mouth and his tongue
Guards himself from troubles."

When I lettered two-years in varsity soccer and judo, I had a literal mouth guard. But this guarding of our mouth is a spiritual guard.

What words are we speaking?
Are we speaking hate?
Are speaking anger?
Or are we speaking forgiveness?
Mercy?
Are we speaking love and the Word of God?

I am thankful each day how God has done a work in me.

Faith with God's finished works is alive.

Grateful for the Goodness of God 

White dove in full flight by Dorian Stretton.

Difficulty is a great opportunity for growth. As for me, due to the quarantine, my music performances and math tutoring sessions can be quite creative at this time. I am grateful that President Donald Trump signed the Cares Act stimulus bill. I worry not and I am not alarmed as I trust in the Lord that He provides. 

I am endeavoring to move out of my current environment. A great opportunity. 

The other day, I thought about the Cantonese, my first language, spoken to me, and I translated to English, my second language. The English equivalents the Holy Spirit helped me to discern are more than enough to be the deal breaker. Though English is my second language, it is also my dominant language to discover the Cantonese, my first language, spoken to me are destructive, ill-willed, hurtful, and derogatory. I am grateful for the goodness of God!


It’s unfortunate when we’re exasperated by someone we live with. It’s either destructive words, slander, false accusations, or complete silent treatment on a daily. Yet, it’s in my second language that it is revealed to me, that’s it, that’s more than the deal breaker. I’ve done my part to mend the relationship, but it’s time to move forward where God wants me to go, and not remain. I won’t cease from praying.

It makes perfect sense how I’ve endured.

 

I know that if it were not for the Holy Spirit and His church, the body of Christ, helping me through this, that I would not be alive today.

I am fortunate that the Holy Spirit continues to form, shape, and mold my character in Him, that I’ve not snapped into the violent monster that I am grateful to GOD the Father that His son Jesus has delivered me of.


That destruction that was sown unto me that I once was, I am no more. The old me is dead. I am a new man, a new creation in Christ Jesus, and the Holy Spirit lives on the inside of me. I live today with the fruit of the spirit that is love, joy, peace, gentleness, kindness, patience, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control.

Words Can Be Destructive 

Can anyone relate to this? I was quite often told for most of my life that...

One. I've achieved nothing in my life.

Two. I've accomplished nothing in my life.

And three. I've amounted to nothing in life.

True story.


I knew not how destructive those words were.

It came from those who I am supposed to be able to count on most in my life.

I was not once told from them, "I am proud of you." Not once. And as weird as it may sound, I feel super weird today when people write me or tell me offline, "I am proud of you."

I was so conditioned to believe that whatever I did in life was not good enough that to this day, I don't understand why it feels super awkward when someone tells me, "I'm proud of you." Sometimes I think to myself, is he or she insulting or disrespecting me? It's an awkward feeling that I've wrestled with.

It caught up to me.

It was so destructive.

It tormented me.

Then it hit me, no matter what I did, it would never be good enough to even those who mattered, even though that was what hurt the most. It seems as though they do not want me healthy. They do not want me thriving. They do not want me happy.

But I later learned that GOD's words matter so much more than their words. The Holy Spirit then edified me in ways no man could. Jesus the Son healed and delivered me of torment, trauma, and pain.

If it were not for my faith in GOD, I am certain I would not be alive.

I am grateful that GOD exposed the lies, unraveled the truth.

GOD is ALMIGHTY!

Jason Tom is Beatboxer of the Decade 

Wow! This month is the birth month of Jason Tom dot com! Jason Tom dot com turns 12! Let's wish Jason Tom dot com a Happy Birthday. Happy Birthday Jason Tom dot com!

Can you believe Jason Tom dot com, my official website and blog has been around for 12 years and counting? This is a testament of what commitment looks like. Longevity. I am grateful and elated to share with you that JasonTom.com is not stopping on documenting my beatboxing journey.

Jason Tom dot com works tirelessly around the clock to compile 31 of my beatboxing years and beyond.

Again, Happy Birthday JasonTom.com! And yes, some of my friends offline do actually refer me as, "Jason Tom dot com." What great friends they are. They've got a great sense of humor.

31 years? My first 15 were my amateur years of cultivating and honing the beatboxing craft. My next 16 years are my career years as a beatboxer.


How did my beatboxing journey begin??? Let's go back to 1989. My amateur years.....

In 1989, I was six-years-old, and I remember it as though it happened yesterday that I began beatboxing at my parents' master bedroom in the concrete jungle of Honolulu. It took place after I watched Moonwalker VHS in my first grade class as a Liholiho Warrior, and at family gatherings in Pearl City.


I loved how the King of Pop's Bad short film took place in the New York Subway. I loved the energy of the song, the assertiveness of the message, and the dance sequences. I loved Moonwalker's kid version "Badder," and Weird Al Yankovic's parody "Fat." Michael Jackson's song "Bad" got stuck in my head, and I had to record myself scat singing, beatboxing, and singing "I'm bad, I'm bad, you know it, you know" on music cassette to get it out.


I then got hit with an early setback when I failed the first grade. I transferred to Kauluwela and I became a Tiger Cub. During my Kauluwela years, I continued to cultivate and hone my music beatboxing skills. I practiced for hours imitating the music, vocals, instruments, and percussion sounds from Michael Jackson's Dangerous music cassette album. I continued to hone my beatboxing craft with that album as a Kawananakoa Ali’i Warrior. At that point I listened to my music on music cassettes on my boombox.


Then as a McKinley Tiger, I worked on practicing for hours imitating the instruments and songs of Michael Jackson's CD albums History: Past, Present and Future Book 1, and Blood on the Dance Floor: History in the Mix. I also studied his History on Film Volume 2 on VHS for hours. I studied a lot of Michael Jackson's interviews, music videos and concerts on VHS. Then I got that on History on Film Volume 2 on DVD and Dangerous: the Short Films DVD. I studied them for hours.


That's what I primarily did musically to cultivate my beatboxing during my amateur years.

I had no plans or goals of becoming an entertainer. It was the last profession I'd ever thought about pursuing. My first career choice was to be like a Stan Lee, and get into the comic book industry. Then it was to get into a sports career in soccer or judo. It was not until I collided with a SUV that my life was nearly taken from me that I realized I needed to pursue a career I am passionate about. I chose beatboxing, and I got into the music and entertainment industry. Here's to many more years of beatboxing to come.


Beatboxer of the Decade,

Welcome to My Drawing Board 

Come and dance with me this New Day in this New Year as I share my most recent "Billie Jean" Prisma Dance Showcase at Ala Moana Centerstage.

I coined my "Billie Jean" routine the "Rhythm and Moves" showmanship "Time Machine" that bridges beatboxing, singing, and dance, all, at the same time.

It was not, because people told me I can. People told me I could not.

Many people, DOUBTED me.

Told me to STOP.

DON'T DO IT. QUIT IT NOW.

I said to myself, I will commit to beatboxing no less than five years. Five years turned into sixteen years and still counting. I ain't about to stop now.

For my dance steps, I apply mathematics and geometry.

I often go to the drawing board to clean up and hone a dance part, a vocal part, and a beatbox part.

It requires timing, skill, cardiovascular health, breathe control, diaphragm support, and coordination.

As a child of the 1980s, "Rhythm and Moves" is my "Time Machine" showmanship homage to the greats before me, the 1980s, and "Billie Jean" in the world of music entertainment, hip hop culture, and beatboxing.

I use geometric angles for my boogaloo and popping funk dance movement.

I used mostly the backslide that became popularly known as the moonwalk in the earliest stages of this routine. From 2009 onward, I included the side glide. 2019, I included the circular moonwalk or circle glide, which is the real moonwalk. These dance steps are the ones that Michael Jackson learned from the Electric Boogaloos and Jeffrey Daniels.

Michael "Boogaloo Shrimp" Chambers is also seen performing these dance moves in the movie Breakin'.

JASON TOM RHYTHM AND MOVES
PHOTO CREDITS: JOE MARQUEZ (1, 2, 4), JEANNE MARIE (3)


 

"RHYTHM AND MOVES IS MY TIME MACHINE SHOWMANSHIP HOMAGE TO THE GREATS BEFORE ME..."

— JASON TOM

Bobby McFerrin, voice music genius. I love his "Spontaneous Inventions" concert!

 

Michael Jackson, a human beatbox composer. He beatboxed "Who is It" during his 1993 live televised interview with Oprah.

 

Michael Winslow, Man of 10,000 Sound Effects.

 

Doug E. Fresh, brought in the clever rhymes with the click rolls, fills, and flavor.


Buffy of the rap group Fat Boys, brought in the power behind the kick and the snare.

 

Biz Markie, brought in the personality, humor, and witty production. Biz Markie was featured on Biz' Beat of the Day on Nick Jr's "Yo! Gabba, Gabba!"


 

Rahzel, Godfather of Noise, former member of the Roots, introduced singing and beatboxing, at the same time. Featured on MTV Hip Hop Week. My favorites of his? I have so many. To name some... I love his rendition of Bobby McFerrin's "Don't Worry, Be Happy," Ozzy Osbourne's "Iron Man," Aaliyah's "One in a Million," and "If Your Mother Only Knew" from Aaliyah's "If Your Girl Only Knew." And of course when he does the Wu Tang Medley. Rahzel is a huge influence for me musically and beatbox wise.

 

Scratch, former member of the Roots, vocally emulates turntables and records.

 

Kenny Muhammad the Human Orchestra



Leejay Abucayan won Beatbox Battle TV's Austria Beatbox Championship and was featured on Stir TV.

Beatboxer Elaine Chao rocked the mic on the Showtime at the Apollo.

They've raised the bar. Unique. What was the journey of Rhythm and Moves like? I went to the drawing board, many times.

I first introduced an early rough draft of Rhythm and Moves when I competed at the Fall 2004 Kapiolani Community College Student Talent Show. I attempted to perform a Michael Jackson medley of

"Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough"

"Rock With You"

"Billie Jean"

"Bad"

"The Way You Make Me Feel"


"Smooth Criminal"

"Black or White"

"Who is It."

It was my first ever live stage beatbox performance.

I froze colder than the movie called Frozen.

I experienced tremendous "stage fright."

I felt uncomfortable on stage.

I was way out of my comfort zone.

It was nerve wrecking.

I felt like I went through a train wreck.

I felt I humiliated myself. I felt shame, and vulnerable.

I did not place. Discouraged.

It was scary. But ultimately, I am so glad I did it. I challenged myself to commit to beatboxing for no less than five years to see how it goes. All the while, I juggled college.

I went to the drawing board.

To the drawing board I go. 

To the drawing board I went. 

To the drawing board I go.

I felt determined to flip the script.

In mathematical terms, I wanted to do the additive inverse, and the multiplicative inverse of my adversities.

To make and cause...

.. what was out of my comfort zone, my comfort.

.. what was uncomfortable, comfortable.

.. what was difficult, effortless.

From 2004 on I performed to test out my material at open mics on Oʻahu in Chinatown, Manoa, Diamond Head, and Haleiwa.

2005, I enrolled in voice 1 from professor Lina Doo at the University of Hawaiʻi at Kapiʻolani.

To the drawing board I go. 

To the drawing board I went. 

To the drawing board I go.

I felt determined to flip the script.

2008, I reintroduced and simplified my Rhythm and Moves routine to win first place at the semifinals of the Word of Life Emerge Talent Show.

To the drawing board I go. 

To the drawing board I went. 

To the drawing board I go.

I felt determined to flip the script.

2009, I took private voice lessons from vocal coach Cat Wong of Cat Wong Studios.

To the drawing board I go. 

To the drawing board I went. 

To the drawing board I go.

I felt determined to flip the script.

2009, I performed my Rhythm and Moves routine for a perfect score to win first place at the semifinals of Pipeline Hawaii's Got Talent.

To the drawing board I go. 

To the drawing board I went. 

To the drawing board I go.

2010, I presented my Rhythm and Moves routine at the 6th International Human Beatbox Convention, and 1st American Beatbox Championships among 100s of beatboxers all over the globe. They loved it. I then performed my Michael Jackson medley in Waikiki. They loved it.

To the drawing board I go. 

To the drawing board I went. 

To the drawing board I go.

I felt determined to flip the script.


I WAS MADE FUN NO MORE WHEN I SANG..

"She was more like a beauty queen
from a movie scene.
I said,
don't mind,
what do you mean?
I am the one.
Who will dance,
on the floor,
in the round."

To the drawing board I go. 

To the drawing board I went. 

To the drawing board I go.

I felt determined to flip the script.

I worked on it.

And then.

To the drawing board I go. 

To the drawing board I went. 

To the drawing board I go.

I felt determined to flip the script.

To the drawing board I go.

To the drawing board I went.

To the drawing board I go,