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 Pǔtōnghuà, and for fun Běijīnghuà of Guóyǔ. For Cantonese, I converse in Hēunggóng wá and Jūngsāan wá of Gwóngdūng wá. 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.

Unbeatable*

CHRISTINA O'CONNOR

*Originally published on the Star Advertiser TGIF Metro HNL: https://metrohnl.com/unbeatable/

Print Edition:

You at 6 without cheating!

Liholiho Warrior: At age 6, I performed my first music cassette recording of me beatboxing! This is a photo of me at this age holding an orange “Les Murakami” baseball bat on the Liholiho Warrior baseball field in a Kelly Green “Bear” picture frame!

Within this school year, my teacher popped in the Moonwalker VHS 📼 and played it in class to watch! By that time, Moonwalker had already become my favorite movie musical that I first watched at my grandparents!

Remember Asian Avenue? Today marks the 20th anniversary of when I was their Member of the Week! Time flies! Featured on my AA page was my “beatboxing!”

Pictures here were taken 2 years after being AA’s MOTW, as I beatboxed at the KCC Talent Show as a 4x finalist, also my graduating semester! Good times!

93.9 The Beat: Hawaii’s Number One Beatboxer Jason Tom on the Sam and Ryan Show hosted by Sam the Man and Hawaiian Ryan!

BY LEXUS YAMASHIRO | KAPI‘O NEWS STAFF WRITER

When 18-year-old KCC undergraduate Jason Tom had to complete his final project for a career-related elective course during the Spring 2002 semester, he applied his artistic skills into creating a comic book that would illustrate where he would be in 10 years. Whether it was the dream of becoming a mathematics professor to pursuing beatboxing, playing professional soccer or even doing professional judo, the now 34-year-old is content with what he’s become and shares his passion for beatboxing with members of the community and beyond.

Growing up, Tom was illiterate in school having spoken Chinese at home, resulting in failure in the first grade while attending Liholiho Elementary School. Since then, and until he graduated from President William McKinley High School in 2001, Tom was academically challenged and found it difficult to keep his grades. However, this did not let this stop him from attending college.

“After I got my high school diploma, that in itself was a feat … [so] college … that was the goal because I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life,” Tom said.

Tom enrolled at KCC for the Fall 2001 semester but faced probation due to a low GPA. When he continued his academic studies into the following semester, Spring 2002, Tom then faced academic suspension. Distraught by his continued challenge with school, Tom chose to take a two-year break and moved to California to do judo. During his hiatus, Tom earned bronze, silver, and gold medals, which he tied into his academics.

By changing his mindset, Tom believed that if he applied how he achieved his medals in judo by striving for the best, he would be able to achieve high grades in college. Consequently, Tom returned to KCC for the Fall 2004 semester, in which he achieved his first 4.0 GPA. Ecstatic, he was determined to pursue his Liberal Arts degree and took advantage of the resources and opportunities that KCC had to offer.

Although he was not positive that he would pursue a career in mathematics, Tom found himself taking up the opportunity to become a Supplemental Instruction (SI) Leader for the Holomua Center, now known as the First-Year Experience (FYE) Office or Kahikoluamea Center in ʻIliahi. Working alongside mathematics professor Dennis Perusse, Tom held math tutoring sessions for students while under the supervision of LaVaché Scanlan.

Tom, who recognized his talent in beatboxing at the age of 4, was seeking classes at KCC that would benefit him in improving his beginner beatboxing skills. He stumbled upon Voice Class I and II, which he took under the instruction of Professor Lina Doo during the Spring and Fall of 2005.

Through this class, he was introduced to the documentary Genghis Blues, which informed him of Mongolian throat singing. Intrigued by the dynamics in which throat singing carried, Tom implemented it into his own style of music resulting in his ability to mimic sounds of a didgeridoo.

As he improved in school with beatboxing in mind, he took up the chance to connect with his Chinese roots by applying for the Freeman Foundation Study Abroad Scholarship program in Fall 2005. Tom, who felt that he was going through an identity crisis after forgetting how to write his name in Chinese, believed that traveling to China would help him to revisit what he learned at Sui Wah School in Chinatown when he was younger.

After spending five months in a dorm at the Hawaiʻi Tokai International College and studying for three months at the Beijing Foreign Studies University in Beijing, China, Tom received a certificate in Intensive Chinese in 2006. By the time he graduated from KCC in Spring 2008, he was honored to have made it onto the Dean’s List and inducted into Phi Theta Kappa.

Amazed at what he was able to accomplish, Tom wanted to take what he learned and experienced and share it with the community. At 28 years-old with just seven years of experience in professional beatboxing since 2004, Tom established the Hawaiʻi Human Beatbox Academy where he teaches youth and young adults how to beatbox and more.

Beyond his workshops, Tom also gives motivational speeches at various schools and conferences around the island, something he first began doing in 2009. Through his speeches, Tom focuses heavily on having faith in life, which is what he opened his mind to after being prayed over and becoming a born-again Christian.

Reflecting back, Tom said that he is grateful to the faculty and staff of KCC who helped shape him into the person that he is in his career today. From seeing his counselor, Kristie Souza Malterre, almost everyday for academic advising to getting involved on campus by voicing his opinion on having an amphitheater outside of ʻIliahi, Tom said that he considered KCC his “stomping grounds” where he basically “lived on campus” for its accessibility.

“It feels kind of good that I contributed a lot to this campus, [from] tutoring math to coming up with the design for [ʻIliahi],” Tom said. “I feel like this campus, from just personal experience, the accessibility I would say is one of the top of the line.”

Improving from a below average student to a 3.5 GPA and above, Tom encourages the youth and young adults that he interacts with to dream big and set goals on a daily basis. Although he did not have a beatboxing role model to look up to, Tom believed that it was the people around him who helped him to achieve and pursue his beatboxing career.

“Use this time to explore; find yourself. What is your purpose and what are your goals?” Tom said. “Speak with your counselors and get to know your teachers too … they’re accessible.”

Originally published at: https://kapionews.com/index.php/2017/07/19/kcc-alumnus-inspires-community-through-beatboxing-motivational-speaking/

I love this feature of Rahzel… love how he broke down the origins of the human beatbox. I also noticed his MLB New York Yankees 26 Time World Series Champions Varsity Jacket by G-iii. I love sports apparel by G-iii and Carl Banks. Much respect Rahzel!

Reflections from Rahzel (above video feature)
Hold on to your seat as groundbreaking beatboxer Rahzel, “The Godfather of Noyze,” takes us on a whirlwind five-minute tour of his career, hip hop’s early years, and his incredible vocal percussion skills that have redefined the limits of the human voice.
- National Council for the Traditional Arts

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,

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

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?"

I want to thank hosts Pete and Doug of the Talk Story Podcast Talk Show and the KALO TV team for featuring me in their latest installment. I am honored, humbled and so grateful of this opportunity to be able to share with you, my blog cast readers, Talk Story Unscripted, KALO TV viewers, and podcast listeners about what it was like growing up in the 1980s, my beginnings (of beatboxing and vocally emulating the Chinese lion dance drums and cymbals), God, perseverance, what's coming up, and so much more.

I want to thank you in advance for watching Talk Story Unscripted Episode 55. Don't forget to also leave a comment, hit that like and subscribe button, and share this exclusive human beatbox episode with everyone. I appreciate you. Check in to jasontom.com regularly for the latest on the boots and cats. And let's also show our appreciation and support for KALO TV.

Throwback classic: Jason Tom Beatbox Lobby YouTube Debut filmed by Hanyang University scholars. Click on the photo below for the exclusive Beatbox Lobby video.

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.

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?

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,

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,