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

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,