Today we’d like to introduce you to Rodrick Thomas.
Rodrick, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I was born in Oklahoma City and formed on the Eastside of Oklahoma City. I checked off every stereotypical black male box possible. I was surrounded by drugs, violence, and a sense of desperation to escape that situation one way or another. My mother was very diligent regarding me receiving an education comparable to those who lived in suburban areas, so she drove me out of district to a better school in hopes that I would excel academically. I did well for a while but could not help but notice that I was different than my classmates. I was not able to understand or navigate that awareness until much later, but as a child, it almost grew a sense of rebellion inside of me.
My stance was becoming, “I will go against the grain” “I will not validate their testing with my abilities.” Around the time that these feelings were developing, I discovered Hip Hop. I went into my brother’s car one night and found a tape of The Notorious BIG’s Ready To Die album. As I am listening to this, I can not comprehend the depths of the content but I knew a few things for certain, Christopher Wallace was telling his truth and he was doing so unapologetically. I fell in love with how loud the music was, how disruptive the music was, I fell in love with What hip Hop meant. I begin to write then at the age of eight, I started with poetry and slowly through various circumstance that poetic pen sharpened and became, in my opinion, one of the best pens that hip hop has yet to see.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
This road has been everything but smooth. The struggles that you face as an artist are that people may not enjoy or care about what you are creating. What I have learned through going on this journey is that if you put in the hours necessary to master something, then the results will come. If someone would have come to me as a 12-year-old and said it is going to take over a decade for any of your dreams to be imagined, I am not sure that I would have stayed the course. However, I became obsessed with the process, the science behind rhyming and that obsession have continued to carry me.
Can you give our readers some background on your music?
I specialize in writing the dopest lyrics one will see or hear. I do not say this out of a sense of entitlement or arrogance. I have done the work required to take that stance. To say I rap better than you has far less to do with the ego that it has to do with an assuredness of hard work and dedication. What I am most proud about regarding my business is that my family is intact. They recognize, support, and endorse my vision. What set’s me apart is in the music. Look up Thomas Who? on all digitally streaming platforms and press play. You will certainly, hear, feel, and experience the difference.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Humility and self-awareness. I am just as cognizant of what I can not do as I am of what I can do. That is why I am an avid collaborator. I like being a part of things that would not traditionally involve me. My talent has made a place for me in those scenarios. The humility is being ever aware that what I possess is a gift and it is my obligation or duty to share that with the world. My contribution to society is offering a soundtrack to your everyday life experiences through the lens of my story.
Contact Info:
- Website: iamthomaswho.com
- Phone: 2144700523
- Email: iamthomaswho@gmail.com
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/iamthomaswho
- Facebook: http://facebook.com/thomaswhomusic
- Twitter: http://twitter.com/iamthomaswho
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1ToBuKQJNHk0DbwMIPlchj?si=Fmv8YPv3QA-iN_evOML75Q
Image Credit:
Thomas & Benny picture by Russellinmotion
Blue skyline pics by: Eye Moon
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