Tom P

Tom P WINS "BEST HIP HOP ACT IN ATLANTA"
Tom P is awarded "BEST HIP HOP ACT in ATLANTA" in Creative Loafing. Creative Loafing is the cities largest free press and most circulated news paper. One can find it out front of nearly any bar, club, restaurant or hang out spot in the entire city and outside the perimeter area. Every year it has a "best of" awards issue where it honors the best of everything Atlanta has to offer from musicians to breakfast spots. Tom P winning "best hip hop act" in a city thats over saturated and thriving with thousands of other people trying to rap, is a huge accomplishment and one that was hard earned for the aspiring rapper. Most of the other rappers who have gotten this award have been Outkast and artists of a similar caliber. To know Tom P is working his way into the big leagues with the rappers he grew up idolizing is a great thing! - Creative Loafing

Tom P WINS "BEST ACT IN ATLANTA" Tom P is awarded "BEST ACT IN ATLANTA" in Creative Loafing. He is the first hip hop artist to receive the award since T.I. in 2007. Creative Loafing is the cities largest free press and most circulated news paper. One can find it out front of nearly any bar, club, restaurant or hang out spot in the entire city and outside the perimeter area. Every year it has a "best of" awards issue where it honors the best of everything Atlanta has to offer from musicians to breakfast spots. Tom P winning "best act" in a city thats over saturated and thriving with thousands of musicians in every field and genre of music, is a pretty big deal and a well deserved honor for all his hard work. "I really didn't win anything, it was my fans who made this happen, Atlanta won this" -Tom P Read about this in Creative Loafing - http://clatl.com/atlanta/BestOf?oid=6310941&feature=1390834 - Creative Loafing

Name: Tom P

Age: 26

Reppin’: Decatur, GA

I started rapping: When I was 11

My style and/or skills have been compared to: I have a lot of different styles so I think it changes depending on the song but I’ve heard Ludacris, Twista, Big L, Eminem. Honestly, what I hear most though is that I don’t sound like anybody else.

My standout records and/or moments have been: The release of my album Root for the Underdog and the release party in Atlanta which had about 1,000 people in attendance. Winning runner up for “Best hip hop act in Atlanta” in CL. Having the opportunity to open for acts like Three 6 Mafia, B.O.B, Tekn9ne, and touring with Bone Thugs N Harmony. The hundreds of packed out shows I have done for my amazing fans in Atlanta, seeing hundreds of people rapping along with my words and chanting Tom P! That type of home town support is a great feeling.

I’m gonna change the game by: Being in the south, white, and growing up in the inner city I have a unique outlook on hip hop and a story to share with the world that has not been heard yet in rap. I’m going to rap my ass off to the top instead of relying on gimmicks and show the world there is more going on in the south then what it’s known for. There is lot of amazing talent here that needs to be exposed; the south got something to say!

I’d Like to Work With: Outkast, Cee-Lo, Scarface, Busta Rhymes, Ludacris, T.I., Kanye West, Big Krit, Jay-Z.

My goal in hip-hop is: To break down stereotypes, rep my city, give the world quality hip hop, stay true to myself and my fans, and to one day be considered one of the greats.

I’m gonna be the next: First of a kind. - XXL Magazine

He's been known to upstage more established acts like TOO SHORT at this years A3C Festival"
Tom P's full write up in Atlanta's largest/most popular free press Creative Loafing, entitled "Tom P strives to beat underdog status." Source - MS Magazine (Change-makers Business Mag)

"When Decatur-based MC Tom P refers to his "little gang of misfits," he's actually talking about the sprawling network of friends and followers that often top out at 1,000 attendees for his homegrown show. Such an undeniable fan base helped him attract enough attention to book Atlanta MC and Grand Hustle signee Bobby Ray, aka B.O.B., to headline his upcoming show.

But he still considers himself D.I.Y. as heck. "I'm not like some corporate media mogul with a bunch of financial backing," he says. "I'm literally a table waiter trying to pursue this dream."

It's a testament to Tom P's personality that he tends to bowl people over, both in conversation and on stage. Born Thomas Peters, he's been rapping since he was 12. By the time he was a junior at Decatur High School, he was organizing his own events and, when required, getting quite hands-on in the process. For one planned show, he and his friends had to rent port-a-potties, hire their own staff and build a stage for the rented warehouse.

It comes as no huge surprise when Peters, 24, says he's not trying to be flashy or gimmicky. As an MC, he claims to have a respect for the music that he finds lacking in many of his peers nowadays. "You see kids who don't have any respect for the craft or the technical aspects or even the roots of it," Peters says. "They dress the part, come up with an act, but they completely skip over the art of it. A lot of my music is bitching about that," he admits. On "Southern City Boys," he attempts to snap on such amorphous, wannabe MCs: "Dude, I read ya resume/you started rappin' yesterday/and when you heard me spit/you got pissed off in a jealous way."

Peters classifies himself as neither mainstream nor underground, but flows with a rapid-fire delivery that reflects his suburban sensibility: "I ain't hip-hop, rap, crunk or R&B," he proclaims on "Killin' It." "I ain't dance, trap, or snap/I'm Tom P."

As for the dream Peters is pursuing, "it's all about the music," he says. "We just try to make the shows as good a time for the audience as possible." - Creative Loafing (Physical & Online)

"I fuckin' dig Tom P" The right amount of boastfulness; the right amount of weed smoke; the right amount of ATL & Decatur, the right amount of humor…and yes Tom P, not that you need us to confirm…but the right amount of swagger. I fucking dig Tom P…he fits my style and he’ll probably fit yours too. I think a good rapper is a master of language and words; a master of vocabulary, both intellectual and street. I think an even better rapper is a master not only of words and language, but of syllables and alliteration. Tom P has all of those things. His flow is hard to match and unique, switching between really fast, syllable focused alliteration and an old school flow with a concentration on rhyming words. His demeanor is flawless. In the tradition of Bone Thugs he spits rapid rhymes but always manages to bring it back to what only he can describe best…”old school, new school cross-pollination…”

Tom P. is clever enough to have his self promotion take a back, but just prominent enough seat to his particular take on rhyming. That’s something that I can respect and get behind. He stays true to his roots throughout the album and never strays far from his message of self introspection and promotion of his good times, bad times lifestyle, filled with all the rapper glory of drinking, smoking and fucking a lot…and all the rapper adversities of paranoia, danger and regret. Don’t let that take away from his originality, however. He has a clever take on rap and I think Tom P is headed places. His subjects are sharp and full of wit as he touches on topics such as lost love, picking friends before girlfriends and my favorite….the complexity and dual identity of being in pursuit of a dream (in his case, being a famous rapper) and having to get there by waiting tables or working the dreaded “day job.” - beATLanta

Tom P was the last opening act and only got to do 2 or 3 songs yet still had the crowd in a frenzy — imagine a if Twista was white and from Atlanta. - Creative Loafing, North Carolina (Physical & Online)

It seems that there are two different types of white rappers; those who are too self-deprecating and those who too braggadocios. Either way, there is very few white rappers with a proper amount of equilibrium. On Tom P‘s sophomore album, he attempts to not get too full of himself while unleashing less than wholesome autobiographical stories.
In a lot of ways, Tom P is an exciting white rappers. He is from Atlanta but has his own style that is not concerned with being part of the “dirty south” or fitting that mold. Instead, Tom P mixes a steady flow with Twista-speed double time. This dynamic makes his tracks fun to listen to but also more interesting than the typical chopped and screwed style that plagues much of southern rap. Tom’s voice reminds me of fellow white rapper Cage but his lyrical content is much less graphic or disturbing.
Tom P’s greatest critics dog him for being too mainstream. The reason for this is fairly easy to parse out while listening to Root For the Underdog. Take the track “Wake Up” for example. The production has an electro-dance beat feel and features vocalist, Julie Grass on the chorus. The track sounds more like a Lady Gaga song than something hip hop heads would enjoy but I do not find this type of mainstream pandering as a bad thing. The track has a unique flare, especially for the Atlanta scene.
Tom P’s real weakness is his lyrics. While Tom P is still considered a newcomer in the game, he talks an awful lot about making mad money in the recession. This kind of braggadocio seems to just be regurgitated cliches from more mainstream rappers. Fortunately, these type of lyrical missteps do not represent the bulk of the album and on tracks that do succumb to these pitfalls luckily solid production from the likes of SMKA and Justin Padron save them.
Overall, Tom P seems to be poised to be the next big thing out of the ATL. His fresh style and wry wit make him seem like he should be signed to Def Jux or something. The critics who rally against him may have some leg to stand on but not enough to shut Tom P down. I look forward to his future releases. - Adam Morgan: Surviving the Golden Age (Online)

DJ Booth releases "Best of the Booth vol. 6" - DJBooth.net

As we all know, Time Flies when you’re having fun – and what could be more fun than listening to some fresh music from what may well be the most innovative state in our hip-hop nation? Straight outta Decatur, Georgia, Booth newcomer Tom P. has hooked up with a few equally creative Peach State neighbors to share his carpe diem life philosophy with the world on this newly-released single. Here, Justin Padron serves up a unique, treble-heavy blend of buzzing synths and Chipmunk hook vocals as the headliner, along with freestyle series alum Playboy Tre and recent Booth regular Aleon Craft drop Southern-fried meditations on the artistic grind, the ever-present problem of haters, and the need to strike while the iron’s hot. At more than five minutes, this track is by no means a short one, but heads with a taste for left-of-center bangers may nonetheless find that it’s over all too quickly. If that’s the case, keep your browsers locked on the Booth; Tom’s Revenge of the Underdog mixtape has yet to receive a solid release date, but we’ll be sure to keep you posted! - DJBooth.net

As many of you know, I also happen to run a little...ok, not so little....site called DJBooth.net, and over at the mothership, as I affectionately call it, we've been running a little...ok, not so little...exclusive freestyle series. Up until now I haven't posted any of those freestyles because I didn't want it to seem like I was simply pimping DJBooth content, but this new "Raw" joint from Tom P? This joint's so ill I'd be doing y'all a disservice if I didn't share.

For those who aren't familiar, Tom P is a Decatur native who, in typical white boy rapper fashion, often gets dismissed based on appearance, but I openly defy anyone here to tell me he's not dope after listening to "Raw". Not only is his flow surgically cut apart the Kamal the Element beat, but his "I Used to Love H.E.R.' inspired lyricism is also hilariously on point: "You finished, diminished, just throw in the damn towel / rap is a fucking mess, my shit's the ShamWow.'

If that sounds like I'm overhyping him, its only because so many people are underhyping the man and I'm trying to balance things out. Just listen below, the music speaks for itself. Oh, and if you want some free gear from DJBooth Freestyle Series sponsors StreetAmmo x IMKing, - RefinedHype (Online)

Tom P: Time Flies feature - Allhiphop.com (Online)

Everybody has had the wind knocked out of them in minor sports scuffles or random acts of clumsiness. Now imagine getting your oxygen belted from your lungs with a lead pole dipped in cryogenic temperatures.

Yeah, the latest audio pamphlet from Stone Mountain, GA’s Big Rec hits you just like that.

Strong-armed early by Playboy Tre and Tom P, Big Reczilla comes through like a rabid pit bull; ravishing for scraps over the fiery instrumental, tearing his nouns and verbs to shreds with every rapid-fire syllable. This is the kind of joint that’ll have avid flow afficiadios and partygoers all moving in unison, whether it’s from the beat or the typhoon these Georiga Bulldogs spit into the pop filter. - The Smoking Section

go check out another son of Decatur, GA, Tom P. Tom P dropped his first underground release last summer, but in that short time he has become touring brothers with Three 6 Mafia and Bone Thugs N' Harmony; and was recently voted Atlanta's second best local rapper. Tom P brings whip fast delivery over that classic boom bap sound, and matched with an incredible work ethic it is likely that he will be one of the new sounds of the South. Try to keep up y'all. - The Lesson (Online)

"A cat like Tom P could have easily packed out the place by himself with the rabid Decatur fanbase he's built." - Creative Loafing

Tom P is an up and coming artist from Atlanta who has propelled himself to the top of the local scene. In the last 8 years he has achieved arguably the largest fan base of any unsigned, independent artist in his region; consistently bringing out crowds ranging in the thousands. He recently dropped his 2nd indie album "root for the underdog" accompanied by an album release party that brought out over 1,000 fans. His popularity is undoubtably due to his unique flow, undeniable lyrics, and his ability to connect to a large diverse crowd. In fact, in the last few years he has caught the attention of many people in the industry leading to write ups in many publications, blogs, and web sites, and leading to shows with B.O.B, Gorilla Zoe, D12, Killer Mike, and a tour with Bone Thugs N Harmony (to name a few) Tom P has grown into an organic grass roots movement unlike any other that is on the verge of blowing up. With no gimmicks, no financial backing, and no label, Tom P's local success is truly an anomaly in the indie rap world. So if you like good music and respect hard work, passion and dedication then we invite you to Root for the underdog. - Thisis50.com (Online)

I sat down with Tom P on the front porch of a house in Candler Park. It was mid- afternoon and he was just waking from a long night of drinking: hair askew, and shirt wrinkled, eyes weary and bloodshot. When asked if he’d like to reschedule the interview for a time when he was more alert, he shook his head. After swallowing a multivitamin and smoking a few cigarettes, he was ready to talk. And when Tom P talks about rapping, a tangible energy fills the room. He’s animated, articulate and focused—all the hallmarks of a person expressing true passion. Most of us would agree it’s that kind energy that manifests itself in good art. He describes rapping as an addiction, and says he remembers working in bookstores and coffee shops, pushing out and scribbling on receipt paper every chance he could get.
Kamal “The Element” Gillespie & Tom P
Thomas Peters—a 24-year-old white kid from Decatur, Georgia—got his start when he bought his first beat machine at the age of 12 and did his best to mimic those early 90s rappers like Snoop Dogg and Coolio. He made “shitty raps” with his middle-school classmates, and before long people were coming over every day after school to listen. Tom P has made it a long way since those prepubescent days, and on January 21 of this year he opened a sold-out show for Nappy Roots at Star Bar. He’s also worked with rapper B.O.B (you know—beautiful girls, all over the world), and has close ties to Aleon Craft, and D.R.E.S tha Beatnick. Tom started out by putting together warehouse shows, but after gaining some notoriety, moved to bigger venues as word about his talent spread like wildfire.
Tom P mounted the stage at the Spring4th Center to the tune of the Rocky theme song. He donned an American flag, surrounded by an entourage of scantily clad women wielding a stolen City of Decatur sign—true Atlanta style. At first glance, Tom P looks like the kind of guy you’d find at a Georgia Tech frat party or sitting in a corner booth at any bar in Virginia-Highland. Unsurprisingly, a pompous skepticism could be seen along the faces of the crowd—faces I assume had never seen Tom perform. But when he opened his mouth and spit the kind of mind-blowing, rapid-fire rhymes he’s known for, the skepticism turned to surprise and eventually to admiration. The event celebrated the release of his new record, Root for the Underdog, and nearly a thousand people were present.
Tom P’s new record adds a whole new level the phrase, “Rep where you stay.” While sitting in the bars of other cities I’ve experienced a surge of pride whenever a song that mentions Atlanta comes over the speakers. But Tom P’s songs don’t simply mention the “A”—they accurately describe my weekend itinerary. The chorus of his song, “Last Call,” proclaims, “In Atlanta we be drinking ‘till the sun comes up.” The verses in between describe a progression of parties and bar-closings. Tom mentions everything from Georgia State to the Earl and even mourns the burning of Trackside in Decatur. OK, so every weekend isn’t so eventful, but any Atlanta twenty-something knows the kind of tour-de-ATL Tom P is talking about.
All the songs on Root for the Underdog aren’t about partying, however. Many deal with the kind of resistance he faces due to his unassuming image, and I was delighted to hear feminist themes of unattainable beauty and media pressure on track 5, “Wake Up.”
Tom P has friends with varied talents—from those studying sound engineering at SCAD, to those who know how to build a stage or a website, to those who can offer a place to record or the knowledge to promote. The recent event at the Spring4th Center was just another in a series of shows that Tom P has put together with no financial assistance. And his recent success is a true testament to making something happen organically. He wouldn’t say that he’s exploiting the resources and talents of friends; rather, he has humbly relied upon the volunteered time of people who believe in his cause.
Tom P & Justin Padron
Tom P’s biggest fear is “being forty years old, working a shitty job, and still writing raps.” But, somehow, I don’t think that’s going to happen. I expect those rhymes that are continually flowing through his head—those rhymes he scribbles down on receipt paper to keep him sane—will one day be streaming through bar and club radios, giving us all another reason to say with pride, “Yeah, that’s where I’m from.” - Purge Magazine

One can only imagine how many orifices DJ Paul and Juicy J have attempted to fill with that 2006 Oscar trophy of theirs. Despite winning the bald-headed statuette for their contribution to "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" from Hustle & Flow and starring in their own short-lived MTV reality show ("Adventures in Hollyhood"), one thing remains true after their Halloween night show at Atlanta's reopened 688 last Sunday: Three 6 Mafia is still un-Hollywood and unrepentant as f*ck. - Creative Loafing, ATL (Physical & Online)

Tom P's video Wicked wins a fan-vote to be put into rotation on MTVU - MTV (Online & Television)

The rapid-fire MC from Decatur, GA hits us with his new video for “Root For The Underdog”. He is a Do-It-Yourself talent that has a huge homegrown following. Tom P has opened up for the likes of B.O.B., Three 6 Mafia, Killer Mike, Gorilla Zoe, and Bone Thugs N’ Harmony. Now it’s time for Tom P to go global! Enjoy! - The Goodie Bag

South: Big K.R.I.T, Embassy Music, FKi, Hollyweerd, Jackie Chain, Tom P, Warren Jae - See more at: http://mauricegarland.com/2010/08/2010-a3c-festivals-perfect-attendance-stage-artist-line-up-announced/#sthash.BHBzCWht.dpuf - Maurice Garland (Online)

Considering the rave reader reviews the up-and-comer earned for his first feature, Time Flies, Tom P can hardly be thought of as a long-shot in the Booth; nonetheless, I have a feeling our regulars will be happy to follow the Decatur, Georgia representative’s lead when he asks us to “Root for the Underdog” on this new, unreleased cut. Here, the artist takes a page from fellow Southern buzzmaker Yelawolf‘s book, playing up his small-town background in technically impressive verses. Backed by J. Pardon‘s stark, street-ready beat, he offers those who have yet to jump on his bandwagon a brief introduction: “They call me Tom P., the city slicker, the town drunk, the white Twista…” After the (relatively) laid-back opening, he proceeds to prove that latter sobriquet accurate, launching into a blazing-fast flurry of double-time rhymes. This record, as mentioned above, isn’t set for inclusion on any forthcoming project, but those left rooting for Tom P. after hearing this dazzling lyrical display can, of course, keep it locked to the Booth for all the latest news and tunes. - Brian Z, of DJBooth.net (Online)

"As a white man who grew up loving hip hop in a 98% black community in Decatur, I find it easy to empathize with Tom P's artistic plight. No matter how talented, schooled in history or devoted to the craft they may be, white hip hop artists are inevitably met with an air of suspicion in the field of rap battle before earning acceptance. Tom P has been kicking around ATL's hip hop underground scene for a minute, building respect the old fashioned way; and his self titled album is evidence that the MXCis ready for his chance to shine."
John Moore and Jon Latham - INsite Magazine (Physical)

something, but I’ve never heard about rap artist Tom P until I heard him playing at a friends house while I was out in San Diego just this past week. I have to say I definitely like the kid’s swag, and he has a very interesting style of flow.

Tom P is a 26 year old rapper who has been rapping since the age of 11. He was adopted by his aunt and uncle; a preacher and a music teacher who raised him in Atlanta. Tom P grew up in the inner city amongst a diverse range of people and was introduced to all kinds of music at a very young age. Amongst the various musical genres his favorite was hip-hop. He began writing at the tender age of 11 when we became inspired by emerging southern rap artists such as Goodie Mob and Outkast. He was also inspired by greats such as Biggie, Tupac, and Scarface. The youngster also started recording himself using a tape recorder. He worked vigorously at crafting his skills with the goal of being a great artist in his own right.

In these last couple of years Tom P has been catching the attention of people from all over. He has been written up in many publications such as XXL Magazine, and has also performed at shows and toured with artists such as Tekn9ne, Three 6 Mafia, Bone Thugs N Harmony, and Gorilla Zoe just to name a few. - Up and Coming Magazine (Online and Physical)

Tom P., the Decatur native who earned reader acclaim for Root for the Underdog and Time Flies. On his brand new, exclusive Raw freestyle, the currently-unsigned emcee flows over original boardwork by Kamal the Element. In addition to promoting his sophomore independent full-length, Root for the Underdog, - Ynotmydream (Online)

For our latest podcast we were joined by Creative Loafing 2013 Best Local Hip-Hop Act Tom P and his homie Paul T. Boy did we have fun with this one! Tom P talks his early start, grinding on the indy scene and shares hilarious stories of being on tour with Tech N9ne, MGK, Bone Thugs N Harmony and more. Oh yeah plus we got some crazy bars from the homie as well. As a matter of fact we have an autographed copy of Tom P’s The Preacher’s Kid for one lucky listener. How to win? Drop a comment and tell us what song Tom P freestyles over during our #VinylConversations segment. So you know the drill…sit back…Relax and Listen! - Str8OutdaDen

At Thursday’s show, rappers Tom P and BrandUn DeShay were easy standouts with P’s signature fast paced rhymes and DeShay’s smooth self-made beats and easy flow. - See more at: http://hiphopwired.com/2011/05/02/tom-p-brandun-deshay-and-fly-union-take-over-leaders-of-the-new-cool-atlanta-video/#sthash.VrYsaTw4.H91FC43L.dpuf - Hiphopwired (Online)

There's a small circle of artist who don't have a ton of "buzz", whatever that means, but I don't really give a fuck about jumping on bandwagons. (I'll leave that up to XXL.) Sometimes it's really as simple as an artist is dope and posting their music. Tom P is one of those artist. Of course he's got the "white guy trying to rap" stigma following him, but there's just on way you can listen to the man and not tell me he can rhyme. I mean, did you hear "Raw"?

So when the ATL emcee dropped a track called "Drunk Girls", complete with some outstandingly hilarious art work, I'm in. Plus we get some additional rhymes from the Nappy Roots and Aleon Craft, so you've got that going for you. No word (yet) on a larger project from Tom P, but hopefully one will materialize soon. The man's dope. It's that simple.

And for the record, stay away from girls who can out drink you. You're playing with fire.

RefinedHype has merged with The DJBooth. It's the same articles you loved on RefinedHype, new address. For more info, check out the official announcement. - RefinedHype (Online)

Tom P releases Root for the underdog as a free mix tape. It featured a few new songs and some mix tape tracks (over other artists instrumentals.) it gained a lot of new fans across the blogosphere and Datpiff deemed it (HOT) which is usually only given to very well known artists. The mix tape even debuted on their homepage exposing it to thousands of people. - Datpiff (Online)

I had the pleasure of running into Tom P, literally, at SXSW, and not only is he a dope rapper, he’s also a real stand-up dude… as real as they come.
Atlanta Music City Blog "source" Read full article - Live City Music (Online)

Tom P; one of the most successful underground indie hip hop artist in Atlanta drops his 2nd solo album "Root For The Underdog." Tom P is known for his quick delivery, witty and humorous lyrics, and technical skills on the microphone. Tom P breaks down all stereotypes of a "white rapper" as his music challenges the status quo of what that even means. Coming off as what might be misconstrued as a "frat boy" look, Tom P is often dismissed as a suburbanite white wannabe, when in fact he has earned more then enough street cred; Born in a trailer park and then growing up in the inner city of Atlanta, beginning rapping when he was 12 years old. His lyrics tend to attack white (and black) rappers who grow up privileged but feel the need to "dress like they from where {he} actually stays." He has not only headlined over 100 shows in Atlanta and across the South East but also has also toured with/ and opened for famous acts such as Bone Thugs N Harmony, B.O.B, Three 6 Mafia, Gorilla Zoe, Killer Mike, Goodie Mob, Yelawolf, and more.. - -Music Xray (Online)

Tom P sends over his new freestyle as he rips into Weezy’s “6 Foot 7 Foot” instrumental on this new track. Look out for the Decatur emcee upcoming projects dropping soon.

OS REWIND: Tom P – Drunk Girls (feat. Nappy Roots & Aleon Craft) (Prod. by Justin Padron) - Bombonem (Article)

"Decatur’s own Tom P gave an online proclamation that he would be throwing a party/video shoot for his up coming single. I knew I was in for a good time when I was greeted by a horse and a strobe light at the entrance"
Stigmalitia - Stigmalitia (Online)

Tom P premiers his music video "Red Cups" on-line. The video got nearly 25,000 views the first week. Check out a write up from local photographer / blogger crew Stigmalitia and a ton of photos from the shoot. It was an awesome day. Find the link on my blog here > http://tompatl.blogspot.com/2013/06/tom-p-shoots-red-cups-and-throws-huge.html Watch "Red Cups" music video here > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jwhVEKk2vw Source - Youtube

An estimated 500 hundred Tom P fans from all walks of life turned out for the “Project X” style warehouse party and video, which included fire twirlers, horses, bikers, cheerleaders and more. ”
-Dicast Radio Read the full article here - Dicast Radio

"The real gem of the night was Tom P"
-Shannon Barbour In reference to the Tom P performance with Too $hort, Problem and a dozen other rappers who graced the stage of the A3C earlier in the month. Source - Shannon Barbor

He earned striking popularity and won hearts of fans as a one of a kind rap and hip hop performer"
"He earned striking popularity and won hearts of fans as a one of a kind rap and hip hop performer" -MN Magazine "Source" - Read full article Source - MN Magazine

HIGHER GROUND: Tom P is not your typical ATL rapper.

Tom P started rhyming at the age of 11, deliberately seeking out classmates with better skills to force him to step up his own lyrical prowess. The challenge paid off. He's been known to upstage more established acts, such as Too $hort at this year's A3C Hip-Hop Festival, when he gave the audience a rapid-fire spread of songs from his first two albums. As his set wrapped, host D.R.E.S. Tha BEATnik challenged Tom P to rhyme faster and faster over Edvard Grieg's "In the Hall of the Mountain King." He revved up his flow, each line more rapid than the last, never missing a beat, and scarcely taking a breath. It's just one part of his repertoire — a skill he's honed over the years that earned him the nickname, "the White Twista."

Big dreams and the desire to escape poverty shaped his attraction to the mic. Thomas Peters was born in Lexington, North Carolina where his family lived in a small house near — as he puts it ­— a "mobile home type situation." His life changed when his preacher uncle adopted him from his mother and fulfilled the role of his primary provider and father figure. "She became my aunt, he became my dad," Tom P says of the interfamily arrangement. He moved to Atlanta when he was 4 years old.

These days, Tom P's looking to occupy rare spaces like the success of his better-known peers, including Trinidad James, who makes a guest appearance on his third album, The Preacher's Kid. Instead of seeking the shine of "All Gold Everything," Tom P wants to lift his loved ones to higher ground. "Whenever you like [go home] for Thanksgiving and Christmas and you're seeing some trailer and your family surrounded by rats and flies and shit, you're like alright, 'I need to make it as a rapper.'"

Tom P stayed in touch with fellow Decatur High School alums that formed his initial fanbase. "You end up a part of this network of Atlanta natives and if you're cool, you're cool with a lot of people," he says.

His current manager/hype man, Paul Thomas, was sold after hearing him freestyle at a party. "He didn't look like the typical rapper," Thomas says. "It was like this little white kid who looked like a regular kid. I said, 'You're like the best rapper I've heard in Atlanta.' We've been working together ever since."

Face-to-face, Tom P doesn't look like a rapper, and not because of his skin color, but in how his confident stage presence has given way to a more anxious energy. His drawl punctuates his frustration. "It's turned into this materialism thing (he pronounces as "thang"), where if you talk about struggle you get labeled as an underground rapper," he says. "Why rap if you've got nothing good to say about your experiences in life?"

Tom P's self-titled debut gave listeners a window into his life and let them know he's more than just a "fast rapper." His second album, Root for the Underdog, dispelled the myth that he was a privileged suburbanite who only entered the game for fun. The Preacher's Kid captures a place where the turnt up party life isn't everything, rather, it's a pain reliever for a stinging reality. On the bouncy "Red Cups," he raps, "I'm one muthafuckin' curse word away from gettin' turned away at the pearly gates." Tom P reps the South, but his song stylings have more in common with the lyrical dexterity and everyman stories of better known artists, such as Kendrick Lamar.

Tom P's supporters remain steadfast. He was voted as the reader pick for Best Local Hip-Hop Act this year in CL's Best of Atlanta issue. Last year, readers chose him as the Best Overall Music Act, a distinction not given to a rapper since T.I. in 2006.

Though Tom P has yet to attain national attention, he's determined to hold on while facing an oversaturated local music scene. He appears devoid of delusions of grandeur or any sense of entitlement, but remains confident in his team of producers and collaborators. "We're not really a risky bet," he says. "We sell albums, we sell shows. People want to hear this."

Whether Tom P's career matches his larger vision remains to be seen. Deferred dreams have left him disillusioned but undeterred. - Creative Loafing (Physical Newspaper Spread and Online Article)