Tom P: Root For the Underdog

Tom P: Root For the Underdog
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.
Rating: 7.7/10
MP3: Tom P “Wake Up”
Buy: Payloadz