TØMZ, one of the most prominent names in the underground hip/hop industry is a Berkeley, California-based producer and composer with so many abilities and aptitudes that make him one of the game’s most acknowledged sound engineers. On November 26th, 2022, he published “PED,” a 16-track album featuring incredible musicians on nearly all of the tracks with outstanding performances, making the record wonderful in every manner. “PED” is by far one of the greatest hip-hop albums I’ve heard in a long time. It certainly held me enthralled, so I arranged an online interview to discover more about TØMZ and this project. Read on to find out what he said. Cheers!
Songweb: Describe your background and who you are.
TØMZ: My name is Tommy Campbell (TØMZ) I’m a drummer, producer, and engineer from Oakland, California. I started playing the drums at 2 years old since then I grew up playing the drums in church. So I’ve always had a love for music for as long as I can remember. However, growing my love for hoop outweighed music. I took that more seriously than music. it wasn’t until after I graduated high school that I started taking music seriously.
Songweb: What inspired you to pursue music?
TØMZ: Honestly back in 2013 is when it clicked to me that you could make a career out of making beats for the artist. Like I always knew of it but I realized it because of DJ Mustard. I kept hearing “Mustard on the beat hoe” on so many slaps and it was damn near on everything on the radio at the time. Then once I figured out what that tag was, I could do that too.
Songweb: What is it about music that evokes such strong emotions in you?
TØMZ: Well, I believe that music originated from the heavens, and God blessed humanity with it. So knowing that it makes sense on why it’s so powerful and you can feel it. Whether it’s a cold chord progression, a sweet melody, or some crazy drums it just makes me feel a way.
Songweb: Describe the steps you take to create a new song.
TØMZ: The steps for me to make a song are to pull up FL studio and create a vibe going whatever I’m feeling or sounds good at the time. Then I add a baseline or 808 after them that I add the drums. I’ll add some other synths it sounds if needed. Then I go to the Villa Studio to mix and master it and get whoever is booking the studio to get on it!
Songweb: Describe your newest project, “PED” for us.
TØMZ: This is a compilation mixtape from The Villa Studio in Berkeley, California executively produced and engineered by me. This talented artist on this tape collaborated with TØMZ, some of these collabs dating back from 2016. I wanted to showcase these artists and my versatility as a producer.
Songweb: What type of social impact do you expect “PED” to have?
TØMZ: I want this project to be a playlist for anyone going through anything or trying to reach a goal. I was this to be a reminder of the 3 letters on the cover. Patience to wait on whatever you pursuing Endurance to see it through and not give up and Discipline to prepare yourself for when the opportunity comes. Because that’s what I’m doing along with every artist on this project with our careers. I would like this to become a movement this is just volume 1 so I’m just going to keep pushing PED.
Songweb: What do you hope the critics will say about your newest project?
TØMZ: I hope the critics will become believers in my ability to produce at a high level and my potential because this is just the start.
Songweb: Identify the best and worst aspects of being a musician.
TØMZ: The best part of being a musician is being able to play music. To be able to get on an instrument and play alongside other musicians and be locked in playing a song is the best feeling ever. The worst part about a musician is when people don’t want to pay you for your abilities or services.
Songweb: What can we do to support your career advancement?
TØMZ: You guys can help my career by spreading the word about me to the serious and hungry artists that need beats and want to work. Also, shout out my studio in Berkeley, California called The Villa. I would appreciate that so much!
Songweb: Describe your future artistic plans.
TØMZ: And I plan to keep producing more and more artists, putting out more volumes of PED, and growing The Villa Studio.
To summarize, “PED” is a lovely album with groovy tunes. The mesmerizing flows and intense lyricism makes the album so explosive and will undoubtedly leave listeners dumbfounded. The songs are highly addicting, and the rappers on each song with their hypnotic vocals make each track seem desirable. TØMZ has done an outstanding job with this album. It’s an essential album for hip-hop aficionados and anybody who appreciates creativity.
Listen to the “PED” album by TØMZ on Spotify or SoundCloud and let us know your thoughts.
You can follow TØMZ here for more information.
