Tommy20 – “Twenty Pendergrass” – an immediately intoxicating sound

Twenty-one year-old Tommy20 aka Twenty Pendergrass aka T20, was born and raised in Delaware. He’s loved music since the first time he heard it, and started taking rap seriously at the age of sixteen.  Seeing his brother and his friends in the studio, and freestyling, is really what caught his attention. “I try to make relatable, turn up, or feel good music,” says Tommy20. “Get lit, get high do whatever you do listening to music, but I feel like my music gets the party going lol,” he continues. “The “Twenty Pendergrass” collection of songs, is a love album, meant for you to vibe or relate to,” concludes the rapper.

Tommy20 is carving out a place in hip hop that plays both to the core elements of the genre, and the stylings of modern rap, while avoiding many of the draining tropes that can damage artists. Tommy20 delivers consistently strong rhymes on “Twenty Pendergrass”, while never extending his voice into forced deliveries, using the expansive track list for some ambient, groovy and vibe-inducing tracks.

Between the communal chatter and outright smooth-talking, the album moves straight forward. Tommy20’s unusual vocals and smart wordplay really twist things interestingly. The rapper floats through this mysterious haze of tracks to deliver thought-provoking raps. There’s an immediately intoxicating sound, while Tommy20 brings a warm color out in his rhymes.

He moves from “Poetic Justice”, and “What You On”, to “Something Different”, without as much as raising a sweat. The beats shimmer and shine, pushed forward by thumping percussion and twinkling keys. On top, Tommy20 flows effortlessly, rolling in rhythmic heaven. His greatest gift as an emcee is his incredible knack for coming up with interesting verses from simple stories that instantly grabs your attention.

Moving forward through the album, Tommy20 takes his theories and experiences and relates them to interpersonal and relationship themes. From “20 Pendergrass”, and “Only If I was Ya Man” and “Now!”, the rapper lays down luscious bars and cool vibes. Tommy20 accomplishes his goal by making well thought-out ideas traverse over spotless production – making his music more accessible and relatable.

Tommy20 is not just a rapper that has something to say – he’s a rapper with a distinct voice that instantly captivates you. If you look at all great rappers whose music stands the test of time, they all have a key ingredient besides lyricism. In most cases, this key ingredient is having a unique voice. As he runs through “I Can’t Wait”, “November” and “Isis Love”, that voice dominates these tracks, with its deep tones and unrushed deliveries.

Tommy20 is definitely the sort of rapper I like seeing, one with ambition, solid wordplay, and some great production to back it up. He’s capable of slowing it down, being a little more introspective, searching for that vibe connection he can build with a listener, and is very conscious of working at his pace which executes to perfection on both “Last Text Freestyle” and the eclectic ambience of “Soakin By KenBoog”.

Tommy20 proves with “Twenty Pendergrass” that he’s a real talent to watch and if he doesn’t manage to explode in the next few years, especially given his charisma and presence and gift for riding some stellar production, I will be surprised.

OFFICIAL LINKS:  INSTAGRAM – APPLE MUSIC – MUSIC STREAMS