Theron and Timothy Thomas are two brothers from a tiny emerald island in the United States Virgin Islands- St. Thomas. The duo grew up in precarious circumstances as they were raised in one of the poorest ghettos on the island and regularly talk about the hardships they faced to emerge from their hood.
The two remain rather nameless in the world of American pop/ hip-hop, despite the accolades their work has received. They have written such hits as, “We Can’t Stop” (Miley Cyrus), “Pour it Up” (Rihanna), “I Been On” (Beyoncé), “Replay” (Iyaz), amongst many others. The two brothers first really made a name for themselves with the chart-topping song, “Locked Away” featuring Adam Levine. The blend of reggae tones with the popular pop sound shot the record to the top of the charts, a first for a rap group from the Virgin Islands.
The duo started in a place where rap music was definitely not in favor. Surrounded by the traditional sounds of Soca, Calypso, Dancehall, and Reggae, the brothers had a father who greatly promoted the hip-hop culture and even pushed his boys to pursue music. Before they were in high school, Theron and Timothy were in an R&B/Rap group that would sing to people on Valentine’s Day. They called themselves 2Ekwip, and were just trying to scrape whatever cash they could. Eventually, they moved to Atlanta after high school. They experienced a lot of turbulence in their careers, moving between Atlanta and St. Thomas, sleeping on the streets and picking up odd jobs to fund their career. But they never gave up. They later signed with Akon’s label, a huge step forward for the group. Yet their diverse and unique flow proved to not be in favor, and the felt creatively subdued while signed with KonLive.
Theron, the front-runner for the two, describes their style as a mixture of many styles. They grew up in an environment which is considered a great melting pot. Their music illustrates just how diverse their Caribbean culture is. The brothers write in a number of genres including reggae, rap, pop, R&B, and calypso. The two blend so many things because they want to appeal to all people. They were raised to appreciate all music, and their style greatly illustrates that. The brothers frequently rap in American accents as well as their native island accents, giving further flair and personality to the music, just another testament to their versatility.
The Thomas brothers overcame a lot of adversity throughout their career, and nearly 20 years of hard work has put them in a place rarely seen for Virgin Islanders. The brothers draw heavily upon their past to influence their music. Seeing the struggle their family went through provided great intrinsic motivation for the pair to make themselves into something. Their father pushed them to great lengths so they could be musicians, and to them, that doing right by their father was motivation enough. Extrinsically, the two saw the opportunity to achieve some wealth and notoriety amongst their people. The people of the Virgin Islands are a happy, proud people. So, for a pair like Theron and Timothy to reach the level they have, it is a huge deal in the eyes of their very first fans.
I am inspired by their story and their drive to do what they want. I like how they take their past troubles and their traditions and incorporate them into their successful music. It's like a continuity from the past to the future forged in tribulation.
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