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The inventor of the art of krumping, Tommy the Clown -- aka Thomas Johnson -- was born in the city of Detroit, but raised in the tumultuous South Central area of Los Angeles, an area whose reputation for violence and instability helped motivate Johnson to look for -- and eventually invent -- a peaceful, inclusive, and positive alternative. His invention, krumping, was a hip-hop inspired art form that was a combination of that style's music coupled with athleticism, dance, and spirit, all wrapped up in the guise of the classic party clown. The result of having been asked to entertain a friend's kid's birthday party, Johnson's krump-style was quick to gain momentum, and became a method for Tommy and his crew -- the Hip Hop Clowns -- to spread a positive, anti-drug and anti-violence method. Tommy the Clown, as Johnson came to be known, performed at major events, parties, and even shared the stage with such hip-hop legends as Will Smith, Snoop Dogg, and Usher. In 2000, Tommy the Clown started the Battle Zone, a Culver City, California based contest between dance crews using the krump style of performance. Johnson, his life, his work, and his style were also featured in the documentary Rize, which was released on Lions Gate Films. ~ Chris True, Rovi
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