Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.
Now playing:
Friday Night Lights! Camera! Action!
Listen Live
<p>(Eron Butler/Blaze Radio)</p>
(Eron Butler/Blaze Radio)

Tommy Richman: Blending Hip-Hop and Punk

Hip-hop is an ever-evolving genre that is pioneering new sounds that pull from multitudes of genres, including country, pop, R&B, and many more. Hip-hop is not just dominating as a genre. It is dominating in numbers. Tommy Richman’s “MILLION DOLLAR BABY” has over 1 billion Spotify streams. After his viral hit came out, he released his album, “COYOTE,” on Sept. 27, 2024. Tommy Richman is now on tour for the album, and he performed at The Nile Theater in Mesa, Arizona, on Friday, Feb. 28th. With 11 songs on the album, the project clocks in at under 40 minutes in length.

Paco and mynameisntjmack were the openers for Tommy Richman. Paco’s sound was a unique blend of reggaeton and hip-hop that had the audience engaged throughout his set. His sound blended aggressive 808s and soft Spanish guitars. Mynameisntjmack performed introspective rap that he said helped him deal with personal struggles throughout his life. His music leans toward a gritty side of hip hop, and his tone has punk influences. The concert was centered around punk and hip-hop, two genres that traditionally have been separated.

Tommy Richman came out and started his set with “WHITNEY from “COYOTE.” The audience remained quite tame for the first three or four songs he performed. One of the songs that the entire audience sang in unison was “DEVIL IS A LIE.” Similar to “MILLION DOLLAR BABY,” "DEVIL IS A LIE" is a single that is not on “COYOTE.” Those two songs were the biggest hits in the audience, showing that singles reach the masses more than albums. Albums end up targeting the core fan base.

Later on in the show, Tommy Richman reflected on his experience gaining fans from his first project. He also mentioned that his mother was watching his performance. Then someone in the crowd said they got a picture with Tommy Richman and his mother as they were sitting down at a restaurant. This moment showed that Tommy Richman is down to earth. While reflecting on his first project, “ALLIGATOR,” he played one of the hit songs off of that album, “ELECTRIFY TONIGHT.” He said “ELECTRIFY TONIGHT” is one of the songs that “changed his life forever.” After this heartfelt moment, he brought his mother up on stage, which was a full circle moment for him.

The concert took a turn as Tommy Richman encouraged the audience to start a mild mosh pit. The mosh pit was not aggressive, but people were getting pushed around. Of course, this all happened while he was singing “MILLION DOLLAR BABY.” At this point in the set, there was only one song left. Tommy Richman finished his set with “seems like time moves forever.,” a song which features mynameisntjmack. The set ended on a very calm and peaceful note as “seems like time moves forever.” was also the last song on the album. Once the lights turned purple, the song felt like an R&B performance.

When Tommy Richman left the stage, the crowd began chanting for him to come back out. Nobody left, and everyone was enchanted for about 45 seconds. Then, he came back on stage and brought his openers and some dancers to get the crowd moving. At one point, he climbed over a gate that was right behind the audience, and everyone went wild. There is nothing like having one of your favorite singers right next to you, singing a song that everybody loves. This part of the performance was so energetic that I could not even pull my phone out to record because I was afraid that it was going to fly out of my hand.

Tommy Richman will be performing in the U.S. through the entirety of March. In April, he is going to the UK and Europe. The Coyote Tour is a blend of R&B and punk music that many people have not seen before. The music is extraordinary and refreshing and will satisfy fans of Prince, Jack Harlow, or even Bryson Tiller. Tommy Richman has developed a fanbase that appreciates genre-bending music, and they are a reflection of his energetic and down-to-earth nature. He has truly set himself apart from many powerhouses in the music industry, and he is an artist you will not want to miss down the line. 


Similar Posts