History
Tommion Waylee’s Music Life;
Written by: Tommion Waylee-Self
Note: I do not imply any official Affiliation or Endorsement to the names, places, Brands or Products I mention in this writing.
Early Life
I was born in 1987 with a unique purple hue—big, healthy, & filled with creative energy. My mother was a church minister & a skilled drummer; my father, a Veteran Airman & a trumpet player with a gravel-toned voice, full of emotion and depth. Before I knew of the concept from movies, my Dad would sing to our mother & warm our hearts. Growing up, I was immersed in two musical worlds: jazz & Rock from my father. Opera, Gospel, R&B, & country from my mother
My first instrument was a plug-in organ in the early 1990s, around age six. I also experimented with toy microphones, echo devices, & bathtub & toy drums. Even then, I believed I had lived a past life as a rock ‘n’ roll artist.
The first songs I sang—into toy mics and cassette recorders—were rock ‘n’ roll. My mother inspired me early on, especially when I watched her play drums in church. I didn’t sit behind a real drum set again until 2024, when my family invited me for dinner I got to play their drums. It was different from digital gear—but just as fulfilling.
At age 9, I got my first clarinet. During that same time, I was deep into magical adventure movies, wizard comics, and classic nerdy hobbies. The clarinet became my second musical wonder. I played it off & on for several years.
In the ’90s, I recorded with a kids group named after our street—The Huffman Boys, we made cassette tapes in the garage. I also tried drums & tambourine at family events and church, though nothing too formal. An Elder could not take our random beating at the tambourine so it didn’t last long.
Youth Performances
At church camps, we sang American Opera through The Salvation Army. I remember the pride of folding the flag & even a “kissing booth” event, way back then In the 1990’s. Those moments made me feel like a young soldier—like my dad.
I joined a few church choirs, I quit one when the soprano section was getting all the attention. I hadn’t even hit puberty, & a low pitch like baritone didn’t feel right to me yet. My first duet was with my older sister—we sang together, & while she had the voice of an angel, I was still discovering mine.
Musical Journey One
At 17–18, I released my first album: A Moment of Change, under the name Furious Loyal-T. It was gospel trip-hop with four featured artists, produced by Harp D. The album cover—created with my friend John—was later tattooed by a few fans. I even sold a few copies with embroidered shirts.
I transitioned from what you would call use to be Rebel, Good Guy, Intellectual, Sophistication, Gritty Grinding Shabbster, Multi Cultural, Multi exploration of Religious, Multi Skilled-Post Experimental Music, & Art. I’ve owned three keyboards over the years, the last in 2017. In 2007, I began learning keyboard using music books. I’m still at an intermediate level.
In college, I was part of a rock group I was a lead singer in one song. We weren’t managed, we were though a band of loyalist friends more then a full on band. We were occupied with life. We might as well have been as much as we had sessions. Some times they did there own thing with out me, in Black Metal painted up like, young Braves & an old best friend was the lead singer. I sung back up vocals for the screaming part that needed something we didn’t know how to mix it all then, I was the mixer we only thought we were mastering back then. Back then We all partied hard & had young families of our own.
The drummer Mike I had jammed with that we had in mind left for the service, Our guitarist (Bob) filled in by playing percussion on acoustic on one song.
Pre Adult Teens-Performances
I’ve performed gospel in a variety of places—Asian & Western venues, churches, & Fountain Square. I’ve showcased my work online & even did a gospel trip-hop show at a Town Hall.
In my 20s, I was part of a gospel-country performance several times. I nailed it the first time thanks to my garage-singing days with my friend Zack, who has since passed. I also performed at bars & reunions—small audiences, but great memories.
FURTHER
Over the years, I’ve dabbled in violin (with family), acoustic and electric guitar, & electronic production. In 2024, my nephew plugged in an electric guitar for the first time, & we had a clean jam session. I typically play electric as if it’s acoustic—& eventually learned to replicate electric tones on acoustic too.
I’ve collaborated with dancers like Malika Johnson From Jamaicaand several other talented women who shared their art in music projects with me. Many details are lost now, but the creativity we shared was real.
2025 Self-Reflection
I’ve realized I’m a low-pitched singer. My voice sounds deep & sophisticated. When I sing too high, I either sound like a slow turtle or a full-on rock star. Either way—I embrace both sides.
Studio Days
My first studio experience was at Jewel Studio with my dad at age 15–16. We couldn’t afford it long, but it showed me what a real studio looked like.
My first studio recording was a hip-hop/rock cover of Elvis’s “Hound Dog.”
In a basement studio with the microphone in the bathtub with lots of soundproofing.
Age 19-22
Later, I made more studio tracks—some rock-themed, some hip-hop at two separate studios. One ran by a producer J.Rc & Doron K.
2015 Studio Session: Worked with a producer named Sauce, who taught me a vocal technique. I brought in a poetic song that others found awkward or unconventional.
• Ages 21–22 Studio: Collaborated at an old schoolmate’s office studio. We were heavily immersed in hip-hop, social life, & auditions, often nervous on the mic.
• Church Studios and PA Systems: Various setups with little surviving content.
• Age 19 Studio Session: Worked with my sister’s coworker. I wrote a song inspired by a misunderstood phrase from a female friend. The session later revealed the song was interpreted as female-oriented. As a straight man, I chose not to take the track home.
Home Recording vs. Studio Work
Not all of my music was home-recorded. Some tracks were mixed & mastered in professional studios. While my recent albums are primarily home-recorded, certain works have received professional studio polishing.
A Start Of The Red Rock Road as Tommion Waylee
2016 I picked my name from the pronunciation new feature off Facebook. I had currently occupied a Soundclick, Facebook, Reverbnation, Zedge Ringtone, YouTube, accounts as whatever names seemed to refresh my mindset-Life occasionally. I had went by names like Germonie Blacc and Soma Electrum Water Whaley, any thing that fit current to my character & journey of focus.
2016 I started working on “Chlorkol One” on my MacBook from a old indeared friend Ben & usb mic from Guitar Center where I got most of my equipment younger. Any-woo I was using Nectar, GarageBand and Waves Audio. It was a trip hop alternative rock hip hop experimental strain my voice wanna be rnb singer album. Well that was my first ever published album, in 2016. When I was 17 years old I had never published the old studio music this was a blind two feet to love life moment.
I went through a long term cool dude experimental music phase in a little shack on the West Side journey. I’m glad a lot has changed with long term sobering. I had decided over long study and references that I didn't want no bad strings attached so I stuck to mostly solo everything. I also accepted the challenge inspired by my Grandpa’s & family taking on big task on their own.
Eyes, Vision & Personal Growth
I have often been told my eyes appear deep & colorful. As a child, my blind great-aunt cared for me, and out of fear of losing my eyesight, I would pretend to be blind. That behavior continued into my twenties. I have also been on medication for much of my life. I currently wear reading glasses.
Word Creation
My first made-up phrase was “le na ne na,” created with my nephew when I was a preteen. Over time, I began naming art characters & contributing slang-style definitions online based on third-person experiences. Much of my invented vocabulary is somatic & emotionally driven, coming from a straight male emotional perspective—often framed by questions like, “What does this instrument say to you?”
Independent Music Production
Since 2018, I have produced my music independently using a computer & mobile phone through GarageBand. I am competent in mixing & self-tuning, though it took years of practice. Some tracks were mastered using CloudBounce, Waves Audio, Producer’s Studios, eMastered, & SoundLab. Producing solo often feels like panning for gold—challenging, but ultimately rewarding.
Ant Imagery and Symbolism
As a child, I once sat on a tree stump and was attacked by ants. The experience was traumatic, & the phrase “ants in your pants” became literal for me. That memory stayed with me and later inspired songs such as Casbodoah and Wumbrusk, where I processed that chaos creatively.
Stage Names
My primary stage name is Tommion Waylee (2016–present). Other names I have used include Tommy and TJ, along with older aliases that I no longer use.
Guitar Learning and Musical Mentorship
I primarily learned guitar through online lessons. At age 15, I also learned chords from an old friend, Vet Nate. Zack Short practiced music with me for over a decade on acoustic & electric guitar, shaping much of my tone through countless garage & basement sessions. From 2023–2025, Larry K. also assisted me.
Origin of the Name “Tommion Waylee”
The name “Tommion” originated in 2005 when my sister began calling me a variation inspired by a family name. My last name, Whaley, was shortened phonetically to “Waylee” on Facebook.
Early Hip-Hop Exposure
Hip-hop culture was everywhere during my upbringing. My older brother D., who has since passed, drove me to elementary school playing Kris Kross. My earliest fandom included New Kids on the Block and I even wore shaved hair designs as a kid.
While playing clarinet before the Huffman Boys era, I shifted toward rock and roll, listening daily to my father’s CDs—especially Rod Stewart and James Brown. Two service-member mentors encouraged me to explore hip-hop artists like MC Hammer.
In a garage session without an instrumental, we used electronic video game sounds as backing tracks and freestyle rapped. Around that time, Big Tom—who later passed—gave me my first lesson in freestyling. My sister and I also performed a Christian hip-hop song well Nehemiah 8:10 of the Bible in a oldschool Rhythm & she performed hip-hop shows with Willam during our preteen years.
Moe later introduced me to studio recording, where we recorded a hip-hop rock version of Hound Dog when I was around 11–15. He also showed me an early example of multi-skilled entrepreneurship in hip-hop. My Brother, L. gave me pointers on how to remember my lyrics especially when recording, so ppl can listen all the way through a song, & wouldn’t stumble-I had him listen to one of my cassette tapes rapping on it was a common thing in my teens.
During high school in my rebellious years I spent time in my old neighborhood with recording cassette tapes. These experiences ultimately led to my first trip-hop album, A Moment of Change.
The album cover depicted me kneeling in camouflage joggers, boots, a baggy white T-shirt, and long hair, praying against a tree during withdrawal and spiritual confusion. Despite the turmoil, the album performed well and became a foundation for my trip-hop era.
I had One Tribal-Trip-Hop Duo performance at “Mad Frog”We had the gig set for more dates but we well I never followed up.
Track Titles from A Moment of Change
As best as I can remember, though not in perfect order:
1. Posted on the Block Today – Me featuring Harp D
2. Rage in My Veins – Me & my sister (vocals)
3. What Happened to the Kid, Man – Me featuring my old Tribal Duo
4. One track featuring a female rapper
Exposure to Rock Music
Rock music has been part of my life on and off since childhood, beginning with regular exposure through media and radio. In the early 1990s, babysitters and young friends frequently played rock and country music around me, which further shaped my early listening environment. I was also influenced by country and heavy live rock music performed in church settings. Throughout my life, close friends introduced me to thousands of bands, while neighbors regularly blasted rock music, making it a constant presence in my surroundings. I was Listening again to Rock from my father’s cds and mix cassette tapes prior to the Huffman Boys era, which left an early impression on my understanding of heavier rock. In 2008, I made my first attempts at writing full rock songs, later blending those foundations with R&B, alternative, and trip-hop elements. I also collaborated with Lil P, a long-term multicultural friend who passed in 2015–2016 months before I decided to take music the extra steps. Additionally, between 2008 and 2010, I received guidance session from Ty on developing rock–hip-hop guitar layouts using Fruity Loops.
Music Groups and Collaborations
I was involved in approximately five hip-hop groups, primarily with friends & family. Most of our sessions were creative, humorous, & educational, often mixed with social life & partying—especially during my college years.
Music Groups
My First group was Me & My Sister B.W.
When I decided To Quit Singing She Later Formed a All Girls
Group With A Few Others.
We were-Gospel Hiphop-R&B & My Blend
African American & German/Italian-American background
• C SKWAD-The Alternative Rock, Exspiremental, Hiphop-Group-Around-2006-2008
A American-German-Italian-& Filipino-background
Was Tate-lil P-& Tommion Waylee(Self)-Was going by the artist name Edgar K Z at the time.
We were a very deep mix of genre if not the same as I am today
This group I met with my old rock session group.
•Neva Gunsta-A African Tribal-Hip-Hop-Trip-Hop-Multi Cultural-Music Duo Group
Was: He called me T Stones (Self) & Know him by a shorten version of his last name Ace lasted over ten years
•Team Swagga-Around-2007-2009
We were a Hip-Hop-R&B group mixed with a bit of classical urban, Spanish, & Break-Beat-anymore idk currently.
Was:Ty, Germonie Blacc (Self), ?,?,?,?,??(Ican’t remember the guys name.
•Unofficial-Sessions-collaborations
Gear I’ve Used
- Mixing boards – Favorite: Tascam DP-02
- Microphones – Favorite: Blue DragonFly Ribbon Mic (no phantom power needed)
- -Quite a few of my old pro mics did worse than what I’ve used sence 2016-That Mic the Ribbon was Great to Me-
- Software – Started as a pre-teen in the early 2000s
- Recorders – Started with toy mics and cassette decks
- Headphones – Favorite: AKG and vintage Sony
- Studio Monitors – Rocket 5s, M-Audio
- Preamp – Presonus
- EQs – Built-in & external
- Compressor – 1 physical compressor
- Cables – I always used high-quality plugs and cords
- Reverb/Delay – Hardware effects machines
- I like my guitar picks dry & grained-gritty-sanded wood
Awards & Recognition
- Honor roll (helped keep my parents proud)
- National poetry award at 16 (despite failing poetry in school)
- Athletic awards (elementary track, soccer, wrestling announcements)
- Ministry volunteer awards (over 20 years behind-the-scenes service)
- Studio mentor with L.G. Wise, helping students with performance skills
- Attended graphic design & media school (Downtown + Media Bridges)
- Purchased & created with beatmakers like Mini Producer (2019–2020)
- Was offered to signing with L.G. Wise in my 20’s, & Others as a teenager.
- Collaborated With Artist -Sir Alonzo, Family, Lil P of C Squad, Kyle W. & More.
- There was a part I played in helping win a “Ohio HipHop Performance Award”(I’m not sure of the Actual Title of the Award but that is close) for Artist Streets and his older, Music group. They were in a hurry to get it done an about an hour b4 the show for some mixing and burning to playable Cd of a backing track. I got bold for the little time and suggested I record it onto my Mixer then burn it for better sound enhancement, I used my Equipment. Early the next day I found out with a thanks that they made first place.
Thanks For The Read
Note: I do not imply any official Affiliation or Endorsement to the names, places, Brands or Products I mention in this writing.