As a notable songwriter and producer for two decades, Theron Thomas has worked with Katy Perry, Rihanna and Nicki Minaj. He co-wrote Lizzo’s 2022 single “About Damn Time,” which won record of the year at the 2023 Grammys. He’s also has credits with Beyoncé’s “All Night” and “I Been On.”
Last year, he won his first Grammy — songwriter of the year (non-classical).
Now, Thomas’ 12-year-old son Amir “Sumo” Thomas can add himself to the list of his father’s esteemed collaborators.
The pair have joined forces for children’s music partnership Sumo’s World, on which. Amir sings and raps to songs his dad co-writes and produces. Since debuting the project earlier this year, Theron and Amir have released two EPs. On Friday, they’ll release new single “Koala.”
“It just brings me so much joy, so this wasn’t really work to me,” Theron, 43, said about the new venture. “It was more like I’m hanging with my son, making music.”
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Theron, a native of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, has lived in Atlanta since the early aughts. Amir is the second-youngest of Theron’s six children. Though Theron underscores that most of his children are musically inclined, Sumo’s World marks the first time he’s made music with any of them.
When Amir was born, Theron nicknamed him “Sumo” because “he was a big, chubby baby, so I called him my little sumo wrestler.”
Theron noted Amir’s musical talents from the time he was a toddler, thanks to the 2014 Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson smash “Uptown Funk.” He remembers Amir singing along to every part of the song after only listening to it twice.
“He’s got something,” Theron recalls telling his wife at the time.
By the time he turned 3 , Amir informed his dad he wanted to sing. Theron initially didn’t take the request seriously because he felt “you’re too little to know what you want to do.”
For the next three years, Amir remained persistent with the request, growing more inspired by his father’s work — and even teasing him about it.
“Dad, I know why we haven’t worked on my music yet. ... because you’re afraid that I’ll steal all of your fans,” Theron remembers, chuckling.
The remark signaled to Theron that Amir was serious about making music. For the next six years, the pair recorded songs that’d become Sumo’s World, at the same time Amir was attending school.
The father-and-son duo eventually signed to Republic Records Kids & Family. “Count It Up,” their first single, dropped in March.
“Sumo’s World will completely disrupt the landscape of kids’ music,” Bree Bowles, vice president of Republic Records Kids & Family, said in a prepared statement. “My only question about this project is who is going to love it more, parents or kids?”
That was Theron’s goal for crafting Sumo’s World — making music that parents and kids would enjoy.
In turn, Sumo’s World songs sound like a trap and R&B-inspired version of children’s music. Take “Clean Hands." Backed by booming synths and percussion, Amir raps a catchy verse that sounds like a direct descendant of the 2010’s golden era of Atlanta rap. But the lyrics encourage kids to wash their hands.
“Left hand/Right hand/ Put ‘em in, in, in/Left hand/Right hand/shake ‘em out, out, out,” Amir raps on the song.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Amir said he’s enjoyed working with his dad. He enjoys the attention he’s received from it, too.
“My friends like to listen to my songs and they say I’m the best rapper of all time,” Amir said with pride.
The 12-year-old, who’s a fan of Australian rapper The Kid Laroi, said one of the most challenging parts of the partnership is learning the art of songwriting, acknowledging it’s “harder than it looks.”
But Theron, who notes that Amir is already proficient at memorizing notes and melodies, said his son learning how to write his own songs will help take the music to next level.
“He’s understanding as he’s getting older (that) you can give me an idea and I execute it, but it’s even better when he can execute the idea that he has in his head. We’re just working on getting him there,” Theron said.
For Theron, the idea of having his son in the spotlight felt scary. He’s adamant about protecting Amir’s childhood, and didn’t want his son to feel any pressure to make music.
“It’s not work....it’s like, OK, come down to record this, then go play,” he said.
Now, Theron and Amir are focused on refining their recordings and releasing music for all occasions. For example, for Mothers’ Day this year, they dropped a 4-track EP titled “Mommy’s Boy.”
They plan on making a project for Halloween, but first up is their new single “Koala,” one of the first songs they recorded. The pop-infused track features Amir pleading about his desire for a pet koala.
“For me, as a parent and someone that makes music, it was driving me crazy that a kid is gonna make you play something like 170 times and not be tired of it,” Theron said. “So, the goal was to try to make well- produced music for children that parents would be like, ‘Yeah, it’s for kids, but I don’t mind the beat while I’m riding, driving them to school on the road trip.’”
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