Khleo Thomas
Khleo Thomas (born January 30, 1989) is an American actor,[1] rapper, influencer, and music producer best known for his role as Zero in Holes and Mixed Mike in Roll Bounce. Born in Anchorage, Alaska, he began acting in commercials at age six after his family settled in Southern California. He also starred in other films like Friday After Next (2002), Walking Tall (2004), Going to the Mat (2004), Dirty (2005), and Remember the Daze (2007). and for his role as Lewis Wilks in Major Crimes (2017). He has recorded numerous mixtapes and singles since releasing his first mixtape The World Is A Cartoon in 2010.
Khleo Thomas | |
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Thomas in 2018 | |
Born | Anchorage, Alaska, U.S. | January 30, 1989
Occupation | Actor, Artist, Influencer, Producer, Content Creator |
Years active | 1998–present |
Height | 6'1" |
Musical career | |
Genres | Hip hop, R&B |
Labels | Slick Living, Executive Dream, Executive Music, Fontana, UMG (current) The Plus (former) |
Website | www |
Early life
Thomas was born in Anchorage, Alaska, the son of Raquel and Leon Thomas. His father is an Army officer who was then stationed in Alaska.[2] Thomas' mother is a Jewish immigrant from Morocco, and his father is African-American.[2][3][4] After living in Germany, the family returned to the continental United States when Thomas was four.[2] After his family settled in Southern California, he began acting in commercials at age six.[5]
Career
1998–2009: Career beginnings, Holes, and other early roles
In 1998, Thomas's first television appearance was on an episode of Bill Cosby's Kids Say the Darndest Things.
He has since starred in such films as Friday After Next (2002), Holes (2003), Going to the Mat (2004), Walking Tall (2004), and Roll Bounce (2005).
Thomas starred in the 2003 Disney film Holes, adapted from Louis Sachar's book of the same name. Thomas had not read the book before he was cast as Zero.[5] To adapt to the desert climate for filming Holes, Thomas was required to participate in physical conditioning training. He recalls, "We had to climb rope, dig holes, run, go hiking, do sit-ups and push-ups. The whole time we were thinking, why do we need this? Then we get to the desert and we understood. It was so hot, you could only be in a hole for 20 minutes at a time."[5] Thomas sang on one of the movie soundtrack's songs, "Dig It", which originated on the six-hour round-trip bus rides that transported the actors to the set.[5]
In 2005 he became more involved in music after he began an association with fellow rapper/actor Bow Wow and his label LBW. He was featured on Bow Wow's fifth studio album The Price of Fame as well as on numerous mixtapes. He made cameo appearances in Bow Wow's "Fresh Azimiz" and "Outta My System" music videos.
In 2006, Thomas guest-starred in "Poppin' Tags", an episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation; and in the season four episode of House, "Ugly" in 2007. He co-starred in the first episode of the television series Teachers, which was canceled after six episodes. He starred in movies such as Remember the Daze (2007) and Hurricane Season (2009). In 2010, Thomas starred in the action film Boogie Town.
2010–present: Mixtapes, EPs, collaborations and Just a Sample
On January 11, 2010, Thomas released his debut mixtape, The World Is a Cartoon.[6][7]
In early 2010, he was associated with Soulja Boy's label SODMG Entertainment, but would end up not officially signing with them.
On August 12, 2010, Thomas announced via his Twitter that he was working on his debut album, Just a Sample.[8] On September 22, 2010, he said during an interview that his first single would be titled "Lights Out", and he reported the startup of his own label, Zero Unlimited.[9] Despite this, he later signed a record deal with independent label The Plus Records.
In late September 2010, Thomas made an opening performance in California on the "How the West Was One Tour" with Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube. Also in 2010, he released a snippet of "Let Go", a song intended to be on Just a Sample. It samples the track "Let Go" by Frou Frou.
On January 11, 2011, he released a mixtape titled The Next Episode. In the song "Anniversary" he disclosed in more detail why he did not officially sign to SODMG Entertainment.[10][11] On February 15, 2011 he released his first single, "Lights Out", although this would later be dubbed a promotional single.[12]
On December 20, 2011, it was announced that Thomas had parted ways with The Plus Records and had signed a new label deal with Executive Dream Music, a division of Executive Music Group distributed by Fontana. On December 23, 2011, he released a mixtape titled Slick Living.[13][14]
On March 6, 2012, he released a single titled "So Many Girls", the music video of which reached number 10 on BET's 106 & Park.[15]
On November 13, 2012, he released a collaborative EP with singer/rapper Chris Batson titled After Everything Fades.[16][17]
On December 28, 2014 he released the EP Raised in the 90s through SoundCloud.[18]
Other ventures
Discography
EPs
Year | Title |
---|---|
2012 | After Everything Fades (with Chris Batson)
|
2014 | Raised in the 90s[18]
|
Mixtapes
Title | Mixtape details |
---|---|
The World Is a Cartoon |
|
The Next Episode |
|
Slick Living |
|
The World Is a Cartoon: Episode 3 |
|
Singles
As lead artist
Year | Song | Album |
---|---|---|
2011 | "Lights Out" | Non-album single |
2012 | "So Many Girls"[21][22][23] | |
"Slick"[24] | Slick Living | |
"Sweat It Out"[25] | ||
"Becoming"[26] (with Chris Batson) |
After Everything Fades | |
2013 | "Ride"[27] (with Chris Batson) | |
2014 | "Side Ni**a / Don't Catch Feelings"[28] | Non-album single |
"No Questions"[29] | ||
"Tonight"[30] (featuring Sean Roxs) |
As featured artist
Year | Song | Album |
---|---|---|
2013 | "Now Forever" (Sofia Reyes featuring Khleo Thomas) | Non-album single |
Guest appearances
Year | Song | Performer(s) | Album |
---|---|---|---|
2006 | "How You Move It" | Bow Wow | The Price of Fame |
"Bet That" | Bow Wow | Non-album single | |
2009 | "Ain't I Freestyle" | Bow Wow | The Greenlight |
"Do I Love Her" | Bow Wow | ||
2010 | "Freak Show" | JBar aka Ja-Bar | In the Club |
"Victory" | Soulja Boy | none | |
"Teachers Pet" | Stefon4u | ||
"Never Change Remix (I'll Never Change)" | Indigo Charlie | ||
"Not My Girl" | The Good Boys | ||
"Running Back to You" | Amanda Leigh | ||
"Light the Speakers on Fire" | Malachi Mott | ||
2013 | "Now Forever" | Sofia Reyes | |
"Fade Away" | Social Club | Summer of George | |
2014 | "In'n'Out" | Sean Roxs | none |
"Face Down" | Flip Major |
Videography
As lead artist
- "In My Soul" (2010)
- "I'm Still" (2010)
- "Lost" (2010)
- "I Got Me" (2010)
- "Feel Good Music" (2010)
- "Like I Never Left" (2010)
- "Give Em What They Want" (2010)
- "Halloween" (2010)
- "Burn It Down" (2010)
- "Lights Out" (2011)
- "Floyd Mayweather" (2011)
- "Motivation Remix" (2011)
- "You Don't Fight Fair" (2011)
- "Monster & A Beat" (2011)
- "Slick" (2012)
- "Sweat It Out" (2012)
- "Fly Me Out To Cali" (2012)
- "So Many Girls" (2012)
- "Slick Music" (2012)
- "5 On It" (2014)
As featured artist
- Eric Mora - "Ain't I Freestyle" (2009)
- Stefon4u - "Teachers Pet" (2010)
- Indigo Charlie - "Never Change Remix (I'll Never Change)" (2010)
- Amanda Leigh - "Running Back To You" (2010)
Cameo video appearances
- Bow Wow - "Fresh Azimiz" (2005)
- Bow Wow - "Outta My System" (2007)
- Bow Wow - "Pretty Lady" (2010)
- Soulja Boy - "All Black Everything" (2010)
- Soulja Boy - "Pretty Boy Swag" (2010)(Viral Version)
- Bow Wow - "For My Hood" (2010)
- Paula DeAnda - "Easy" (2010)
- Jonn Hart - "Who Booty" (2012)
- Chris Batson - "We Got Lost Along the Way" (2014)
Filmography
Film | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
2002 | Friday After Next | Bad Kid | Supporting role |
2003 | Holes | Hector "Zero" Zeroni | Main role/nominated performance |
2004 | Walking Tall | Pete Vaughn | Supporting role |
Baadasssss! | Mario | Supporting role | |
Going to the Mat | Vincent "Fly" Shu | Supporting role | |
Time Out | Khalid | Supporting role | |
2005 | Roll Bounce | Mixed Mike | Main role |
Dirty | Splooge | Supporting role | |
The Golden Blaze | Jason/Sure Shot | Supporting role | |
2007 | Remember the Daze | Dylan | Supporting role/nominated performance |
2008 | Bob Funk | Cupcake | Main role/nominated performance |
2009 | Hurricane Season | David Willis | Supporting role |
Breathe/III | Dante | Supporting role | |
2010 | The Company We Keep | Young Raheem | Supporting role |
Krews | Tom Tom | Supporting role | |
2015 | Victor | Randy | Supporting role |
2016 | Soy Nero | Mohammed | |
2018 | We the Coyotes | Danny | |
TBD | Boogie Town | Gizmo | Supporting role |
Television | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
1998 | Kids Say the Darndest Things | Himself | Episode: "Oatmeal" |
1999 | Family Law | Lanny Brass | Episode: "Games" |
2001 | City Guys | Jordan | Episode: "Skips, Lies and Radiotapes" |
2003 | Super Short Show | Himself | |
2004 | ER | Brian | Episode: "Forgive and Forget" |
The Wayne Brady Show | Himself | Episode: "March 19, 2004" | |
Frankie Muniz HoopLA Celebrity Basketball Event | Himself | ||
The Story Behind Baadasssss!: The Birth of Black Cinema | |||
2005 | The Bernie Mac Show | Curtis | Episode: "Car wars" |
Scream Tour IV | Himself | ||
2006 | Teachers | Patrick | Episode: "Substitute" |
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Dante | Episode: "Poppin' Tags" | |
Gettin' Dirty | |||
2007 | House | Kenny | Episode: "Ugly" |
On Location with Remember the Daze | Himself | ||
2009 | Kids' Inaugural | Himself | |
2010 | 90210 | Purse Guy | Episode: "I see London/I see France" |
2011 | Parenthood | Guy in batting cage | Episode: "Amazing Andy and His Wonderful World of Bugs" |
Sons of Anarchy | Frecks | Episode: "Dorylus" | |
2013 | Bones | Marcos Herrera | Episode: "The Blood from the Stones" |
2016 | Shameless | Dylan Oswald | Episodes: "I Am a Storm" and "Own Your Shit" |
2017 | Being Mary Jane | D-Razor | Episode: "Getting Schooled" |
2017 | Major Crimes | Lewis Wilks | Episodes: "Shockwave: Part 1" and "Shockwave: Part 2" |
References
- Khleo Thomas on IMDb
- "It's My Life". pbskids.org. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
- "Digging for Jews - Arts - Jewish Journal". Retrieved 29 May 2018.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-04-02. Retrieved 2015-03-08.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- Olsen, Mark (April 17, 2003). "Young actors get into 'Holes'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 19, 2018.
- "The World Is A Cartoon Mixtape by Khleo, Soulja Boy, YG, Bow Wow, Tay F 3rd, G. Austin, The-Dream, Audio Push Hosted by DJ Goonie". DatPiff. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
- "mixconnect.com". mixconnect.com. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
- Khleo Thomas [@KhleoThomas] (13 August 2010). ""Just A Sample" which drops September 3rd, will not be a mixtape. It will be a ALBUM. All original songs" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-02-22. Retrieved 2015-03-14.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "The Next Episode Mixtape by Khleo". DatPiff. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
- "Khleo - The Next Episode". Retrieved 29 May 2018.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-03-18. Retrieved 2015-03-14.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "Slick Living Mixtape by Khleo Hosted by Coast 2 Coast Mixtape Promotion". DatPiff. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
- "Slick Living". Hotnewhiphop.com. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
- "So Many Girls - Single by Khleo Thomas". Itunes.apple.com. 6 March 2012. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
- "Khleo Thomas x Chris Batson - After Everything Fades Interview - OnSMASH". Freeonsmash.com. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
- "After Everything Fades by Khleo Thomas & Chris Batson". Itunes.apple.com. 13 November 2012. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
- "Khleo Thomas - Raised In The 90s [EP] - OnSMASH". Freeonsmash.com. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-04-02. Retrieved 2015-03-08.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-03-30. Retrieved 2015-03-14.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "So Many Girls - Single by Khleo Thomas". Itunes.apple.com. 6 March 2012. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
- "So Many Girls". Amazon.com. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
- Khleo Thomas (2 August 2012). "Khleo Thomas - So Many Girls - OFFICIAL VIDEO (Extended Version)". YouTube. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
- "Slick - Single by Khleo Thomas". Itunes.apple.com. 14 February 2012. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
- "Sweat It Out - Single by Khleo Thomas". Itunes.apple.com. 21 February 2012. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
- "Becoming - Single by Khleo Thomas & Chris Batson". Itunes.apple.com. 30 October 2012. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
- "Ride - Single by Khleo Thomas & Chris Batson". Itunes.apple.com. 16 April 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
- "Side Ni**a / Don't Catch Feelings - Single by Khleo Thomas on iTunes". Itunes.apple.comaccessdate=29 May 2018. 21 November 2014.
- "No Questions - Single by Khleo Thomas on iTunes". Itunes.apple.com. 21 November 2014. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
- "Tonight (feat. Sean Roxs) - Single by Khleo Thomas on iTunes". Itunes.apple.com. 25 November 2014. Retrieved 29 May 2018.