“OCTOBER 1 Back before it was Spose, it was Poverty for a little while. And now Poverty’s back in town, this time as Thommy, with a new single produced by Rustic Overtones’ Dave Gutter, released today. A nice piece of pop-hop, it’s got a catchy chorus and an interesting collection of chiming synths to back step-dad tales and nostalgic lyrics like, “I wanna stick a giant spoon in the Skippy jar.” Look for a full-length by December.”

"Thommy is one of the top five rappers in the game." ~ Jay-Z

"One of the illest whiteboys I've ever heard." ~ The Game

"Thommy is hip-hop. He stays true the roots of this art form." ~ KRS One

“Tom Abate is a walking contradiction. He's a skeptic by day who says, "I figured I'd wash dishes and mop floors for the rest of my life," but also a dreamer by night who insists, "I always believed in my heart that ... I was gonna make it." Even as the up-and-coming rapper moved from one Portland, Maine, homeless shelter to another, even as he prepared himself for defeat, Abate's dreams tugged at him, forcing him to dig deep and pull out words and rhymes that, unbeknownst to him, would one day be his salvation. "I'd go around and break my back trying to get around people involved in hip-hop," he recalled, "trying to rap, continuing to write and trying to get better at it, trying to master it, and it was like all the way through the whole process, one right after the other, good luck things would happen." ”

“ARTISTdirect Records much buzzed-about new hip-hop recording artist POVERTY will embark on his first-ever U.S. concert tour, joining Redman, Keith Murray and Onyx at the 2002 Lyricists' Lounge tour. The Lyricists' Lounge tour kicks off on September 12 in Orlando, Florida, and includes dates in Los Angeles at the House of Blues, and at Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. Twenty-three year old rapper Poverty was personally signed by ARTISTdirect's CEO Ted Field, and his debut CD, "Rise From Ruin," will be released in late January 2003. Field, who as co-founder of Interscope Records launched the careers of multi-Platinum artists such as Dr. Dre, Snoop Doggy Dogg, and Eminem, said about Poverty, "Rarely have I come across an artist as special as Poverty. He is an extraordinary talent due not only to his uncanny gift as a storyteller, but for his ability to weave the adversity of his life experiences into his work. I don't think you can help but be affected by this young man's music."”

"What prepared me to hear Poverty is that I'm a child of the '60s and the civil rights movement, where the important lesson that black and white Americans hopefully learned was that color doesn't matter. Like Martin Luther King said, we should all be judged by the content of our character, not the color of our skin." Harris, who was the head of promotion at Def Jam when the Beastie Boys were signed, said they taught him that it doesn't matter where you come from as long as you're dope. "And Poverty is dope," he said of the MC, whose grimy rhymes deal with his destitute upbringing by a drug-addicted mother and his struggle to beat the street.

“Thomas Joseph Abate III (born August 20, 1978, in Lawrence, Massachusetts), also known as Poverty, is a hip-hop artist and actor from the New England area. He was living in a homeless shelter in Maine when he produced a demo that was eventually picked up by Artistdirect records, the offshoot of Interscope Records chief Ted Field.[2][3]. However, plans to release his album Rise from Ruin foundered in the wake of problems at the label.[4] The album was eventually released in March, 2004, but is no longer available. Artistdirect Records became Radar Records, which eventually became Radar Pictures. Abate has since started an acting career with a small role in the 2006 film Waist Deep.”

“There are a diversity of political opinions here, and I'm amazed at the range of ideologies among protestors at Monument Square and even outside my local Hannaford. Neo-hippies, tea baggers, military cheerleaders, get-out-of-Iraq-now folks, and so many more. Hell, we even have white rappers here in Portland — including one named Poverty. Sure, he's melanin-challenged, but he certainly isn't just a run-of-the-mill Maine resident.”

“Poverty's music is heavily based on his upbringings and hardscrabble experiences as a homeless person going from one shelter to another in Portland, Maine. His honest lyrics earned him an underground following, a ghostwriting gig with Crazy Town, and a recording contract for an album, Rise From Ruin, in which he rhymed over Alchemist- and Erick Sermon-produced tracks. We say it's time for a Hobo Junction reunion!”

“Poverty followed with what proved to be the evening's most inspired set. Over Alchemist beats, he propelled his raps with angst, coming off like a white DMX. "This is real hip-hop, this ain't Crystal bullsh--," he said before "For My People," featuring the tell-all line "They say life is sweet/ But it tastes plain to me." "F--- the stage," Poverty said mid-set as he walked into the crowd for an entire song. "I'm not better than you." While the audience appeared a bit stunned at first, people warmed up and eventually embraced him as he returned to the stage. Like Poverty, both of the next two acts, Grafh and Killah Priest, rapped over CD tracks rather than a DJ spinning vinyl, taking away from the spirit of the Lyricist Lounge, which is meant to celebrate the foundations of hip-hop.”

“Thomas Abate was born right outside of the Boston area in Lawrence, Massachusetts. He began acting at the age of 10 when he worked in school plays. His original intent in coming to Hollywood was to pursue a music career. Tommy grew up with no father and lived homeless on the streets with his mother for years, who has since then passed away. He lived in many states. Indiana, Florida, Illinios, Maine, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and of course his home state of Massachusetts. Now he resides in West Hollywood and is in strong pursuit of his acting career.”