Tommy the Clown is an American dancer best known as the inventor of the "clowning" style of dance, which evolved into krumping. Johnson invented the style in 1992 to enhance birthday party clown acts, thereby creating the concept of "hip-hop clowns". He and his squad of Hip Hop clowns "TSQUAD" have performed at birthday parties in the inner city as well as for celebrities like Snoop Dogg, Madonna, Pamela Anderson, and Cedric the Entertainer. He achieved international recognition as the focus of David LaChapelle's 2005 Lions Gate Films documentary RIZE. Tommy the Clown and TSQUAD have traveled the globe performing and making appearances. As well as performing for various celebrities, Tommy has also appeared at numerous schools and colleges across the United States. He has a partnership with the Los Angeles Unified School District to provide in-school Clowning and Krumping workshops based on the California Education Standards. He also provides a variety of youth programs in schools and the community.