Thomas James Thomsen

About me

Hi, I'm James

• Podcast host Men Nu Griner Vi Af Det
• Entrepreneur and consultant
• Retired basketball player
• Anti-racism advocate
• Founder of Racism Sucks · merchandise.dk · I Make It Cry · DK Merch Mafia

My full name is Thomas James Thomsen. I was born in Aarhus, Denmark, adopted by Danish parents and Danish through and through. My biological mother is Danish, and my father is African American.

I grew up in a small town outside Roskilde. I'm dyslexic and only just made it through 9th grade. My childhood was full of bullying, racism and the fear of getting beaten up every day when the school bell rang.

At 20 I started my first company, and since then I've had my hands in everything I could get near. Because as my grandmother always said: "Ingen arme, ingen småkager." No arms, no cookies.

After many years of blood, sweat and a few tears, I'm now self-employed in the music industry, working with booking, events, security and merchandise. I live in Sweden, but of course with a view of Copenhagen. In my spare time I use social media for my passion: fighting racism and racial profiling, and standing up for equality and mental health.

I've given talks everywhere from the University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen Business School, schools and high schools to the Danish National Police, the Danish People's Meeting (Folkemødet), job centres and the Danish Ministry of Justice, and yes, a church and quite a few companies. I speak with humour, but also with seriousness: about growing up in provincial Denmark, my past as a professional bodyguard, my time as sales director and partner in various companies, and the courage to start my own business against the odds. And about the journey from a small t-shirt stall to one of the Nordic region's leading merchandise companies, working with big names such as Nik & Jay, L.O.C. and Sanne Salomonsen, a successful podcast and a growing events and booking agency.

My purpose is to motivate people, give them faith in themselves, build their self-esteem and show them that adversity can be a hill or a mountain. But the harder you work to reach the top, the more fun it is on the way down the other side. And remember: no arms, no cookies.