Kid Beyond is a pretty well renowned beatboxer. He’s opened for some decent artists (like Imogen Heap of Frou Frou fame) as well as just trying to make a name for himself solo.
The thing that appeals to me about his performance is his use of technology. Maybe I’m just a bit of a nerd, but I like seeing technology being used in ways that are beneficial to music in general. Instead of trying to make it seem less real, or using technology to overproduce a record to the point where anyone (even me) could sound good, this is something productive that could advance hip hop.
I’m sure a lot of people would disagree and argue that this isn’t true beatboxing or anything like that, but I really don’t see the harm. And something like a live looper could make a more diverse sound at shows and permit beatboxers to get a little more creative. If they’re not just maintaining the bassline the whole way, they can try and make all kinds of better additions. Either way, check out the video below, a little snippet of Kid Beyond’s e-beatboxing.
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