During the course of my research into New York area events I came across a flash mob of beat-boxers and MCs (Check out more photos in my Photo Blog). Every other week, this group would hijack the last car on a subway train and turn it into a “hip-hop party train.” Organized chaos … I love it.
The seemingly spontaneous but regimented events were planned by Terry “Kid Lucky” Lewis. You can read more about it in my story for The L Magazine in a piece called “going underground.”
What drew me to the story wasn’t just my love of beat-boxing, but also the idea that you can beat-box professionally. ‘Kid Lucky’ is the founder of Beat Boxer Entertainment, a collaboration of 50 beat boxers throughout the country.
Not too long ago on this blog I questioned what beat-box lessons would consist of. I asked that question having already met someone who gave them. Yako Prodis gives beat box lessons to children in New York and is part of Beat Boxer Entertainment. He was in the original story linked to above, but I
had to cut him out for word count.
Still, it should be noted that beat boxing is an overlooked aspect of hip hop (overlooked since the disappearance of the Fat-Boys… remember the Fat Boys?) that has many facets and angles. This story was easy to do because I could just focus on the spectacle that the subway created for their performances. Basically I was able to fill my piece with little puns and quarks. My favorite: ‘regular subway etiquette was tossed out the closing door.’ — read the story for more.
And although the spectacle aspect of this story made it easier to get published, I think there is room for other stories about beat boxing and it’s place in hip hop. — Although I realize most editors wouldn’t touch it with a 10 foot poll (even hip hop magazines tend to stay away from stories that don’t have glam or big stars).
I also met a young photographer Clint Spaulding who had been following the Hip Hop Subway Series and had lots of good pictures. He event caught a picture of me beat boxing next to two of the characters in the story — Kid Lucky and Rabbi Darkside. Yes, that is me wearing my trademark Mickey Mouse shirt and I’m beat boxing.
Most people are surprised to hear me beat box because the truth is, I’m rather good. I think being able to bust out some beats gave me credibility while covering “kid Lucky” and his crew.
I took quite a few pictures myself (as you can see) and just for the heck of it. Here are some more. If you want captions…..check out the Photo Blog.
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