Jonathan believes every person is a human beat box. The Stadsschouwburg has never before had a one-man band on its stage like this before. He filled his lungs and opened his heart to the TEDx community, telling his life story in words, rhymes and rhythms. He leads us from his humble beginnings to his victorious day at the National Beat Box Championship.
Photo: Maurice Mikkers & Jan-Jaap Heine
Free jukebox
Jonathan has been obsessed with music from the day he was born. Unfortunately his one-parent household couldn’t finance the musical interests of the young boy. One week they lived on €6. “But I had a wish, I had an idea: I wanted to be an entertainer!” says little Jonathan. He explains that he used to listen to the Jackson Five. On that note, he starts beat boxing. Recording every layer on a small sampling board. The beat, the rhythm, the lyrics: “I want you back!” Jonathan is a true human beat box.
His inspiration was a beat boxer named Rahzel. This man became his role model. Jonathan taught himself to make sounds with his mouth and body. Because no one around him encouraged him, he kept this to himself for five years. But in 2005 he came out of the box and won the Dutch National Beat Box Championship. “This is what it’s about. It’s about ideas and dreams. And you don’t need money to realize them.”
Then it was time learn how to be a human beat box. “Everybody is a human beat box.” Three volunteers out of the audience took up the challenge. Jonathan started his speed course with the basics. “The basic sounds are ‘P’, ‘K’ and ‘T’.” The three did quite well. So Jonathan chopped the Stadsschouwburg in three parts: the balcony, the mainfloor and the stage. Jonathan pointed and TEDxAmsterdam responded. ‘P’ – ‘K’ – ‘P, P’ – ‘K’ – ‘P’ – ‘K’ – ‘P, P’ – ‘T’
(the video will be added as soon as possible)
As you can clearly hear, anyone can beat box. Yet Jonathan seems to do it better. That’s why he recently he featured next to Dutch rapper Ali B in a commercial and none of us did. Well, he’s also a friend of Ali B. Jonathan is not only a good performer, he’s also a good teacher and speaker. He touched our hearts and broke our eardrums. In a quick meet and greet after his talk Jonathan said: “I want people to know that you don’t need money to do what you want.” And so we will!
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