UpNorthTrips Presents The 10s | Make The Music With Your Mouth: 10 Beatbox Bangers Beatboxing is truly the most underappreciated art form in hip hop. It rarely gets the props it deserves, though when people see and hear it done, their jaws always drop. Like, “How the fuck are they making that insanely hot beat with just their mouth?” I know this because I happen to be very close friends with two of the dopest beatboxers in the world, Max B (not the rapper), and Matisyahu (who I did a MC/beatbox Hot 97 Intro with for the Cipha Sounds and Rosenberg Morning Show). A beatboxer is truly a rapper’s best friend. You could be in the middle of the fucking woods and a rap cipher can start up if a beatboxer is with you. And it’s always a hit on stage. I’ve watched Max and Matis both tear down LARGE venues with their beatbox sets, separately and together. If you’re good, it will always win. And because I roll with these dudes who are in the beatbox inner circle, I’ve had the privilege of seeing the great ones like Biz Markie, Doug E. Fresh, Rahzel, and Kenny Muhammad, all up close and personal, rock crowds and studio sessions with their understated skills. So to celebrate the art of beatboxing, we present you with 10 Beatbox Bangers for today’s edition of The 10s, featuring a fun mix of hip hop, reggae, and R&B vocalists collaborating with some of the greatest beatboxers in history on wax. No need to hook up the turntables, all we need is two mics for these jams. Bust it. 1. Doug E. Fresh and M.C. Ricky D “La Di Da Di”Album: Doug E. Fresh And The Get Fresh Crew “The Show/La Di Da Di”Year: 1985Stan Ipcus says: “Yo, this is the original MC/beatbox song, the prototype if you will. Snoop made it gangster when he covered it for Doggystyle, but this version will always reign supreme. It’s ridiculously good. I can’t believe Slick Rick was rapping like this in ‘85!”UNT Quotable: “Stepped out the house, stopped short, oh no, I went back in I forgot my Kangol.” -Slick Rick2. Slick Rick f/ Doug E. Fresh “Sittin In My Car”Album: Behind BarsYear: 1994Stan Ipcus says: “Ricky and Dougie reunite on this one. First time I heard this was on a DJ S&S mixtape. Slick Rick was locked up, so he was off the scene when it dropped, but we would thump this shit on Mecca trips hard body. I used to love how S&S would drop the music out on that first line and scream ‘Bitch all that!’”UNT Quotable: “Don’t cut her off until I find a good replacement.” -Slick Rick3. The Roots f/ Dice Raw and Rahzel “The Lesson Pt. 1”Album: Do You Want More?!?!?!Year: 1995Stan Ipcus says: “I had the cassette single to ‘Distortion To Static’ before the album came out, and this was on the B-Side, and I used to thump this shit everywhere I went. Black Thought goes hard on this (is he going off the head?), but Dice Raw’s freestyle is legendary. And to think he was only sixteen when he recorded it. Holy shit. But the greatest thing about this song is obviously the beat. What MC wouldn’t want to hop in a cipher with Rahzel controlling it?”UNT Quotable: “Wack MCs want to flex, but their styles ain’t raw.” -Dice Raw4. Stan Ipcus and Max B “Munched Out”Album: Flirting With FameYear: 2005Stan Ipcus says: “Can I throw my own shit in this mix? God damn! Like I said, my boy Max B is one of the nicest beatboxers in the history of hip hop, and he needs some shine on here. No one can front on him either, because he’s held his own in the studio and on stage with Rahzel and Doug E. Fresh, both who I saw give Max major props for his skills. We’ve recorded more than a few tracks, and performed mad shows together too. That’s my brother for real. We both went to the University of Maryland, and spent many evenings sitting outside on Knox Road getting twisted, going in on the beats and raps for hours. We actually met on up on the campus radio station WMUC during an on air freestyle session. This song is cool because he flips three different beats while I kick three different raps about different ethnic foods. Peep the ‘Tried By 12’ shit he drops at the beginning. Action Bronson, are you listening? This is some early food rap shit! Chinese, Mexican, then Italian!”UNT Quotable: “If she bring that beef and broccoli, I send wife-piece to go queef in her saki.” -Stan Ipcus5. Stephen Marley f/ Damian Marley “Traffic Jam”Album: Mind ControlYear: 2007Stan Ipcus says: “I actually just recently got into this song, which I’m pretty sure is built around a beatbox sample. Shit is crazy though and sounds live as hell. For some reason, reggae and beatbox sound really dope together, am I right? It gets me amped. Always good to hear the Marley brothers on the same song too. Jah!”UNT Quotable: “‘Are you smoking marijuana?’ And I said, ‘Yes I am.’” -Stephen Marley6. Vicious f/ Doug E. Fresh “Freaks”Album: Destination BrooklynYear: 1994Stan Ipcus says: “Another reggae beatbox jam. This was the high school dance party popper, and the Hot 97/Kiss FM radio banger. None of us suburban white kids knew what the fuck Lil’ Vicious was saying, but that shit sounded real ill so we didn’t care. And once again, Doug E. Fresh kills. I opened up for him with Matisyahu and Max B in 2000 in downtown Mount Vernon and he murdered that shit with the beatbox.”UNT Quotable: ”The punanny get serious.” -Vicious7. Nas f/ Ludacris and Doug E. Fresh “Virgo”Album: Street’s DiscipleYear: 2004Stan Ipcus: “This isn’t really a personal favorite like the others in this mix, but I definitely like it. Street’s Disciple is a slept on Nas album overall, we highlighted a few of the better songs in our Nas x Salaam Remi MPC edition of The 10s. It’s cool to hear Nas on a Doug E. Fresh beatbox track, and Luda spits that old school, Slick Rick inspired flow so his appearance on this is nice too. I kind of wish more rappers did recordings over beatboxes. I’d like to hear Ghost and Rae on some beat box shit.”UNT Quotable: “Well, here I am, yup, I’m the man.” -Nas8. Fat Boys “Human Beat Box”Album: Fat BoysYear: 1984Stan Ipcus says: “Fat Boys was the first rap tape I ever had. I think my Dad bought if for me. I was still in elementary school when they were out. I remember I had the tape in my pocket and it fell out while I was riding my bike home from playing basketball at Highlands. It’s my earliest memory of being really upset about losing something. Anyway, Buff Love was definitely a pioneer beatboxer, and he showcases his early styles on this track. Proppers due.”UNT Quotable: “Brrrrrrr, stick ‘em, ha ha ha, stick ‘em.” -Prince Markie Dee?9. Grap Luva “Freestyle” (Pete Rock & CL Smooth “On and On” Interlude)Album: Mecca and the Soul BrotherYear: 1994Stan Ipcus says: “We used to recite this over and over and over. Grap Luva is Pete Rock’s brother, and I thought this was dope to let him spit a freestyle on the album like this. It’s cool too because you can tell it’s a freestyle, and it’s fun, like they’re just kicking it in the lab or something. You can hear the laughs in the background and all that. Great way to start off a song. Pete Rock always threw in the dope intros and interludes, and this was a gem.”UNT Quotable: “I’ma set an examp-ple, girls I pull, I got the honey dips so what’s up my tank is full, of sperm, I’m made to bust a nut, what’s up Pete Rock come get on the cut.” -Grap Luva10. Erykah Badu and Rahzel “Southern Girl”Album: Make The Music 2000Year: 1999Stan Ipcus says: “This was also released as an Erykah Badu single, right? I threw this in the mix because it’s cool to hear Rahzel flip a different style of beatbox for an R&B singer, and Erykah Badu is great. It’s one thing to spit some hot shit on the street corner or on stage, but not just anyone can finesse a beatbox track in the studio.”UNT Quotable: “Countryfied, everything I eat is fried.” -Erykah Badu words by @stanipcus / mix by @UNITEDCRATES / graphics by @CNTRBND

UpNorthTrips Presents The 10s | Make The Music With Your Mouth: 10 Beatbox Bangers

Beatboxing is truly the most underappreciated art form in hip hop. It rarely gets the props it deserves, though when people see and hear it done, their jaws always drop. Like, “How the fuck are they making that insanely hot beat with just their mouth?” I know this because I happen to be very close friends with two of the dopest beatboxers in the world, Max B (not the rapper), and Matisyahu (who I did a MC/beatbox Hot 97 Intro with for the Cipha Sounds and Rosenberg Morning Show). A beatboxer is truly a rapper’s best friend. You could be in the middle of the fucking woods and a rap cipher can start up if a beatboxer is with you. And it’s always a hit on stage. I’ve watched Max and Matis both tear down LARGE venues with their beatbox sets, separately and together. If you’re good, it will always win. And because I roll with these dudes who are in the beatbox inner circle, I’ve had the privilege of seeing the great ones like Biz Markie, Doug E. Fresh, Rahzel, and Kenny Muhammad, all up close and personal, rock crowds and studio sessions with their understated skills. So to celebrate the art of beatboxing, we present you with 10 Beatbox Bangers for today’s edition of The 10s, featuring a fun mix of hip hop, reggae, and R&B vocalists collaborating with some of the greatest beatboxers in history on wax. No need to hook up the turntables, all we need is two mics for these jams. Bust it.


1. Doug E. Fresh and M.C. Ricky D “La Di Da Di”
Album: Doug E. Fresh And The Get Fresh Crew “The Show/La Di Da Di”
Year: 1985
Stan Ipcus says: “Yo, this is the original MC/beatbox song, the prototype if you will. Snoop made it gangster when he covered it for Doggystyle, but this version will always reign supreme. It’s ridiculously good. I can’t believe Slick Rick was rapping like this in ‘85!”
UNT Quotable: “Stepped out the house, stopped short, oh no, I went back in I forgot my Kangol.” -Slick Rick

2. Slick Rick f/ Doug E. Fresh “Sittin In My Car”
Album: Behind Bars
Year: 1994
Stan Ipcus says: “Ricky and Dougie reunite on this one. First time I heard this was on a DJ S&S mixtape. Slick Rick was locked up, so he was off the scene when it dropped, but we would thump this shit on Mecca trips hard body. I used to love how S&S would drop the music out on that first line and scream ‘Bitch all that!’”
UNT Quotable: “Don’t cut her off until I find a good replacement.” -Slick Rick

3. The Roots f/ Dice Raw and Rahzel “The Lesson Pt. 1”
Album: Do You Want More?!?!?!
Year: 1995
Stan Ipcus says: “I had the cassette single to ‘Distortion To Static’ before the album came out, and this was on the B-Side, and I used to thump this shit everywhere I went. Black Thought goes hard on this (is he going off the head?), but Dice Raw’s freestyle is legendary. And to think he was only sixteen when he recorded it. Holy shit. But the greatest thing about this song is obviously the beat. What MC wouldn’t want to hop in a cipher with Rahzel controlling it?”
UNT Quotable: “Wack MCs want to flex, but their styles ain’t raw.” -Dice Raw

4. Stan Ipcus and Max B “Munched Out”
Album: Flirting With Fame
Year: 2005
Stan Ipcus says: “Can I throw my own shit in this mix? God damn! Like I said, my boy Max B is one of the nicest beatboxers in the history of hip hop, and he needs some shine on here. No one can front on him either, because he’s held his own in the studio and on stage with Rahzel and Doug E. Fresh, both who I saw give Max major props for his skills. We’ve recorded more than a few tracks, and performed mad shows together too. That’s my brother for real. We both went to the University of Maryland, and spent many evenings sitting outside on Knox Road getting twisted, going in on the beats and raps for hours. We actually met on up on the campus radio station WMUC during an on air freestyle session. This song is cool because he flips three different beats while I kick three different raps about different ethnic foods. Peep the ‘Tried By 12’ shit he drops at the beginning. Action Bronson, are you listening? This is some early food rap shit! Chinese, Mexican, then Italian!”
UNT Quotable: “If she bring that beef and broccoli, I send wife-piece to go queef in her saki.” -Stan Ipcus

5. Stephen Marley f/ Damian Marley “Traffic Jam”
Album: Mind Control
Year: 2007
Stan Ipcus says: “I actually just recently got into this song, which I’m pretty sure is built around a beatbox sample. Shit is crazy though and sounds live as hell. For some reason, reggae and beatbox sound really dope together, am I right? It gets me amped. Always good to hear the Marley brothers on the same song too. Jah!”
UNT Quotable: “‘Are you smoking marijuana?’ And I said, ‘Yes I am.’” -Stephen Marley

6. Vicious f/ Doug E. Fresh “Freaks”
Album: Destination Brooklyn
Year: 1994
Stan Ipcus says: “Another reggae beatbox jam. This was the high school dance party popper, and the Hot 97/Kiss FM radio banger. None of us suburban white kids knew what the fuck Lil’ Vicious was saying, but that shit sounded real ill so we didn’t care. And once again, Doug E. Fresh kills. I opened up for him with Matisyahu and Max B in 2000 in downtown Mount Vernon and he murdered that shit with the beatbox.”
UNT Quotable: ”The punanny get serious.” -Vicious

7. Nas f/ Ludacris and Doug E. Fresh “Virgo”
Album: Street’s Disciple
Year: 2004
Stan Ipcus: “This isn’t really a personal favorite like the others in this mix, but I definitely like it. Street’s Disciple is a slept on Nas album overall, we highlighted a few of the better songs in our Nas x Salaam Remi MPC edition of The 10s. It’s cool to hear Nas on a Doug E. Fresh beatbox track, and Luda spits that old school, Slick Rick inspired flow so his appearance on this is nice too. I kind of wish more rappers did recordings over beatboxes. I’d like to hear Ghost and Rae on some beat box shit.”
UNT Quotable: “Well, here I am, yup, I’m the man.” -Nas

8. Fat Boys “Human Beat Box”
Album: Fat Boys
Year: 1984
Stan Ipcus says: “Fat Boys was the first rap tape I ever had. I think my Dad bought if for me. I was still in elementary school when they were out. I remember I had the tape in my pocket and it fell out while I was riding my bike home from playing basketball at Highlands. It’s my earliest memory of being really upset about losing something. Anyway, Buff Love was definitely a pioneer beatboxer, and he showcases his early styles on this track. Proppers due.”
UNT Quotable: “Brrrrrrr, stick ‘em, ha ha ha, stick ‘em.” -Prince Markie Dee?

9. Grap Luva “Freestyle” (Pete Rock & CL Smooth “On and On” Interlude)
Album: Mecca and the Soul Brother
Year: 1994
Stan Ipcus says: “We used to recite this over and over and over. Grap Luva is Pete Rock’s brother, and I thought this was dope to let him spit a freestyle on the album like this. It’s cool too because you can tell it’s a freestyle, and it’s fun, like they’re just kicking it in the lab or something. You can hear the laughs in the background and all that. Great way to start off a song. Pete Rock always threw in the dope intros and interludes, and this was a gem.”
UNT Quotable: “I’ma set an examp-ple, girls I pull, I got the honey dips so what’s up my tank is full, of sperm, I’m made to bust a nut, what’s up Pete Rock come get on the cut.” -Grap Luva

10. Erykah Badu and Rahzel “Southern Girl”
Album: Make The Music 2000
Year: 1999
Stan Ipcus says: “This was also released as an Erykah Badu single, right? I threw this in the mix because it’s cool to hear Rahzel flip a different style of beatbox for an R&B singer, and Erykah Badu is great. It’s one thing to spit some hot shit on the street corner or on stage, but not just anyone can finesse a beatbox track in the studio.”
UNT Quotable: “Countryfied, everything I eat is fried.” -Erykah Badu

words by @stanipcus / mix by @UNITEDCRATES / graphics by @CNTRBND