Streetwise Beatbox Battle Level 4: Bangladeshi beats rising

When Chatgaiyas assemble to perform together, something magical is bound to happen - so claimed the group 'Protiddhoni' when they took to the stage. 

And what was the magic? The group performed and Beatboxed on cult classics like Charlie Puth's 'Attention', which  got the 60 odd people gathered at 'EMK Center' to get up on their feet and dance like there was no tomorrow.

As promised, the beatboxer group had delivered, setting the stage on fire. 

Beatboxing, an innovative way of making music using one's mouth, lips, tongue, and voice to mimic drum machine sounds, is still a relatively unknown art form in Bangladesh. However, a growing community is working diligently to gain international recognition.

The 'Streetwise Beatbox Battle Level 4' on 13 July offered a platform for emerging beatbox talents in the country to showcase their skills. Beatbox Bangladesh, the official beatbox community founded by Ronesh Biswas and Moktadir Dewan, discovered and brought together the performers for this event.
 
The event, initially set to start at 3 PM, was delayed by an hour and ten minutes to adjust the instruments. The wait was worthwhile, as host Moktadir Dewan, popularly known as BeatBaksho, ensured everyone was engaged and comfortable. Unlike traditional beatboxing battles, this event offered more engaging performances as time went on. 

Judges 'Berzerk,' 'Anarchy,' 'Skykoverse,' 'Zahin7,' and 'Rafteknix'(stagenames), all previous champions, watched as 15 solo contestants heightened the energy with each performance.

In a thrilling solo battle between Crocodile and Dippox, tension mounted as Crocodile confidently declared, "I'm gonna make you cry, I'm gonna make you lose" just before unleashing a beatboxing performance that got the audience all charged up.

Photo: Courtesy

 Tag-team battles were scheduled next, however, during the brief break between the performances, it was the judges who surprisingly appeared on stage. The judges, all past champions of 'Streetwise Beatbox Battle,' delivered short performances of their own while the contestants took a back seat and observed the pros take over.

One of those judges, Zahin7 displayed an astounding performance on Coke Studio Bangla's rendition of 'Bhober Pagol.' His was a 'Loopstation' performance, meaning  the beatboxer used a looper to layer sounds and create a backing track.

Before kicking off their battles, the tag team performers played 'rock paper scissors' to decide who would go first. Every team battle provided for some fierce competition, which must have made it difficult for the judges to select the winner.

While it's common for only contestants to perform in such shows, it's rare for judges and organisers to also take the stage, showcasing more polished performances compared to the younger, less experienced participants. 

In retrospect, this was a way for the organisers to highlight the quality of the beatboxing scene in the country and its potential for growth. 

Professional beatboxers from groups like 'Beatmosphere' and 'Protiddhoni' delighted the audience with renditions of popular songs like Imagine Dragons' 'Believer' and Stoic Bliss' 'Abar Jigay.'

Host Moktadir Dewan, popularly known as BeatBaksho. Photo: Courtesy

BeatBaksho addressed the audience saying, "When I started beatboxing in the mid-90s, there was no internet or platforms like these to reach a wide audience. But times have changed. This is the fourth battle, which is unbelievable to me, with solo and tag team performances all in one place."

The event concluded with the announcement of the winners: Islishious as the best tag team and Zardo as best the solo performer.