How to Build a Beatboxing Career: From Passion to Profession

Is it possible to make a living from your passion and fulfil yourself in your work? And above all, is it possible to make a living from something as specific as beatboxing?

The great thing about beatboxing is that it’s not just limited to battles or viral videos. In fact, it’s an incredibly versatile discipline that opens the door to a multitude of careers and income-generating activities. From Robin playing with an orchestra, to KIM giving workshops in schools, to working with speech therapists, to a role in a commercial or in film… Here’s how beatboxing can turn into an exciting and varied career.

Beatbox Artist and Performer Opportunities

I’m going to use the term artist because we need a designation, but you should understand that all the activities proposed below are related to art. 

Quite simply, one of the first images that comes to mind when I think of an artist is someone performing on stage. 

There are many possible forms for performing as a beatboxer.

As a solo artist, winning beatbox competitions and events raises your profile and gets you invited to perform at concerts, festivals and other cultural events.

That said, in addition to solo performances, it is also possible to perform in groups. I’m thinking in particular of the group BERYWAM, which is helping to put beatbox on the international map. 

You can also see beatbox and dance duos in the group Jeunes Princes, made up of Ismaël on dance and Bookie Blanco, alternating with Osy on beatbox.

There’s also BigBen with his acapella group Just Vox, Robin with a philharmonic orchestra and Wanel with his group Baboucan and The Fine Asses.

There are plenty of beatboxers performing solo, as a duo or in a group! There’s something for everyone!

In France, being an artist gives you the opportunity to obtain “intermittent entertainment worker”  status. This is a major advantage that ensures financial stability for professional artists, as it allows them to be compensated during the months when they don’t have an employment contract. To qualify for this status, artists must have worked a minimum of 507 hours in the entertainment industry over the last 12 months (source: Unedic.org).   

Professional Beatboxing: Roles of Producer and Composer

Beatboxing is also an excellent tool for creating music. Beatboxers can produce beats, loops and vocal tracks for personal projects or collaborate with artists and recording studios. Their ability to create unique sounds enriches modern music and diversifies musical productions.

In several of his videos, we discover Brez‘s creative production process. He starts at the Loop Station before producing the track on software so as to have a studio version.

There are many artists who use beatbox to fuel their sound productions. 

Ezra, for example, created the music for Come Kiss Me Now. This beatboxer has also been seen alongside Wax Tailor, Camille and many other artists. He is also artistic director of the Organic Orchestra company.

Beatboxing as an Artistic Director and Stage Director

Other beatboxing opportunities include being an artistic director and stage director. 

L.O.S is the beatboxer who naturally springs to mind. He accompanies music groups, has over 20 years’ experience and helped POTSIKEI (beatbox-MPC duo) put on their show.

Beatbox Workshops and Teaching Opportunities

Many beatboxers can share their passion by teaching!

You can offer face-to-face beatbox workshops in schools or music colleges, give introductory lessons at themed events, or become a private teacher.

Although it’s possible to learn beatbox on your own thanks to freely available videos and tutorials, it’s undeniable that you’ll make faster and more perceptible progress if you work with a teacher who specialises in the field.

Perfecting your beatboxing skills requires creativity, rigour and technical mastery. Calling on people who have both a keen sense of pedagogy and a passion for passing on the art can help you to make significant progress, and achieve your personal goals.

One of the great advantages of beatboxing is that it can also be taught online, whether for basic or advanced techniques, and whatever the age or level of the learner.

The beatbox teachers themselves have been through the stages and overcome the challenges that learners face and will save you time in your learning. At Lyrebird, for example, courses are designed to progress at your own pace and level alongside the masters of the discipline.

How to Make a Living as a Beatbox Content Creator

As I mentioned earlier, it’s possible to learn beatboxing on your own thanks to a large number of freely available videos and tutorials. 

Over the last few years, social networks have given rise to a new profession: content creator. And we beatboxers are also finding our place in this sea of information. 

Sharing Beatbox Creations

As a content creator, you can share routines, tutorials, songs and reaction videos on platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. It’s also a great way to collaborate on various projects. By accumulating views and subscribers, it is possible to generate income through advertising, partnerships and merchandising.

Colaps and Alem are examples of people who are very active in their content creation. So it’s up to everyone to find their own rhythm of publication and their favourite content. 

Interviewing Beatboxers

In terms of original content to (re)discover, I’m thinking of the CAUSONS series of interviews by Lexie T. This format allows you to learn more about beatbox and artists from the French-speaking scene (but not only!).

Sharing Beatbox Learning Content

Finally, LYREBIRD has chosen to share educational and entertaining content. With step-by-step tutorials on the sounds and signature techniques of the best beatboxers, exclusive excerpts from masterclasses and much more, it’s possible to progress in beatboxing at your own pace. 

Professional Beatboxing in Dubbing, Voice-over, and Sound Design

Beatboxing opens the door to a wide range of careers in sound, voice and sound effects!

In fact, the versatility of beatboxing allows artists to take on dubbing, sound design and the creation of sound effects for different media. 

For example, Eklips lent his voice to the dubbing of the animated series “Les Kassos“.

Ezra did the dubbing for the Chaplin & Co cartoon, bringing a new, dynamic dimension to the characters thanks to his vocal skills. 

Afra and Rinka are renowned for their sound design and sound effects on the famous anime Samurai Champloo and Parasite (寄生獣) respectively.

Beatboxing, with its ability to reproduce a multitude of sounds and effects, can be an invaluable tool for film, television and animation productions. 

Beatboxing Career as Speaker and Event Host

Always with the idea of sharing his passion and contributing to the development of the beatbox scene, it is possible to give lectures or host events. Our hosts of beatbox events in France often include Furax, Tunjay and Orfey. 

As far as conferences are concerned, a few years ago WaWad gave a ‘Beat outside the box’ performance as part of a TedX. He shared his talent with the audience, while demonstrating a great deal of humour, sympathy and humility.  Other beatboxers such as Beasty, Daichi, Rahzel, THePETEBOX, Tom Thum, Show-Go… also had the opportunity to share their passion in this format offered by TedX… 

Beatboxing Career in Comedy and Entertainment

And since beatboxing allows you to use a number of different forms of humour. Michael Winslow and Anthony Kavanagh are just some of the comedians on show. Michel Leb also does sound effects.

Reggie Watts is another good example of a beatboxer who has developed as a comedian. He’s done stand-up, co-hosted James Corden‘s talk show and played in the film Pitch Perfect 2. 

In the French-speaking world, I can’t fail to mention MB14, who recently starred in the film Ténor: the story of a suburban youth steeped in rap who gradually falls in love with opera. 

Opportunities as a Beatbox Event Organiser

Beatboxing also offers great opportunities for those who want to start organising events. Beatboxers, with their intimate understanding of the art and culture of beatboxing, are perfectly placed to organise great events for connoisseurs and novices alike.

A specialist beatbox event organiser can put on a variety of events, from beatbox competitions and battles to music festivals, workshops and conferences. 

Growl Up France is a good example. It links different artistic practices with Human Beatbox, organising hybrid battles, transmission workshops and concerts.

Beatbox as art therapy

Like any art form, beatboxing can be therapeutic. There are many ways in which beatboxing can be used to promote health and well-being. Perhaps the most natural thing to come to mind is music therapy or sound relaxation.

However, a large number of artistic projects can be therapeutic, whatever form they take. Team-building beatboxing workshops can enhance team cohesion and a sense of well-being in the workplace, just as a performance in a retirement home can cheer up the elderly. 

The great thing about art is that it is limited only by our thoughts.

All Kinds Collaborative Opportunities in Beatboxing

And last but not least, beatbox can be used in a wide range of collaborative projects, such as speech therapy! This discipline helps patients with vocal rehabilitation. 

The work of Philippine Mignot and Vanessa Bourdin, who is working with beatboxer Tiko to promote the benefits of human beatbox as part of speech therapy, has been highlighted in particular.

In short, beatbox is a rich and versatile discipline that goes far beyond what you might imagine. From the stage to the classroom, from recording studios to therapy surgeries, there are still many areas where beatbox can be of benefit. Like all forms of music, beatboxing has multiple virtues and limitless creativity. The possibilities are vast, and creativity is just waiting to be unleashed. 

It’s up to you to discover how you can turn your passion for beatboxing into a fulfilling career, according to your affinities and skills. Beatboxing is a great opportunity to create a tailor-made career for yourself! 

What kind of beatboxer do you aspire to be? We’d love to hear about your ambitions in the comments.

PS: Thanks to L.O.S for taking the time to help us write this article by sharing his knowledge.