After seeing the “McDonald’s rap,” a video that went viral on YouTube when junior Jess Jacobson was in fourth grade, Jacobson provided a beat using only his mouth for his friends as they rapped the words to the song. Soon after, he found himself frequently searching for beatboxing tutorials on YouTube to teach himself how to make new noises.

“I fell in love with beatboxing until it got to the point where it was like an obsession or an addiction,” Jacobson said.
He started beatboxing two years after he was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome, a neurological disorder that causes one to tic and vocalize randomly and involuntarily.

“I could always do weird noises, but I never thought about [beatboxing] until it got to a point where my Tourette’s was really bad and I thought beatboxing would be a way to release it,” Jacobson said.

According to Jacobson, his Tourette Syndrome helps him create difficult beats and sounds that he typically would not be able to do.

“Once I started beatboxing it basically freed my tics and I felt a lot better,” Jacobson said.

Jacobson said when he beatboxes for the first time in front of new people, jaws drop. People are dumbfounded by the rhythms he can make and often ask, “Was it you who just made that noise?” For this reason, he said many of his peers refer to him as “The Beatbox Kid.”

His father, Dave Jacobson, said he first thought his son’s talent was “goofy.” However, when he actually saw some professionals perform, he started to support his son.

He now said he sees positives to his son’s involvement with beatboxing.

“He, like [most teenagers], [has] the tendency to be a little self conscious and insecure,” said Dave Jacobson. “What’s happened because he’s done beatboxing is that he has gotten more confident around people. He is a little more self-assured and self-confident.”

Jess said he has received a lot of positive reactions to his beatboxing, especially on the Operation Snowball retreat he attended in February.

He said he did not even think twice about getting up in front of the large group of students to beatbox after being called upon by junior Jessica Gideon.

“Since day one, I thought his beatboxing was amazing,” said Gideon. “In every school that I’ve gone to with him, everyone has always been in shock [from] his talent. This was the same at [Operation Snowball]. He had everyone’s full attention.”

According to Jess, the best part of beatboxing at the retreat was the standing ovation he received at the end of his performance.

He said he immediately felt more comfortable on the retreat after everyone surrounded him with praise.
Jess said beatboxing has given him a “purpose in life.” He said whenever he feels down on himself, thinking about his ability to beatbox immediately boosts his confidence and makes him feel able to go out and do something with his life.