The unmistakable sound of a hip-hop beat fills the air. But instead of finding a DJ's turntable somewhere nearby or even someone carrying an '80s-style boom box, curious heads soon turn to find the sound is produced by a single individual.

Throughout campus, many have come to know him as the "Beatbox Guy."

The Beatbox Guy, or junior Justin Stein, has been beatboxing for the past eight years. He was first introduced to it when a friend visited his house and brought her boyfriend with her.

"She said, 'Hey, check out what my boyfriend can do,'" Stein recalled.

His friend's boyfriend began beatboxing, impressing then 13-year-old Stein.

Stein said he thought it was very cool and began imitating him. He continued for about six years, striving to reach that point. Even as he progressed in his abilities, he still didn't know there was a name for what he was doing.

"I was just making noises," he said.

Stein didn't know what beatboxing was until his senior year in high school, when one of his classmates was doing the same thing and Stein joined in. His classmate said he was good at beatboxing and, after learning the name of what he'd been doing, Stein immediately began looking it up online and watching videos.

According to an article from The Mercury News titled, "Beatboxing: An Oral History," beatboxing is "the term for the art of creating rhythms and sound effects with the human voice." It's a form of vocal music and the name originates from "the mimicry of the first generation of drum machines, then known as beatboxes." Though it's mostly found in the hip-hop culture, it's certainly not limited to that area.

Stein said that although it's hard to explain without a demonstration, the goal of beatboxing is to make noise that doesn't sound human. The less human it sounds, the better. It can range from a song to the imitation of different sounds, like helicopters, synthesizers or musical instruments. Stein mainly sticks to drums, base and synthesizers, although he can also imitate the Australian didgeridoo.

Everything else he does, Stein files under the "miscellaneous" category because he said he can't really label them.

When it comes to beats, Stein said there are certain kinds of beats that people try to imitate. These are usually created by more well-known beatboxers. Two beatboxers that Stein looks up to and tries to imitate are Rahzel and Kenny Muhammad.

"They're just so far out there," he said about their talent.

Rahzel, a member of the hip-hop group The Roots, displayed his beatboxing abilities in a TV commercial for Twix a few years back. Muhammad, commonly known as the "Human Orchestra," has worked with Rahzel and other rappers and beatboxers.

Stein said that he has received mixed reactions to his beatboxing. Some have considered this hidden talent very cool, while others have thought it was just crazy.

Senior Dustin Lewis has known Stein for about a year, after they met in a class. He said that he was pretty surprised when he first heard Stein beatbox because it just came out of nowhere: He was walking around campus when all of a sudden he heard somebody beatboxing.

"Justin is a very nice guy," Lewis said. "I would be hard pressed to think of anyone that I've met at the UW who is as honest and kind as he is."

Even though he can often be heard during passing time, that's not the only occasion in which Stein displays his talent. Since spring quarter of last year, he has performed regularly at RETRO (Respect, Educate, Teach, Reflect, and Observe) Revolutionary Poets "Open Mic Poetry Night" every month. RETRO was started six years ago by former students Tony Rivisto and Anthony Rose. It began as a poetry show, but has since evolved into an open mic night where students share their talents in singing, dancing, rapping and all other aspects of hip-hop culture in addition to poetry.

Claiborne and his brother Cameron Bell host RETRO. He and his brother are always looking for new performers and encourage students to "come and show us what you got."

Stein did just that.

"I had heard Justin beatboxing before he came to the show but I had never thought about having him on the show," Bell said.

They hadn't had a beatboxer in the past and Stein is still the only one. Because of this, Bell said the crowd was initially somewhat suspicious when he first got on stage, but after his first performance the crowd loved him. Since then, Bell said Stein is consistently one of their main acts and always gets a lot of cheers when he's announced to the stage.

Bell said Stein always brings something new and exciting to his performances, but Stein said that because beatboxing isn't as big within the hip-hop community as other entities like rapping or breakdancing, it can often be misinterpreted. His first time on stage, Stein said that when he introduced a piece called "Water," both hosts thought he meant he needed water.

Although he has been dubbed the "Beatbox Guy" around campus — a nickname that he said he likes and has adopted as an alias whenever he performs — he is definitely not the only one. He said he loves running into other beatboxers and often has the urge to approach them and start collaborating.

Coincidentally, during the interview a student walked by, oblivious not just to Stein but the rest of his surroundings as well.

He was beatboxing.

[Reach reporter Samantha Pak at features@thedaily.washington.edu.]