We Speak Music

Reeps One & Nokia Bell Labs

Lighting and Laser installation for documentary

We Speak Music is a voyage into the human possibilities of the voice. Fronted by visual artist and world-class beatboxer Harry Yeff (aka Reeps One), the series of 6 short documentaries explores how beatboxing is reframing our understanding of the human voice and influencing communities and creatives form all all over the world.

The series culminates in a creative duet between Reeps One and his AI “vocal twin”, showing the true creative potential when we bring together the best of humanity with the best of technology.

The series investigates how the beatboxing subculture is creating a nonverbal form of expression between global, online communities. The story spans covers this communication’s origin in the hip-hop community of New York, to modern collaborations with neuroscientists, educators, and engineers. These members use their ability to communicate ideas and feelings across linguistic boundaries, using just the human voice.