I'm going to start recording like this.
That's the Beat.
Performing in the subways,
the hardest part about it is finding a spot.
But once you find out that good location
and if it's at a good prime time
then you can actually make a lot of money.
I can make two,
three, 400 bucks in a couple hours.
Maybe three or four hours.
On a good day it'll be like 300 bucks,
350 bucks.
On a bad day?
$150.
I like to perform in Union Square because
just simply because it's a lot of traffic
here. Like everybody comes here.
There's a lot of tourists.
I kind of like it when it's busy
and people are like... it's
crowded and a lot of people
and people are in a rush.
So whenever I perform I have a
particular song in mind
and then I'll break down the song
into each individual sound.
I will record my bassline first
and then I add some harmonies on top of that
and eventually the beat.
And then finally when that's all together,
I add the rapping on top and it sounds like
a whole cohesive piece.
"I only call you when it's half past five..."
This is my job.
I do the beatboxing thing underground
and also I do gigs above ground.
And so I'm just trying to make it work.
You know doing the thing I love the most, which is music.
Sung Beats is a professional beatboxer.
Here he is in 2014 at Harlem's historic
Apollo Theater.
He's a four-time amateur night champ
and a fixture in New York's subway system.
So how does an underground performer get by
in one of the most expensive cities
in the world?
This is what I bring to the subways to perform.
Here's my beloved loop station.
This is the device I use to sample my voice.
I got a little sign...
that explains what I do.
Then this is the stand.
An inverter,
which connects to the battery,
which gives me outlets.
Headphones.
These are Shure.
SM58s. Very basic vocal mics.
Can't forget the water. A stand
which will hold my speakers.
I'm going to take it out. Boom.
So I headed down there
and I realized all the spots were taken by
the performers so
we're gonna try to move on to another spot.
Maybe Times Square.
There are so many other performers
and they're all getting there really early.
We'll take the L and then the [A].
So if you want to get that spot it's a good idea
to get there ahead.
Maybe like two or three hours ahead so that you can
actually secure it.
I always take the elevator.
Before there was a bucket drummer
there so I thought the spot was taken,
but...
He's gone now so maybe
I'm just gonna perform there.
She's setting up?
I think I'm just going to let her stay
and we'll move.
Clark: Wait,
what just happened?
I was walking over to perform there
but some homeless lady
decided to take that spot.
So good for her.
I'm not going to bother her.
Just move to another stop. No problem.
The last time I had a real job was
in 2013.
I worked a 9
to 5
and all I could think about was,
I want to beatbox.
And eventually I quit that job.
And I've been pursuing it ever since.
And now we're on the L train back to 8th
Avenue. Gonna take the A up to
Times Square. Hopefully there will be a spot there.
When when I first started performing in
the subways.
I made like,
I dunno, it wasn't much,
it was like 40 bucks.
But I did know that
there are other people doing it.
And I definitely had confidence in my abilities
and I just knew if I worked at it a little
bit like figuring out ways to
generate more tip, eventually it'll come to me
and it did.
I need a new [sign], it's all ripped up.
Sung faces tough choices when deciding
how to budget.
Sometimes it's as simple as choosing between
buying lunch
or spending that $15 to replace
a broken mic cable.
You know, I think the reason why the cables always
break is because I always step on them.
His monthly expenses total more than $2200.
So he supplements his income
with any other gigs he can book.
On his best days, Sung can make $500
from both underground
and above ground performances.
If I had to choose one I'd say I like performing
aboveground better because you don't
have to like fight for a spot all the time.
You don't have to go through that hassle.
And also you don't have to perform for like three
or four hours straight –
and that's very taxing
on my voice.
This guy is about to bring to the stage won
the Apollo Theater amateur
night. He got the big-ass check,
that's all you got to know.
How do your parents feel about you
taking this path instead of having a conventional
job?
You know initially they were very
concerned. You know they wanted me to become,
you know, a doctor, lawyer,
engineer.
My parents,
I'd say compared to other Korean-American
parents, are not as strict.
And I was also the last one born.
So I had a little bit less pressure than my
older siblings did.
I started to, you know,
get some momentum going in my career started
getting some success.
And it's funny how quickly they change once that
happens!
Doing the music thing,
you go into it,
you know, knowing they're going to make some sacrifices
and maybe stability
is one of the things.
But at the end of the day
I'm really passionate about it.
And if that's a sacrifice I have to make,
then so be it.
I heard someone beatboxing.
I heard Sung's voice
and it sounded really familiar because
I've heard him perform before.
It's amazing.
He's a one-man-band and he's great.
He's better than everybody.
He's making it all on his own with his own vocal chords. It's amazing,
especially the bassline, it's awesome.