[youtube]https://youtu.be/ORy0KuqFGws[/youtube]

You may know him as the beatboxer of the school because of his impressive performances at the pep assemblies. The kid behind the mic generating beats with solely his voice is junior Isaiah Lopez. Lopez’s expertise in beat boxing is no doubt an asset of the a cappela group Echo Effect, which Lopez has he’s a part of since his freshman year.

“He is a great influence on all the guys. Keeping the beat is not always easy in the course of an energetic performance, but we all know we can depend on Isaiah every time. If somebody messes up, we look to Isaiah to get us back together and reclaim the vibe, and he always delivers,” senior and fellow echo effect member Chester Beck said. “Isaiah is not only one of the best vocal percussionists in the world, he is also a great leader and brings a positive attitude each and every day. I and everyone in the group is so grateful to be friends with him.”

Lopez started practicing the art of beatboxing at the age of fourteen after watching YouTube videos and mimicking the noises until he was able to execute them himself.

“I tried to copy them [the beats] the best I could and kept practicing the noises until I got them down. That’s how beatboxing works. You learn enough noises until you get them down, and then you start putting them together to make beats,” Lopez said.

Lopez’s skills don’t go unnoticed. He’s a big inspiration to many students at Niles West because he believes that success and accomplishments all stem from determination.

“I think it is very interesting that he learned to beatbox from YouTube videos, and it just goes to show that if you set your mind to something, you can do it,” junior Leslie Flores said.

Lopez had the drive and responsibility to make varsity wrestling and Echo as a freshman while still focusing enough on academics. It is clear that he knows the definition of determination, which is one of the main reasons why his peers look up to him.

“Isaiah is a very kind, determined, and talented person. This kid is known for his beatboxing skills. I’ve seen many of Echo’s performances, and within them, his beatboxing just brings the entire performance together,” junior Erika Albuja said.

Despite his major talent in beat boxing, Lopez wants to follow in his father’s footsteps and go into the military one day.

“My dad is in the military and is helping me train. I want to be a Navy SEAL when I get out of high school, so he’s been helping me get my body ready and in military shape,” Lopez said.